Teamwork
We work as a team. It is very difficult for one person to do a good job in real estate by themselves. There are a few exceptional Realtors who do an excellent job on their own, but most unfortunately become too busy and too time crunched to properly take care of you during the selling process. By working as a team, we are able to provide a much higher quality of service to you. If one of us is busy, the other steps in to take care of the situation, whether it is to answer questions, handle an offer, hold an open house, or give a potential buyer a personal tour of the property. We also are wise enough to know which of us is better at certain tasks (such as paperwork, marketing, negotiating) and give those tasks to the team member who will do the best job with them. This is all to your advantage.
We would be happy to meet with you, in your home, and give you a fair market assessment of your home's value, as well as discuss with you further how we can help you sell your home fast, and for the best price. We take advantage of the latest technologies to market real estate, including web marketing using search engine optimization, SMS or text message marketing, as well as more traditional methods such as MLS and print ads. We would be happy to meet with you and discuss our marketing approach to real estate, and to answer and questions or concerns you may have.
Contact Rich Keller* or Mike Sloan*
Why Hire Rich Keller* and Mike Sloan* to Sell Your Property?
"What is your rate?" is without a doubt the most popular first question that we get asked when potential clients are checking us out. Is this a good question or a fair question to ask? Well, it's important to know, but don't ask this question without the more important follow up question: "What do you do for that fee?" Remember that the rate or commission charged is 100% negotiable. It's critical to compare what the Realtor is doing for their commission to determine a fair price to pay them.
What do you do for your commission, Rich* and Mike*?
I'm glad you've asked that, as not everyone does. The most critical thing that we do is answer the phone. If we don't answer, we are on the phone, and we return the call within 30 minutes. This seems rather a simple fundamental that should go without saying. We never cease to be amazed when we frequently hear people say how their last agent never answered their phone, if they returned calls it was always a day or two later. We'd have a hard time believing it if we didn't experience it ourselves dealing with other Realtors.
Caring
The second thing that we do is take a genuine interest in you and your property selling. Anyone can put a sign up, and make up fancy marketing materials. Not everyone can CARE. This is not a trite comment, we really want to make you a happy client. Our goal is always to make the selling process as painless and as quick as possible. Our business is built on repeat business and referrals. We want you to be happy with the selling process so that you return again as a client. We also believe that you should be treated the same way we like to be treated.
Fair
We always recommend a fair list price. Numerous agents will come in and tell you your property should list for 10-20,000 more than the market will bear in order to get the listing. This tactic does not help you at all. In fact, it hurts you. Your property will sit on the market for months without any real interest, and you will have to make price reductions, frequently below fair market value in order to get it sold. In the end, the process takes months longer, and results in a lower sale price than if you had listed your property at a fair market price to begin with.
We tell the truth. We will not hesitate to tell you areas where you can improve your property to make it sell faster, and for more money. We will not hesitate to tell you how the market really is right now. We don't do this to be mean, depressing, pessimistic, or hurtful. We really believe that you are a smart person and will figure out if someone lies to you. We don't want to be that person that lies to you. Our business is built on trust and repeat business. If you can't trust us, you won't use our services again, and you won't recommend us to friends.
Honest
We also tell potential buyers the truth. There are some things we don't share, such as bottom line price, your reasons for moving. (We also protect your best interests) But, if the roof leaks, it leaks. We will tell potential buyers this. You may think that this hurts a sale, or is not your best interest. It is simply to avoid a lawsuit against you. You will not loose nearly as much money on the sale, disclosing defects to a potential buyer, as you will spend defending yourself in a lawsuit. In this day and age, more and more buyers are litigating if they feel they have been short changed in a deal. It is not worth the risk of a lawsuit, as it is no longer simply "buyer beware".
Teamwork
We work as a team. It is very difficult for one person to do a good job in real estate by themselves. There are a few exceptional Realtors who do an excellent job on their own, but most unfortunately become too busy and too time crunched to properly take care of you during the selling process. By working as a team, we are able to provide a much higher quality of service to you. If one of us is busy, the other steps in to take care of the situation, whether it is to answer questions, handle an offer, hold an open house, or give a potential buyer a personal tour of the property. We also are wise enough to know which of us is better at certain tasks (such as paperwork, marketing, negotiating) and give those tasks to the team member who will do the best job with them. This is all to your advantage.
