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Why Am I Different From Other Realtors?
While the answer is easy, it isn't short. I focus on building relationships. I don't want to just "sell you something" or just "sell your home" and then vanish from sight. I like to stay in touch with past clients, not in a smothering or annoying manner, just a gentle "Hey, I am here if you need anything" way. Let's be honest; we probably went through some interesting times, finding you the right home and negotiating a fair price. While a lot of emotions may have surfaced during this experience, we were a team. I like to believe my clients see me as not just another sales person and realize I am their ally.
For this reason, I will do whatever it takes to make your buying or selling experience a good one. I am here when you need me and unlike some Realtors you can always reach me. I take pride in my availability and promise to be at hand. The era of the personal touch, of service you can depend on, is still alive when you deal with me.
I simply cannot emphasize this enough: I AM ON YOUR SIDE.
I live by the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
To me, you are not just a commission, you are a person. I truly mean this.
A Little About Me
I pride myself on being a no pressure sales person. I know from first hand experience how frustrating and annoying it can be to have a sales person who harasses you at every turn. That is why I make it my mandate to be as hands on (or hands off) as you need me to be. Your comfort level is very important to me the more at ease you feel with the buying or selling process the smoother things will go for everyone.
I also realize that your time is valuable. Whether you're selling your home or buying a new one your time is a commodity that I will not waste.
Let me assist you in finding your dream home, both in a neighborhood and in the price range that is right for you. On the other hand if you are interested in selling a property I have the expertise to achieve the fastest possible sale, at the best price. The real estate market has changed over the past year. I therefore have changed what I do. I believe that there are only 2 things needed to sell a home: the right price AND advertising. I will give your home so much internet exposure you will be blown away. I believe in quality and quantity. I strive to be better and do more...and I do.
I look forward to working with you!
Here's What I Will Do to Sell Your Home:
If you are thinking of selling your home, here are just some of the ways I can assist you:
Here's What I Will Do to Sell Your Home:
- I will give you an accurate Market Evaluation. This will help you decide the price point at which your home should be marketed at to capture the most attention from prospective buyers.
- I will arrange (covering the expenses) for high quality professional photographs which will highlight my vigorous advertising campaign.
- I will have all your advertising materials designed by a professional graphic designer. (at my expense)
- I believe in a strong web presents. Therefore I will (at my expense) have your home placed prominently on the following websites:
- MLS (of course)
- Realtor.ca
- I will purchase your homes address as a domain name (e.g. www.490stanley.com)
- Century 21 Kelowna website
- Century 21 North America website
- Century 21 Canada website
- Century 21 International website
- My website www.florko.ca (voted #1 Century 21 site in Kelowna for traffic)
- U-Tube
- Craigslist
- Kijiji
- Facebook marketplace
- Open House Kelowna.com
- Point to Agent.com (Which syndicates your listing to the following sites: Google Base Beta, Oodle, LiveDeal.ca, Vast, Condo.com, Niche properties Network, 3DVista.)
- Point to Homes.com
- Castanet
- Other Realtors Websites (my listings look so good I have found other agents use them to fill up space on their websites when they do not have enough listings!)
- I have also purchased the phrase "homes for sale in Kelowna" from Google. This means that whenever anyone searches this term or most combinations of the words my website will appear on the first page of the Google search. This will increase traffic to my website and in so doing will increase exposure to your property
- Google Adwords
- Facebook Adwords
- Blogging on Blogspot.com, Facebook, my space, and my website helps to drive internet traffic to the places where your home is listed.
- And more
- I will also update these sites weekly to keep your ad on or near the first page.
- I will have your home listed prominently on my website at www.florko.ca which was voted in the top 100 most active real estate websites within the whole of Century 21 Canada (out of 7500 sites). It was also voted the #1 most active real estate website in Kelowna within Century 21.
- I will purchase the domain name for your homes address and have signage created to allow prospective purchasers to link directly to info on your home by simply imputing your homes address into the computer.
- I have paid to make certain that I am on the first page of Google when ever anyone searches for "homes for sale in Kelowna" or most any combination of those words. This will give your listing even more exposure.
