Work With The Right Real Estate Professional
All Real estate agents aren’t alike. You want a Real estate agent and a real estate company with a proven track record in your market. Whether you’re selling a home in Greeley, Windsor, Loveland, Eaton, LaSalle or Fort Collins, there’s an Austin & Austin Real Estate professional with market knowledge to help you get top dollar for your home.
- You need a real estate professional with the background, experience and knowledge needed to help you find the perfect buyer.
- You need an advocate in the selling process—one who will protect your interests every step of the way.
The Roles of Different Real Estate Professionals
Real Estate Agents
Real estate agents have passed a state-administered exam that qualifies them as a licensed salesperson. They have to act under a real estate broker’s authority and can’t work independently. They are legally allowed to sell property under this supervision.
Real Estate Brokers
A real estate broker is one level above an agent. Brokers are held to a higher standard of real estate knowledge and the licensure exam is longer and more difficult than a salesperson’s exam. You have to have a broker’s license in order to act as a broker, run a firm or manage a team of agents. They can work independently or hire real estate salespersons to do tasks and legwork. There is usually only one principal real estate broker per agency.
Realtor®
A Realtor® is a real estate agent that belongs to the National Association of REALTORS®. He or she must subscribe to its Code of Ethics and pay national dues. They also belong to local and state trade associations. Complaints against REALTORS® can be addressed by a local board.
Listing Agent
A listing agent is also known as a seller’s agent. They work exclusively with the home seller and represent them in negotiations with potential buyers. They operate in the seller’s best interests and owe a fiduciary responsibility to the seller under a listing agreement. They guide the seller step-by-step from marketing to closing.
Buyer’s Agent
A buyer’s agent helps a buyer navigate the process of buying ahome, and works in their best interests. A buyer’s agent is involved in everything from pre-approval through closing. They are involved in helping a buyer find the ideal home to fit their budget, negotiate with the home seller on their behalf and provide reliable home inspectors. They also complete and process all paperwork. There are agents who never work for home sellers and only work with buyers. However, many agents work with both sellers and buyers, but usually not in the same transaction.
Dual Agent
A dual agent can represent both the buyer and seller in the same transaction. They handle negotiations for both parties.
Broker Associate
A licensed real estate broker who chooses to work for another real estate broker is called a broker associate. They want to work with a larger firm in order to increase his/her real estate network. They often pay a flat fee or a percentage to their employing broker or firm for each transaction.
Transaction Agent/Transaction Coordinator
A transaction agent or transaction coordinator doesn’t represent either party but instead, facilitates the transaction. They help process the administrative items for a real estate transaction. This includes gathering and sorting out all the paperwork, opening an escrow account, making sure contingencies are completed, managing timelines and getting disclosure forms properly filled out and signed.
The Home Selling Process
Clean House
One of the first things your real estate agent will have you do is a deep cleaning. After all, first impressions count and a clean home will sell faster than one that looks like it hasn’t been taken care of.
Repairs and Improvements
Your agent will advise you if you need to make repairs or small improvements so you home will “show” great. You may need to paint a room or two, replace carpet or spruce up the front yard so it looks inviting. The more offers you get, the more likely you’ll get a great price for your home.
Establish a Price
Your Austin & Austin real estate agent will help you determine a figure that is appropriate for the market. You’ll see comps about recent sales in your area and learn if it’s a buyers’ or sellers’ market. This will help you price your property right so you can get an offer and close on a deal you’ll be happy with.
Marketing Your Home
Your Austin & Austin agent will develop and implement a marketing strategy that will attract the kind of buyer you are looking for. This includes signage for your home, an MLS listing, traditional and social media advertising, agent-to-agent referrals and possibly an Open House.
Review the Offers
When you get an offer, the negotiating begins. Your agent will review the offer with you. You’ll learn if the buyer is preapproved for a loan and what kind of closing date they are looking for. Your agent can provide expertise to help you determine if the offer should be rejected, accepted or met with a counter offer. Make no mistake: negotiating a deal can be stressful and emotional. You want to work with a real estate professional that knows how to negotiate and protect your interests.
Close The Deal
Once you and your buyer agree on a price, there will be a few final procedures that will close the deal. Your agent will take charge of the closing process, which includes an inspection, appraisal and potentially repairs. At the closing, you and your real estate agent will meet with the buyer to legally transfer ownership of your property.
Meet Our Agents
Along with being rooted in the community, our brokers possess the background and knowledge needed to perform their jobs with expertise.
A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and an ex-Air Force pilot, Bruce has been the managing broker at Austin & Austin Real Estate for over 33 years. He holds all three major National Association of Realtors designations for expertise in residential, commercial, and investment real estate—an honor less than 100 other REALTORS® in the nation can claim.