We would be happy to meet with you, in your home, and give you a fair market assessment of your home's value, as well as discuss with you further how we can help you sell your home fast, and for the best price. We take advantage of the latest technologies to market real estate, including web marketing using search engine optimization, SMS or text message marketing, as well as more traditional methods such as MLS and print ads. We would be happy to meet with you and discuss our marketing approach to real estate, and to answer and questions or concerns you may have.
Contact Rich Keller* or Mike Sloan*.
Why use Rich Keller* and Mike Sloan* to Assist in Purchasing Property?
Buyer Beware
The simple answer is "buyer beware". In the past, Realtors always represented the seller in any real estate transaction. Buyers frequently (even notoriously) got the short end of the bargain in real estate transactions. They simply were told, caveat emptor, or "buyer beware". Using a knowledgeable Realtor to help you purchase a property is simply becoming buyer aware. Having us on your side will allow you to tap into our market experience. Are you paying to much for a property? Is this property priced low and a real hot buy? Is there something wrong with the property? The neighborhood? What clauses (conditions) should be attached to an offer? The list could go on, but it is obvious that real estate transactions are complex. We are able to help you through that complexity because we are intimately familiar with real estate. We work in real estate every day and have gained experience through our numerous transactions, and from our close colleagues who share their experiences with us.
Convenience
We also provide the advantage of convenience. If we know your schedule, we can set up showing times to best suit you. You don't have to wait for an open house in order to see a prospective property. On the selling side, we can arrange for potential buyers to see the property at the least obtrusive time for you.
We are familiar and approachable. Mike and I do not put on pretenses. We are "regular folk" just like you. Once you get to know us, you will know what to expect from us, that familiarity of talking with a good friend, rather than approaching a stranger to do business. Your will also find that we will learn about you and your preferences and will be able to speed up your search by eliminating properties from the list that we know wouldn't suit you. We may also show you properties that you don't want to see out-of-hand, knowing that there is a potential fit with you.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is another advantage that you can expect from us. Your Realtor is required by law to keep everything you say in confidence. If you go to an open house, or even to a private showing with the listing salesperson (who is not representing you), they do not have to keep anything you say in confidence. In fact, you can be sure that everything you say is relayed to the seller.
We are also required by law to work in your best interests. A good sales representative, like Mike and Rich, will point out all the features of a property, both good and bad, rather than try to sell you a property. We will also point out site influences of the property from beyond the lot lines, giving you a picture of the potential neighborhood that comes with the property.
Teamwork
We work as a team. It is very difficult for one person to do a good job in real estate by themselves. There are a few exceptional Realtors who do an excellent job on their own, but most unfortunately become too busy and too time crunched to properly take care of you during the buying process. By working as a team, we are able to provide a much higher quality of service to you. If one of us is busy, the other steps in to take care of the situation, whether it is to answer questions, handle an offer, or arrange for a personal tour of a property. We also are wise enough to know which of us is better at certain tasks (such as paperwork, negotiating) and give those tasks to the team member who will do the best job with them. This is all to your advantage. Time is frequently short, and everyone has busy schedules. With two people working as a team, we are much more readily able to devote the time required to fit a personal tour of a property into your schedule, not ours.
Cost
We will ask you to sign what is known as a Buyers' Representation Agreement (a contract) if you would like to use our services. Why? Why can't you use (as many have told me) the first sales representative who finds you the right house? Why not call five or six salespersons and have them all search? A contract binds you to us for a length of time. Do we think we own you? No.
Contracts were brought about for our protection, they guarantee us that we will be compensated if you buy a property. But this same contract is also for your protection. Without it, we do not have to work in your best interests, keep what you say confidential, give you good advice, and share with you our insight into the market.
Also, you will find that if you do not have any commitment to us, we will not have much commitment to you. When we see a hot new property at an amazing price, will we call you, a customer without a contract, and risk you purchasing the property from another salesperson? Or will we call a loyal client, who has signed a buyer representation agreement, and we know we will be paid the commission? Not to many people will work to hard when they doubt they will be paid. This is not crass commercialism, it's just the way life is. We don't mind at all, working hard for you, but we do believe in an honest days pay for an honest days work. Real estate transactions frequently take hundreds of man hours to put together.
