Can We Require Our Listing Agent To Inspect Our House After Each Showing?

Hi Dave,

This may sound like someone just complaining but it actually is more serious than that. Our home has been listed with a reputable firm for four months. Whether or not our house has sold by mid‑July, we will be relocating to Denver to start new jobs. The concern we have is that after leaving the house during a showing, we frequently come back to find a door unlocked, lights left on and occasionally our bathroom used. With us no longer in town, can we require our listing agent to inspect our house after each showing? Unfortunately, we do not have a relative or a friend nearby that we feel comfortable asking to oversee, or burdening them with our property. This issue is concerning now but was even more so when our house was being shown during winter with freezing conditions. How do you deal with these problems?

Thank you, 

Gayle and Tom, Grand Junction

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Gayle and Tom,

This is a common problem and a very real concern as it is too often for our sellers that they come home after a showing and find exactly what you describe.  The simple answer is sell your home, but I, as much as anyone I know, fully appreciate that sometimes it is easier said than done. 

First, I must point out that from time to time all showing agents make mistakes and overlook details like locking doors and turning off lights after they leave for a showing. I will admit that one time, as careful as I try to be when showing a house, we went in through the front door and out through the back door and I forgot to lock the front door and actually left the key in the front door lock!! Luckily the showing agent was extremely forgiving and showed me quite a bit of grace, but as good as my intentions were that day, I failed to show the attention to detail and respect for the seller’s home that I should have. My point is, it happens to the best of us, but will not happen to me again! Should it happen, no, but does it happen more often than it should, yes.  That being said you have hit on a couple of points that could help alleviate your concerns.

It is very reasonable to request your agent check up on the house after showings. This may be difficult for your agent to manage, depending on how busy he/she is and the frequency of showings. If you are getting 3-4 showings a week, this can be more difficult, but if it is 1-2, then becomes a much more manageable. Most agents want to make the selling experience as trouble free for their sellers as possible and thus are typically very quick to accommodate their seller’s needs, if at all possible. Do not be afraid to ask your agent for their help, that is what they are there for. 

You have options, explore them. First and foremost, ask you agent and his/her company to help you solve the problem and alleviate your concerns, as I am sure you will find them very resourceful and helpful in finding a solution you are comfortable with.

 You mentioned, you did not have any friends or family nearby that you felt comfortable asking for help, but I would consider a reassessment of your friends and family and re-think who might be able / willing to help. I understand you may not have close neighbors, but any neighbor or friend who has kids (teenagers) who would like to pick a few extra bucks each week for checking in on your house, may be just the ticket. As I recall, teenagers are eager to earn a few extra bucks, but I must admit there may be a generational gap between then and now. : ) Young people today do not seem as money motivated as I was when I was younger! You might even check around at church, as many times the youth group, etc... have folks who are looking for odd jobs and extra sources of income. As I have mentioned in this column before, you may see this as a burden to your friends or family, but believe it or not there are many people who love to help. There are also two types of house sitters, those who would live there while you are gone and watch over the property and those who you can hire to come out once or twice a week to check things over. 

You have options, explore them. First and foremost, ask you agent and his/her company to help you solve the problem and alleviate your concerns, as I am sure you will find them very resourceful and helpful in finding a solution you are comfortable with. Here’s to praying for a worry free move and your home selling soon!

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

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Does The Type of Retaining Wall Change Resale Value?

Dear Dave,

Now that spring is upon us and summer is fast approaching, we are getting some projects lined out for our property. We have an area that needs a retaining wall, 25 feet long and 4 feet high, and we would like some advice on what might be the best route to take. We have access to railroad ties but we aren’t sure if those will have as good of resale value for the property as a rock or stone retaining wall. What are your thoughts on this?

Much Appreciated,

Jim and Ruth - Loma, CO

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Jim and Ruth,

Again, many issues to uncover and consider here.  First, you are thinking resale and I always love it when people think resale!  What you do to your home while you live there will significantly impact the value of your home either positively or negatively.  By focusing on resale, it does not guarantee anything, however it will help ensure your actions have a positive impact on your bottom line when you do decide to sell. 