Raised in Eaton, Sarah has a strong appreciation and respect for the people and culture of Northern Colorado. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Management and an emphasis in Real Estate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Sarah started her career in the music and publishing industry but quickly transitioned to residential and commercial real estate, focusing on property management. Sarah is excited to build long-lasting relationships with her clients through stellar customer service.
Chuck is a fourth generation Greeley resident with 30+ years of real estate experience. He holds the Graduate of the REALTOR® Institute and Certified Residential Specialist designations, and is the past director of the Greeley Area REALTOR® Association. More than 75 percent of Chuck’s business comes from referrals—a testament to his expertise and client-centered approach. Chuck is also the past president of the Union Colony Pioneer Society. He and his family are involved in local sports and community events in Greeley, where they live.
Ted has over 35 years of experience in the real estate business and is one of the partners of Austin & Austin. He specializes in land issues, and is a recognized expert in the areas of water rights, agricultural properties, rural acreages, development properties, land planning and zoning issues. Ted is a graduate of the REALTOR® Institute, belongs to the REALTORS® Land Institute, and has been designated as a Colorado Land Specialist and Certified Residential Specialist. Ted and his family live on and operate their irrigated farm southwest of Eaton.
Brigitte has lived in Greeley all her life and has had the privilege of watching it grow. She especially enjoys working with first-time homebuyers, but she has experience with a wide variety of real estate, ranging from new construction to classic homes. Count on Brigitte to prioritize your needs and preferences and to be your advocate in any buying or selling transaction. She’s been with Austin & Austin since 2005. Brigitte’s enthusiasm and warm personality always make working with her an enjoyable experience.
Lynette is a lifelong area resident. Specializing in both single-family homes and residential acreages, she has earned a reputation of being a committed advocate for all her clients, always focusing on their best interests. She holds the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute designation. Lynette and her family live east of LaSalle, where she is frequently engaged in community events. Lynette won the Greeley Tribune’s Best of South Weld County Realtor® in 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017!
Raised in Greeley, and growing up in the family business, Higgins Hardware, I have a respect and appreciation of the people of Greeley and Weld county. I earned my B.S. in Business Finance at the University of Northern Colorado. Before joining Austin & Austin, Mike played professional basketball in many different countries. His wife Norka is a native of Spain. They have a daughter, Rachel, and a dog named Marley. He enjoys coaching youth sports and many outdoor activities.
Sue has been a respected Broker Associate since 2000, focusing on service rather than sales numbers. She specializes in new and existing homes on acreages, as well as vacant land. She is passionate about helping clients realize their real estate dreams and provides exceptional personal service. Sue has a Business Administration degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She and her family live in Eaton, where Sue is an area specialist and a participant in community events.
John has been helping people with their real estate dreams for more than 30 years. He has extensive experience in agricultural properties, water and 1031 exchange. He is a Colorado native and Army veteran, serving as a military policeman in the Canal Zone in Panama in the 1980s.
John is dedicated to making the buying and selling process and simple and easy as possible while protecting the interests of his clients. It’s no surprise that more than 50% of his business is through referrals! He has a wealth of knowledge about real estate in Northern Colorado, from Longmont north to Fort Collins. truly enjoys working with first time homebuyers. He lives in Windsor and has one son, Heath. He enjoys football, hockey, hunting and fishing.
Born and raised on a farm in Weld County, Dale has been a real estate professional since 2003. He has vast experience in land development, buying and selling land and Colorado water rights. He also worked with governmental agencies in land development and commercial properties. This allows him to help people with residential, commercial, farm, ranch and water needs. He loves to provide his buyers and sellers with an honest and informed experience when buying and selling a home. Married to his wife Lori in 1977, they have a son, Scott and a daughter, Stephanie.
A Weld County native, Anne has been a fixture in Northern Colorado real estate for more than 32 years. She is a graduate of the Realtor Institute and holds the Short Sales and Foreclosures Resource and Master of Real Estate designations. Anne runs Austin & Austin’s satellite office in Ault, and is the recognized expert in Eaton, Ault, Pierce, Nunn, Briggsdale and Grover. Anne and her family live in Ault as well, where they enjoy being part of the tight-knit community. Anne was named the Best of North Weld County Realtor® by the Greeley Tribune in 2015.
Kristin is a 4th generation broker associate and native of Greeley with an extensive background in homeowners insurance. Kristin uses her in-depth knowledge of Northern Colorado to search out the best options for her clients. Her clients love her enthusiasm, attention to detail and dedication to always going the extra mile. Kristin’s top concern is a positive customer experience—a priority that is reflected in her high referral rate.
Tamra thrives on helping clients with their real estate dreams. She has a business marketing degree from University of Wyoming and utilizes that daily in helping her clients sell their homes. She has been in the real estate industry since 2013, with extensive experience in staging, interior design and transaction coordinating. She’s lived in the Greeley area for more than 20 years, raising her three children with her husband Tom. Call her with any of your real estate questions or needs today.