The good news in our compensation is that the seller generally pays us. At one time, the seller always paid the costs of buyer representation, but the real estate industry is going through some serious changes right now in Ontario, and it is not as clear as it once was, who pays for our services. There may arise situations where you would have to pay for our services, but that would be clearly discussed well in advance of those services being provided.
We would be happy to meet with you and discuss any further questions or concerns you have about buyer agency, at no-cost/no-obligation to you. Please contact Rich Keller* or Mike Sloan* for more information.
About Rich Keller*
I was born and raised in Tillsonburg, ON. And no, my back does not ache, but thanks for asking. I guess I should thank Stompin' Tom for making Tillsonburg famous, because otherwise no one would know where I am from! I enjoyed growing up in a small town, where there was a real sense of community. Everyone knew you, or at least recognized you. I try to bring that sense of familiarity to real estate, to know my clients, and listen to their needs and wants in the real estate transaction.
During high school, and for several years after, I ran my own business, building and servicing computers. I had an early desire in life to be my own boss, a willingness to work hard, and no fear of trying new things. I feel that this provided valuable experience, with some tough business lessons along the way. Ultimately, I decided that while I wanted to be my own boss, the computer industry wasn't the way to go for me. What can I say about the computer industry? Everyone is some sort of genius when it comes to the machine, but not so much on the business side. It's a tough place to make a living, no matter how hard you work.
Leaving the computer industry, I worked as an apprentice electrician for about five years. My plan was still to be my own boss and run my own business. I learned to work even harder as an apprentice, not to many journeymen let you slack off. I also learned to listen to the customer closely and really be attentive to their needs. For the first time I also realized that you can interact and relate to a customer, not just conduct a business transaction. Customers appreciate your expertise and your opinion. Although they have their own ideas about the way things should be, they are often welcome to hear suggestions of how things can be made even better. I think this valuable learning contributes greatly to who I am today in my business. I enjoy interacting with my clients and offering my experiences and expertise in real estate to make them more comfortable and to enable them to make good decisions.
Always seeking a new opportunity, I went to work for a firm here in London, ON as a service technician for industrial machinery. The organization was geared to highly motivated self-starters, and I excelled at my work there. I was much more directly responsible here for interaction with clients. Clients would call me directly and tell me their problems, and I would fix them. I enjoyed the relationships built here with clients, and still chat with some of them regularly. It's rewarding to know that they value my opinion. A number of clients still contact me for advise when looking for new equipment. This experience taught me the value of relationships with clients and customers. Even though we are called sales people in real estate,I don't feel that it is my job to sell anything. I provide a service to my clients. I enable them to buy and sell property, and avoid all the potential pitfalls along the way. I really believe that you need to have a relationship with your clients. There is some crazy stuff that happens while trying to make a deal, and you need to know that the person you are working with is there for you, even when they tell you things you don't want to hear.
It is possible to work with people, without having a relationship. I have conducted business in real estate this way, at their preference, but it's not the same. you have no rapport, you can't read where their head is at, and understand if your doing the right things for them. I can see why people even think Realtors are overpaid when you do business this way. There is no value added in this. You don't give any experience or information. Basically, it's just filling out some paperwork at that point. It doesn't have to be this way, however. I try to bring an individual personality and some humanity to real estate. I am all business when I need to be, but I like to crack jokes. I try to keep the mood light, and have fun! I enjoy what I do. I enjoy working with people, and helping people. It makes the whole process easier and simpler when you have a rapport with your clients.
My first taste of real estate came about a few years ago when I flipped my first house. It was a really eye opening experience, and I said to myself, Wow, why doesn't everyone own a home? After that, I just knew I was meant to "sell" real estate. So, in 2009 I got licensed, and have been working full time at it since then. Contact Rich Keller* if you would like personal and courteous help in your next real estate transaction.