- You can expect a weekly update on listing activity even if there have been no showing...this way you know I am still on the job and have not vanished from sight.
- I will hold open houses which will allow prospective purchasers the opportunity to view your home in a stress free manner. I will be available at each open house both to answer questions and to emphasize all the positive aspects of your home.
- I will list your home on the Realtors' tour. This will give other Realtors the opportunity to view your home first hand so they can better describe what your home has to offer to their clients who are in the market for a home like yours.
- I will have high quality brochures professionally created and on display at your property allowing viewing buyers a takeaway reminder of the features they liked about your home.
- The respected & recognized Century 21 gold sign, prominently placed on your property will alert passersby that your home is for sale and where to find further information.
- I will attach a display to the gold posted sign containing info on your home. This will allow passersby to get some info on the place and hopefully entice them into making a call to set up a viewing appointment.
- I will include your home in my virtual office tour allowing my colleges the chance to see pictures and details. This is a real asset as it allows me to answer their questions and to really sell your home to other realtors and access their field of qualified buyers.
- I will send an inter-office realtor flyer to all local real estate offices. This will enable Realtors in the Kelowna and surrounding areas to discover first hand that your property has come on the market and what it has to offer.
- I will send info regarding your listing to my whole sphere of influence (prospective buyers, investors, past clients, etc.) letting them know why they may want to look into buying your property. According to the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board over 85% of home sales take place due directly to the contacts and relationships a Realtor has built over the length of their career.
- I will execute strategic advertising by sending media, advertising your home, to real estate offices across Canada.
- I will keep detailed records of who saw your home and when. This will allow me to contact anyone who has taken interest in your property when we smell an offer coming and in many cases this contact can instigate a multiple offer situation. We know what multiple offers mean right? MORE MONEY FOR YOU!
- I will cover the cost of all printed materials and make certain that everyone possible knows whenever we have a major change to the listing. E.g. price adjustment, renovation, upgrade, etc.
- I will provide a complementary moving truck to assist you in moving out of your old house and into your new home. The truck will also be offered to any buyer who purchases through Century 21. This may be one more incentive for them to buy your home.
- By listing with me, a Century 21 agent, you will also have the opportunity to earn Airmiles. Airmiles will also be offered to any buyer who purchases through Century 21. This is one more incentive for them to buy your home. No other real estate company in Canada can offer you this.
These are some (but by no means all) of the things I can do to assist you in selling your home. It is very important to make your home stand out from the crowd. I will do my best to make that happen. Every property has its individual characteristics and strengths. I will capitalize on these and use them to the fullest potential. Nobody will spend more time working to sell your home then I will...I am so confident in that I don't mind saying it!
Give me the opportunity to show you how I can make the sale of your home as easy and stress free as possible. I will provide you with a specific sales analysis, outlining what we can do to make your home sell quickly and at the best possible price. Call me today...It's a risk and obligation free way to get some info that may help make a sold sticker appear on your yard sign.
Selling your home in today’s market calls for a Realtor with new ideas
Well, we all suspected it would happen and here it is! The day of the never ending price increase and super fast sale are coming to an end. In Kelowna, currently in 2008, there are nearly twice as many homes for sale as there were at this point in 2007. Not to mention, overall sales are down.
What does this mean? This means that to sell your home, your Realtor has to work harder. Do I hear you say, "It's about time!"?
Being young and innovative, I have new ideas. I believe in the power of internet advertising. It has been proven time and time again that to get maximum exposure for a listing, use of the internet is critical. Statistics show that over 80% of buyers utilize the internet for their property search. I take full advantage of this fabulous new tool. In fact, I do more internet advertising then any other Realtor I know.
Here are 21 creative ways I will advertise your property online:
- MLS (of course)
- Realtor.ca
- I will purchase your homes address as a domain name (e.g. www.490stanley.com)
- Century 21 Kelowna website
- Century 21 North America website
- Century 21 Canada website
- Century 21 International website
- My website www.florko.ca (voted #1 Century 21 site in Kelowna for traffic)
- U-Tub
- Craigslist
- Kijiji
- Facebook marketplace
- Open House Kelowna.com
- Point to Agent.com (Which syndicates your listing to the following sites: Google Base Beta, Oodle, LiveDeal.ca, Vast, Condo.com, Niche properties Network, 3DVista.)
