Time to Move
When the real estate market began to recover in 2015, I purchased a foreclosure in Bloomfield Hills, MI. The condo was in a great location with easy access to expressways and had a short commute to work. There were some improvements that needed to be made, but making this move lowered my monthly housing budget as compared to living in an apartment. When I got the keys I hired Jeremy Revitzer of New Look Painters in Royal Oak, MI to prime and paint the walls. They ripped out the dated mirrored walls and crown molding. I replaced the out-dated bi-fold closet doors and hired Macson Electric in Fraser, MI to install some recessed lighting to brighten up the living space. Stainless steel appliances from Best Buy brightened up the kitchen. The addition of a nice ceiling fan and some neutral carpet from Home Depot finished off the bedroom. All of these improvements were incremental. I didn’t get a construction loan from the bank which made it more cost effective for me.
Choosing a Real Estate Agent
Five years later in 2019, I wanted to test the market. The economy was doing very well and it was a seller’s market. I met with Anthony Bertrand in, a co-listing agent for Jeff Glover & Associates with Keller-Williams in September 2019, Anthony came to my home and was very personable. I asked him if a photographer would be taking pictures of my home? Apparently, Jeff Glover & Associates have their own photographer. That was really important to me. Having a professional photographer showcase the condo with great pictures. With JG&A, they set up an appointment with me and emailed me a sheet with amazing pictures after the fact. I was really impressed.
Anthony Bertrand
Co-Listing Agent
Born and raised in the Detroit area, I have always had dreams and aspirations of a thriving career in real estate. With a child and young adulthood filled with sporting activities, I have always had the instilled habits of hard work, sacrifice, taught to compete at a high level, and do more than the competition. With that being mentioned, the mindset that I continue to maintain is that of, “Its all about We, Not Me” (this goes for my clients, customers, and team).
After graduating from a Performing Arts High School in the Metro Area, with the Top Male GPA and being the top 1% of my graduating class of over 150 students, I had the options to go to many colleges across the country. I ended up attending Eastern Michigan University since it was in a convenient area for me and they offered an Academic Scholarship.
After 2 years at EMU I entered the field of sales. At the time like many entry level sales people, you tend to come into a large industry with high hopes and not knowing much of what to expect. After putting in the extra hours, working diligently on what changes I needed to make to adapt, and making the commitment to the business; I immediately noticed that I practiced the characteristics that you need for success in this business all my life. By that I mean I have always been willing to work hard, sacrifice (meaning it’s not about me, together everyone achieves more), always compete at a high level, and do more than the competition (if we do not satisfy our clients, customers, and prospects someone else will). With those being some of my strongest qualities, I knew I was in it for the long haul. I would simply be living my purpose. Which is why I decided that working with the most powerful Real Estate Sales Team in North America would be a natural fit for me.
Direct: 855 JEFF SELLS
Determining My Home Value
We discussed a competitive price to list my home for. It was a bit lower than some of the other condos in my subdivision. Anthony said it would be best to keep the price competitive rather than keeping it on the market for a long period of time. I agreed with his logic until I saw a condo just like mine go “Pending” that had a higher list price. Before we listed, I asked him if we should reconsider the list price. He was good with going with a higher number. The listing was on the market a few weeks before we received an offer.
Trusting Your Gut
If the move was going to happen, the offer had to meet the number I had in my mind. I set the price knowing I needed to give a little bit during negotiations. When I got the offer, they said they’d give me less than what I had in mind. What do you do then? It was such as small amount but they still hadn’t met my number. In my conversations with Anthony he asked, “Are you willing to let this deal go for this small amount of money?” I told him, “Yes.” Even though I looked a little crazy I had to trust my gut.
Within the next week we had a few more showings, but no offers. However, the person who made the offer originally came and looked at the condo again. I came home after that showing to see that another Jeff Glover & Associates real estate agent had shown this person the property. Later, I received comments in the scheduling app they use to book appointments. The realtors comments said their buyer was firm on their price, but the realtor was urging to make the deal happen. Afterward, I had a talk with Anthony and he was willing to credit me the difference in his commission to close the deal.
The Appraisal
The next hurdle had to do with the appraisal. We got a number back that didn’t quite meet my selling price. Anthony told me the comps probably had something to do with it. He said the home that went “pending” when we originally listed didn’t sell, and was now on the market again. We were now back to negotiations. The buyer was willing to purchase the condo for the appraised value, but that wasn’t my number. I told them that I wasn’t going to budge on my price.
Moment of Truth
Over Thanksgiving, I received a phone call from Anthony. He said the buyer was willing to meet me in the middle between the appraised amount and my number. I spend the day thinking about it. Remember, I wasn’t willing to compromise on the small dollar amount earlier in the process. I’m I now willing to bend for a few thousand dollars? Remember that the buyer was also willing to purchase the property for the full amount anyway. Were they willing to come all this way just to pass on the deal? Early the next morning I called Anthony and told him I was staying with my number. A few hours went by and we got news back from the buyer. They were giving me my number!
The Closing
We set up a closing date for the first week in December. Unfortunately, due to unforseen circumstances Anthony wasn’t able to make it to the closing at the Jeff Glover & Associates Birmingham office. I had to be out of the condo in 30 days. Since the move would be happening after my Christmas vacation, I’d be coordinating with a mover to get into an apartment in the middle of January.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I had a great experience with Jeff Glover and Associates. They took professional photos and stayed neutral during the decision making process. I like that because it allowed me to follow my gut and take ownership over this big decision. I’d highly recommend them to list your home.