About Rich* and Mike*
While Mike* and I actually met before either one of us went into real estate, we recently decided to team up in order to provide even better service to our clients. It's a very practical decision for us. Basically we were talking about how business was going for each of us, and how thin you get stretched some times, trying to keep everyone happy, make all your appointments, and a light went ton for both of us. We just knew we had something that would make us even better at real estate. It very hard for one person to keep up with everything. The hardest thing to do is be in two places at once, sometimes even three or four places. Having a team, and helping each other makes it possible to keep up with our clients. We also discovered that we were good at opposite things. That's a real bonus. No one person is good at every part of their job, but with two people, we can make sure every task gets done right, and efficiently.
Contact Mike Sloan* and Rich Keller* if you would like more information on how they can help you in your next real estate transaction.
About Mike Sloan*
Prior to working as a sales representative for Prudential Family Realty, Brokerage, I traveled many paths. I was born and raised in the Detroit, Michigan metropolitan area, and I picked up and moved to Grand Bend, Ontario in my mid twenties to pursue a career in higher education, as a college professor of marketing. Now a citizen of both The United States and Canada, my background and experiences are very diverse. Growing up in a family full of salespeople, the business of friendly relationship marketing has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. With grandparents entering into successful sales careers following noteworthy military service during World War II, I was taught to conduct business with respect and honor. Then, living in a home with an extremely successful salesman father and a teacher mother highly praised for her contributions to childhood education, my path toward becoming a sales and marketing professional of remarkable qualities was permanently etched into my future.
I traveled many roads before arriving at my current destination as a Realtor and professor at a local college. Upon successful graduation from Michigan State University from two separate programs, I entered into the real world with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources. I was involved in a myriad of experiences at Michigan State, many of which dealt with web marketing and Internet business, which is valuable knowledge, and very useful in modern real estate marketing. With excellent university transcripts and glowing recommendations from professors and previous employers, I hit the ground running in a sales career at one of North America’s largest telecommunication companies. Rapid advancement was ahead for me, as I outsold everyone in my branch within my first month of employment. Within four months, I was a district sales manager, a position that dramatically contributed to the commendable business sense that I utilize as a Realtor every day.
Eventually though, the itch for me to be my own boss could no longer be ignored. Since I was young, I was participating in a variety of water sports at semi-competitive levels including windsurfing, water skiing, and wake boarding. I also started surfing the Great Lakes in my teens. Subsequently, I am no stranger to the beach, especially the beach properties lining the Canadian shores of Lake Huron. Using the Internet as my backdrop, I pursued this passion for water sports in a business setting. I left my position as a sales manager and put my web marketing skills to the test selling water sports equipment via an online e-commerce retail store. Within a year, I had partnered up with a Canadian colleague opening a brick and mortar location in Grand Bend to compliment our web presence.
As the co-owner of Wind and Wake Board shop, just a stone’s throw away from Grand Bend’s main beach, I was fine-tuning my customer service skills while also enhancing my ability to create successful online / e-commerce marketing campaigns. Through the ups-and-downs of being a small town entrepreneur, I learned about the importance of creating and maintaining strong community connections. Introducing the very progressive and brand new sport of kite boarding to one of Ontario’s most visited public beaches was a daunting task, but something that my partner and I were able to do as a result of building positive rapports with local citizens and businesses. Still, to this day, as a prominent area kite boarder holding numerous professional sponsorships, I am the ‘go-to’ Grand Bend resident for anything to do with our local beaches. This is yet another aspect of my life that translates into a valuable means of generating links in my real estate career.
All along the way, as I was perfecting my marketing and customer service skills, I knew I was meant to be a teacher. Ultimately, in 2001, I closed the store and went back to school to earn a third university degree: a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario. My education at UWO revealed to me that my true calling was to teach at the post-secondary level. Instead of returning to the States where opportunities in post-secondary education are quite limited, I decided to remain in Canada. I quickly landed a teaching job as a marketing professor at an extremely reputable Ontario college. Once I knew I was never going to leave Canada, I applied for full-time work at my college and immigrated to this wonderful country. As a college professor, I have constant access to the most contemporary and often, up-to-the-minute marketing techniques. With this forever evolving knowledge in my side-pocket, I am beyond a doubt the best choice of Realtors to market your property.