- Point to Homes.com
- Castanet
- Other Realtors Websites (my listings look so good I have found other agents use them to fill up space on their websites when they do not have enough listings!)
- I have also purchased the phrase "homes for sale in Kelowna" from Google. This means that whenever anyone searches this term or most combinations of the words my website will appear on the first page of the Google search. This will increase traffic to my website and in so doing will increase exposure to your property
- Google Adwords
- Facebook Adwords
- Blogging on Blogspot.com, Facebook, my space, and my website helps to drive internet traffic to the places where your home is listed.
- And more
These are just some of the places I will advertise your listing online. I will of course do even more to get your property the most possible exposure and decrease the time it takes to sell...lets face it the faster it sells the better for everyone. The thing to remember is that I do more than anyone I know...call and ask other agents what they do for online advertising and I bet you will not find even one person who does close to as much as I do. I even update all your ads weekly to make sure your property stays in the front of the search and does not get shuffled to the back pages.
I will also have your home listed prominently on my website at www.florko.ca which was voted in the top 100 most active real estate websites within the whole of Century 21 Canada (out of 7500 sites). It was also voted the #1 most active real estate website in Kelowna within Century 21.
To find out some of the other cutting edge things I will do to advertise your property have a look at the part of this website that is labeled Selling Your Home? Here's What I Do.
Specialties
Many Realtors say they specialize in this or that. Examples of Realtor specialties we often see are "lakeshore specialist, condo specialist, foreclosure specialist, etc." If I had to choose one specialty that I could call my own I would say I am a "people specialist" and in my opinion that is the best kind of specialist to be. Any Realtor can manage to sell a condo or lakeshore property but not any Realtor can do what it takes to make the sales experience enjoyable. I pride myself on being able to read and understand what people need to make their real estate transaction as stress free and enjoyable as possible. My no pressure approach and down to earth, easy going nature tend to put people at ease and I enjoy going the extra mile to make my clients happy. Part of being a "people specialist" is generally enjoying meeting new people and I do. In fact that is the main reason I became a Realtor. Being easy going is great but of course there is a time and place for a more hard line strategy. That time is when I need to negotiate the best deal for you and being able to read people goes a long way in that department too.
Buyers I'm Talking to you...7 Steps to saving money and get you into your new home
Here are seven steps to save you money and get you into your new home.
STEP 1 - Choose a Realtor.
As a Buyer there are some things to consider. First of all you should choose a Realtor you can trust and one with which you will enjoy working. Maybe someone like....ME. ;-)
Seriously though a good agent is essential to finding you the right home and negotiating the right price. While keeping the experience as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. As a Realtor it is my job to write up a contract that is both unbreakable and has your best interests in mind
STEP 2 - Talk to a Mortgage Broker.
The next thing to do is get a Mortgage Broker and if possible a Mortgage Pre-Approval. A Mortgage Broker provides a free service that can set you on the right path to finding your new home. It is important to know how much you can afford. The last thing you want is to limit your options or even worse find the perfect home only to realize you can't afford it...everything you see after that will be a big disappointment. Click here to learn more about the reasons to use a mortgage broker: http://karenshale.com/artman/publish/what-is-a-mortgage-broker.php
Getting a Pre-Approval can also save you money. Think of this as a bargaining chip when writing a contract. The fact that you have a pre-approval will make your offer more attractive. This can often entice a seller into accepting a lower offer as they will feel more secure and will see your offer as more stable and less likely to fall apart.
STEP 3 - Find a well priced home.
At the moment it is a buyers market. That means that there are often deals to be had. I will find you a home that you can afford and will alert you to any outstanding bargains that may be available. I am often aware of homes before they even hit the market and that can give you an edge. When we find the right home I will advise you as to the best course of action to get the home at the desired price...or less.