A retaining wall can be a definite value ad to a property from both the function side and the aesthetic looks of our landscaping. The most important thing, in my mind, is to have it done by a professional, so it looks like it was done by a professional. Case in point, I added a pond to my property five years ago and around ¾ of the pond we had a boulder retaining wall that went from ground level at a 90 degree angle up the side of the pond to the top edge. It looked awful! I had a visitor ask me one time, “Why did you build an elephant watering hole?” Yikes! Needless to say, we did not feel very good about our “pond”.  This spring, we hired a landscape professional, Keith Lowdermilk of Lowdermilk Landscaping, to re-do some of our landscaping. While he was looking over the job, he asked if he could “re-do” our retaining wall around our pond. He thought he could make it look better. We said, “Absolutely!” After all, it was a total eye sore and we don’t even own an elephant! Long story short, he completely rebuilt the retaining wall around our pond and now it is a highlighted feature of our landscaping rather than something we were trying to hide. The cost was ridiculously reasonable, especially considering the end result. He used the same boulders we had and simply re-stacked and reshaped the contour and the finished product is amazing! The moral of the story - don’t be afraid to hire a professional!

“Regardless of the medium used, railroad ties, boulders, or rocks, I think it can be a valuable addition. “

Regardless of the medium used, railroad ties, boulders, or rocks, I think it can be a valuable addition. Try to pick a medium that is in line with the style of your home. If you have a more country or cottage feel, then maybe a rail road tie wall would look best. However, if your home is newer and is stucco and stone then maybe something with boulders would look best. From a pure cost perspective, if you have the inside track on some cost savings on railroad ties, I would suggest you follow that route. As I learned, spend a bit extra and go with the professional to, at a minimum, help you design the wall, but potentially also install your wall. 

Do it right the first time and it will really pay off and look great! Remember, not everything is about resale - you are going to have to look at it for many years and if it is done right you will look at it as a feature and not an eyesore. My bet is you (and your back!) won’t regret it. Hope this helps.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

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Why is there such a big increase in my property valuation and taxes this year?

Hey Dave,

We just received the property valuation notice for our new house. The current value is $71,000 higher than the previous year. Certainly, the current property value they have listed is lower than what we recently paid, but is this jump in value reasonable? It's just a little freaky thinking about our bills getting larger, but maybe that's just how it goes?

We still love our new home, but were just surprised to see such a significant jump. Thanks again!

K., Grand Junction

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K.,

Great question.

Since all the new property valuations hit everybody’s mail box in the past couple weeks, (they went out on May 1, 2019) we have had had several inquiry’s just like yours. You can feel some comfort/consolation that you are not the only person that has had questions about the increase in property taxes and valuation. What happened is the county had not really done a thorough re-assessment of property values for several years so it was time for it to happen again. With the recent surge in the overall real estate market it was to be expected that valuations would increase, but its always a bit startling when it actually hits your monthly payment.  

“The evaluation period used to establish the new property values was Jan 1, 2017 – June 20, 2018. Keep in mind that since 2012 our property values have been on a steady increase, but specifically 2017 and 2018 saw median home prices climb nearly 13% over the 18 month period. ”

The evaluation period used to establish the new property values was Jan 1, 2017 – June 20, 2018. Keep in mind that since 2012 our property values have been on a steady increase, but specifically 2017 and 2018 saw median home prices climb nearly 13% over the 18 month period. This 18 month period saw the most significant 18 month increase since the market peak of 2007/2008, so seeing all our property valuations increase is hard to argue. Speaking of arguing, you do have the right to protest your property valuation. You can go down to the Assessors Office (544 Rood Ave #2) and speak with them about your property value. Make sure you bring with you information that supports your estimation of value. There is no guarantee of change, but at least you will get the opportunity to make your case! 