Finally, concurrent to my earning three University degrees and fundamentally mastering my responsibilities as a sales manager, entrepreneur, and professor, I was also perfecting my communicational flair as a musician. Music has been an essential interest in my life since my early teens. As an amateur drummer and guitar player, I quickly took to writing my own material. In my late teens, after composing a diverse collection of pop rock songs, I began singing for a rock band with members based in London and Detroit. As an independent artist, the band experienced moderate success in North America, Europe, and Japan. After two international tours, three full-length albums, and countless EP length records and singles, my music career has now evolved from a professional endeavor into a fervent hobby.
During my years in the band, I was not only the lead singer, but also the manager, promoter and driving force behind all of the marketing for and business of the group. The music industry, while often a source of immense frustration for me, is a great learning platform for the business-minded professional as it breads some of the most sophisticated advertising and promotional practices in today’s world of new media technology. This avant-garde marketing environment, just like the forward-thinking environments associated with my other vocational callings, has again contributed to my custom design of winning marketing methods that are nothing less than untouchable in the real estate industry. Also, in a similar manner to other activities in which I’m involved, my involvement in music cultivates healthy connections in the local community. Once again, my personal experiences and hobbies positively contribute to my ability to network as a real estate sales person.
As much as kite boarding and music have helped me to establish myself as a trusted and well-known member of the Lambton Shores community, it really all began with my family cottage. My mother and father found an ideal piece of property in Grand Bend in 1979. By 1980, the Sloan’s were the proud owners of a cottage in Beach O’ Pines subdivision, an exclusive Grand Bend location in which, to this day, I still have extremely strong connections. Since 1980, I have spent every day of every summer on the beach in Grand Bend. After I left my career as a sales manager in June of 2000 to open up Wind and Wake Board shop, Grand Bend became my place of primary residence. Growing up in the big city but always gravitating toward the culture of small towns definitely plays a role in how I perform as a real estate sales person: going for big results but without sacrificing small town personal service.
While the aforementioned experiences did not directly involve me with the business of real estate, I did take an active interest in the industry well before I received my license in 2010. Back in 2006, after I purchased my first rental property in London, ON, a light-bulb went on in my head. I contemplated that with my all-embracing marketing background, I would surely have a lot to offer if I were to become a licensed real estate agent in Ontario. Instead of rushing into this career, I chose to explore the industry by involving myself in the rental property business while simultaneously studying for and earning my real estate license. In 2007, I purchased a second house, another rental property specifically set up for students. Within a year, in addition to managing my rental properties, I was also renting and managing several cottages in the Grand Bend area. My extensive experience as a rental property manager has given me the ability to accurately assess the ‘rentability’ of vacation and long-term rental type properties, something which Grand Bend area buyers are frequently concerned with.
Today, I focus on only two major activities in my life; teaching and real estate. Since I became a college professor, I have proudly made the statement that I am following in the footsteps of the most brilliant teacher ever, my mother. As a real estate sales person of extremely high caliber, I am now proud to say that I am also following in the footsteps of the greatest salesperson ever, my father.
Now, living with my loving wife in our Grand Bend dream home, I can look back at the roads and avenues that have led me to where I am today. The circumstances of my professional experiences have helped me to evolve into an ideal choice for your Grand Bend real estate needs. Furthermore, my education and the events of my personal life have taught me to adapt and commit my personality to different situations and different types of people. I couldn’t be more equipped for a fruitful real estate career. Whether you know exactly what you want or have no idea what you need, in the Grand Bend real estate market, contact Mike Sloan*
About Rich* and Mike*
While Mike* and I actually met before either one of us went into real estate, we recently decided to team up in order to provide even better service to our clients. It's a very practical decision for us. Basically we were talking about how business was going for each of us, and how thin you get stretched some times, trying to keep everyone happy, make all your appointments, and a light went ton for both of us. We just knew we had something that would make us even better at real estate. It very hard for one person to keep up with everything. The hardest thing to do is be in two places at once, sometimes even three or four places. Having a team, and helping each other makes it possible to keep up with our clients. We also discovered that we were good at opposite things. That's a real bonus. No one person is good at every part of their job, but with two people, we can make sure every task gets done right, and efficiently.
Contact Mike Sloan* and Rich Keller* if you would like more information on how they can help you in your next real estate transaction.