Selling or buying real estate nowadays has really become like planning a wedding…read more
In that regard, a realtor is very similar to a wedding planner who must, with pleasant demeanor, exceed the expectations of the client while successfully navigating the demands of so many other parties whose interests conflict with their client's. And they have only one chance. There are no do-overs. It is in that light I am happy to congratulate Rick for the great job he did for my wife and me. We'd decided a couple of years ago that we would steadily get our house fixed up and then move. We put a new roof, AC, hot water heater, plumbing, carpet, and paint in/on the house. Rick did some great pricing analysis and was waiting to pull the trigger on our listing. But suddenly, my job situation changed drastically, and we had to go dark for a few weeks. Once resolved, the market began changing very quickly, which required someone who knew how to adjust, what to prioritize, and how to go to market. As we went to market, the real estate market continued to change significantly by the day. Rick was never phased, always had the answers we needed, and advised us how to proceed through such a rapidly changing market. He was always able to get great feedback from potential buyers that allowed us to make, or delay, decisions as necessary. He worked very hard to adjust the strategy to what the market was demanding. We had great exposure, and countless showings. But my wife and I were reluctant to adjust to the knowledge Rick was sharing out of our own stubbornness. Once we followed his lead, Rick was successfully able to match us to an interested buyer. Then Rick's true value became even more apparent. Though our buyer was a very shrewd, detail-oriented buyer, Rick was able to close the gap between the asking price and the offered price in a way that was very favorable to us. He negotiated a fantastic deal against a very formidable opponent. As the close process proceeded, Rick was asked to make changes to almost every aspect of the deal (credits/allowances/financing re-arrangements/date changes/etc.) So much was demanded of him, but he stood firm, and in every case, was able to negotiate a favorable outcome for us. His expertise made my wife and I very comfortable at a time when we might not have been if Rick had not been in control. After finally reaching a contract, Mother Nature decided to come to the table in the form of Hurricane Ian. Once again, Rick stood firm, and didn't let anything jeopardize the sale. The storm caused some damage to our newly installed roof that needed to be repaired. While having plenty of family, friends, and a community of his own to help after an event that disastrous, Rick stopped by our house to survey the damage, prepared a report for us, and had solutions all by the time he called us the next morning. It was a remarkable level of commitment. He already had our business. He already had done everything he needed to do to finalize the contract. But in a tough circumstance, he put himself in our shoes, and did everything and more to help make us whole. We completed our sale in mid-December after hurdle after hurdle caused by a rapidly changing economic market, our pricing inflexibility, a very demanding buyer, and catastrophic weather events. We did so because Rick beat every one of them. Without him, I know for a fact that our result would not have been as fruitful as it was. His leadership, knowledge, service, and commitment are what makes him second to none. Yes, Rick's a hell of a nice guy to talk to. I'm confident he'll be a friend for every day God gives each of us. But I'm not offering this testimonial of Rick to those looking for a friend. I'm offering this to anyone looking for confidence to win their deal and do so with little or no stress. If you want the best deal, and don't want to worry about whether you are getting it, call Rick. Selling and buying homes is a very difficult and stressful event. Hiring Rick, on the other hand, is easy. We're sure glad we did