Look on the bright side, because of the down market between 2009 & 2012 you might have caught a little break as values struggled and did not show any increases. Remember that rising tides lift all boats so we are all sharing in the increase in property values that will be generating more property tax money for the city and county! One last silver lining, according to Investopedia.com Colorado is still on the “lowest 10 states for property taxes” and nationally low as compared the rest of the United States. Unfortunately taxes are just part of the program and as long as values continue to rise, you can expect them to continue to increase! Hope this helps. 

By the way, Happy Mother’s Day! If you have not called your Mom today to thank her and tell her you love her, stop reading and pick up your phone! Remember, without our moms, none of us would be here so when you think about it, we really do owe them!  We should do it much more often, but at least today stop and honor your Mother…she deserves it!

Dave Kimbrough

The Kimbrough Team

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How to choose the right agent for your Grand Junction real estate goals

Hello Dave, 

Let’s assume that I have done my homework and I have decided on a Realtors office based on brand name recognition, market share, aggressive marketing, reputation and other factors. Now what? Is there a way that I can pick an agent within that company based on their success, professionalism, enthusiasm, abilities, etc.?

There are good, better and best (most productive) in any office. How can I decide who or which company is better for me to list my home with? 

Thanks,

Dave, Cedaredge

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Dave,

I could write a book answering your question, however, I am going to do my best to not be overly verbose or opinionated and stick to facts and try to be as objective as possible. First, I applaud you for doing your homework! For most people, their home is one of, if not their largest investment and it always shocks me how little “real” homework people do when choosing an agent or real estate company. If you stop and think about it, trusting such an investment with someone who does not have a proven track record just does not make sense however, people make that choice every single day! All of the qualities you listed in your question are important when evaluating agents and companies.

“Brand name recognition, market share, reputation and other factors are all key elements in choosing a real estate company and evaluating those factors should allow you to narrow down your choice in the real estate company you choose. ”

Brand name recognition, market share, reputation and other factors are all key elements in choosing a real estate company and evaluating those factors should allow you to narrow down your choice in the real estate company you choose. You mentioned aggressive marketing and I suggest you use that element of evaluation as one you use when evaluating agents, not your real estate company. The reason I suggest this is that each individual real estate agent markets their properties differently. No two agents do things just alike and to ensure your agent of choice has an “aggressive marketing” plan you MUST evaluate every aspect of how they will market your property and the vision they have for YOUR specific marketing plan.  How an agent presents and prepares your marketing plan will tell you all you need to know about your potential for success and their abilities.

When you evaluate the agent’s specific marketing plan you will learn a lot about their professionalism, enthusiasm and track record of success…or lack thereof. My suggestion would be to choose your agent on all the aspects you have listed! Trust me on this one, the level of marketing expertise and understanding displayed is likely a VERY strong indicator of your chances of a positive outcome. Just putting a property on the MLS does not cut it anymore! They should have a strong plan across many mediums like internet, social media, agent to agent promotion, direct to consumer programs, newspaper, radio, television and more. If they have this in place, you can bet they are enthusiastic about their job and work at it as a profession, not a hobby or way to collect some extra vacation money. Search for someone who is full time and HAS A PLAN for you and your property and does not simply try to lure you with the “high price” candy!  Luring a seller to list by providing a high price is the best way to take the focus away from a real marketing plan.

If the agent checks the boxes listed above, then I can almost guarantee they are productive and achieve results on a high level. Really, who doesn’t want a top level agent working on the sale of their home? I would pray that nobody ever hires an agent based on an average marketing plan or expecting an average result. Don’t settle! Follow some of the selection methods I have listed and you will find the best agent in any office or town. It is just like anything else, the cream rises to the surface and typically it’s pretty clear who performs and who doesn’t. Remember, success does leave clues. Don’t take the decision lightly as choosing the right agent or company can have a significant impact on your success or lack thereof! Best of luck.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

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