Case Study
AT and FH decided to retire and move from Los Angeles. They wanted their new hometown to be a liberal West Coast city with lots to do, but without sprawl. Their interests included music and the arts, health care systems, and a busy airport for their planned travels. They decided on Portland. However they did not know anyone in Portland, and so they started their quest without the safety net of friends, contacts, or established resources.
They started by locating a Realtor on line by doing a search for relocation and Realtor, and then onto this web site. Their initial e-mail contact with Scott resulted in a prompt reply, and it specifically addressed their specific questions.
Scott picked them up at their hotel the morning after they flew up, and the next four days was the fun, albeit challenging, search for the right home. Nine houses a day, and then re-visits to the top three before deciding on one. Drafting the offer was a relatively easy part of the process, and then they flew back to LA. After a bit of negotiations, their offer was accepted The next hoop to jump through was to get their California home sold ~~ and thank goodness the Realtor team there was on the ball, diligent and persistent.
Back in Portland, Scott became their person on the scene during the Escrow process. First was coordinating and being on site for the Inspections: Home, Sewer, Structural Engineer, and Hill/Soil Engineer ~~ asking questions and discussing the reports. The Inspections complete, a “Repair Addendum” was drafted and negotiated.
Fortunately the repairs were minor and the seller graciously stepped up to some plumbing and dry wall work, while Scott was coordinating an HVAC crew re-fabricating crawl space duct work to prevent visits from forest critters.
The new house closed, and was theirs, but the “Resource Book” Scott keeps, was not done with being more helpful than had been anticipated, as the out-of-towner's transitioned to Portland. Everything from professionals in the building trades, to a floor care specialist, to a cabinet maker, to a gutter and window cleaning crew (for their 3 story hillside house), to a licensed handyman and contractor, and more. The frequency of calls about their new home surprised AT and FH, but Scott's availability and preparation for the questions, showed clearly that he was in this as a truly full service Realtor. And it goes without saying that he was also up to restaurant, hardware store, and shopping guidance ~~ even entertainment resources.
At the end of the year, when Scott asked clients what they recommend he do, to improve his business plan, AT and FH had a quick answer: (1) Tell people, that beyond what folks think they need a Realtor for, that you are a resource for resources for home owners, and (2) Add a Case Study to your web site so that people get the idea.