STEP 4 - Negotiate the best price.
As your agent I am well versed in the art of negotiations. I have extensive experience in dealing with sellers and agents of all sorts. Finding out a seller's motivation for selling can help me know the best course of action when proposing the offer. Some sellers are desperate to sell, some are not. The ones that are not desperate need to be sold the merits of your offer. I have to be a bit of a chameleon when presenting an offer. I need to know how to act to win them and their agent over; to make them understand why YOUR offer is the best one. It can be a good agent bad agent kind of situation. Some people want to control the proceedings and you need an agent who can handle themselves in these situations...remember it's your money on the line. There are some things we can do to make an offer more appealing:
- Don't do subject to sale of your home (if you can help it). In this market it is important to sell your home first before you even begin to look for a new one. This may seem scary but with the right planning it is nothing to fear. What you have to do is write your contract with dates that will meet your needs. Give yourself time to find a new home. With all the homes currently on the market it should be a piece of cake to find a home fast. And don't forget this will save you money.
- Keep your subjects to as few as possible while still keeping yourself covered (I will direct you as to the best subjects to include when the time comes...every offer is different) Subjects included: financing, inspection, title search, property disclosure review, levie search, etc
I enjoy the negotiation process...I compare it to chess...you have to stay one move ahead of your opponents if not more.
STEP 5 - Inspectors, Lawyers, and Notaries...oh my.
Whether you need an inspection or not. Or you want to use a lawyer or a notaries I can point you in the right direction. I have a great group of people who I have referred clients to and who I know will do a bang up job at a reasonable price. Whether you choose to use a lawyer or the less expensive option of a notary it is your call. The fact of the matter is that a simple home purchase can usually be taken care of by a notary. A lawyer will provide better and more secure service and may be necessary for more complicated transactions. If you are uncertain of anything you can always turn to your lawyer to help you feel more secure and answer any legal questions you may have. A notary on the other hand is more of a rubber stamp service.
Step 6 - Removal of subjects
If you want the house to be yours we have to get the subjects of the contract to make it binding. I will gather all required documents quickly and steer you in the right direction as to who to speak to and why. Sounds easy and it should be but every once in a while we come up against uncooperative sellers or forgetful agents. Or what if we found your home as a ‘for sale by owner' you will need a lot of help getting that deal to stick together and that's what I do.
Step 7 - Move in day
I will get you the key and a truck if you need one to help you move and off you go. Enjoy!
Professional Background
I have always chosen to work in fields which bring me in close contact with people. People continue to be my passion. I pride myself on being a "down to earth" sort of person, one who truly cares. When I considered a career in real estate I was at odds with myself. While the thought of sharing the exciting home buying experience appealed greatly to me, I was not keen on becoming a "salesperson". What a conundrum! Would it be possible to be a realtor but not a salesman? I believe that you can. I let my clients make up their own minds. I answer questions and work hard to find the right homes for viewing, and then I step back. I will give you all the information you need, so you can then make up your own mind. In this spirit of teamwork, we can get things done right. I hope to hear from you soon.
Personal Interests
I choose to live life to the fullest. Kelowna has endless opportunities to be active and enjoy life, both summer and winter.
Winter brings snow and Kelowna is surrounded by mountains. Snowboarding and cross country skiing are my favorite wintertime activities. We have a choice of mountains in the Okanagan and because of the dry climate, the powder is unparalleled. I prefer a soft landing when I bail!
I love the wide spectrum of summer activities the Okanagan offers. Swimming, tennis, golf, kayaking, boating, wakeboarding, waterskiing, rollerblading, and relaxing in the sun on the beach are but a few of the things to do & I take advantage. I enjoy being active and you can be as active as you like in K-town.
I enjoy reading, movies, and romantic walks on the beach. (Ha-ha! Haven't we heard that somewhere before?!)
Seriously though, Kelowna offers you endless opportunities for adventure and I certainly take full advantage. Hope to see you on the mountain or on the water!
AIR MILES
Ask me how to earn AIR MILES® reward miles when you buy or sell a home through me.