April 1, 2014
A few years ago I missed a step on my stairs at home and flew across my foyer and knocked myself out. Before I hit the floor, I heard my foot break and when I came to, my ankle was enormous and I was in excruciating pain. I was immediately freaked out – how was I going to care for my 3 kids? How was I going to show property or even just get around to service my listings? Feet are pretty important! As word got out among my friends, several people told me I needed to go to an orthopedic doctor that they all knew of. I was able to get in the next day. They took a couple x-rays confirmed it was broken, put me in an ace bandage and told me to wait a few weeks and see what happened. Seriously. An ace bandage.
Over the next 10 days, I had a lot of time on my hands to google, speak to friends, etc… and I realized that maybe I needed to see someone who specialized in feet and ankles. After visiting a few specialists, it became clear that the course of action suggested by the orthopedist was not going to give me the best outcome – a healed foot and ankle, with the least amount of pain in the shortest amount of time. All of the foot specialists agreed that I needed surgery, and the sooner I had it, the sooner I’d be back on my feet, able to sell homes, service my clients and care for my family.
Within the time frame I was originally told to “wait and see” by the orthopedic doctor, I had surgery, was healing and was almost off crutches, walking in a boot. Six months later, I was running again and completed the entire Austin Distance Challenge culminating with the Austin Marathon less than a year after the accident.
So….Why am I sharing this story?
Because I got better results when I went to a specialist. As licensed Texas real estate agents, we can technically sell you a house anywhere in Texas, just like a orthopedist can help you with all of your bones. It didn’t cost me anything extra to go to a doctor who spent his career studying the intricacies of just the feet, but I got a much better result because I went with an expert with a specialization.
I recently saw a video ad made by one of my competitors and he said that they work “ALL OVER CENTRAL TEXAS….WE GO WHERE OUR CLIENTS GO” This is an agent chasing money, not providing value to a consumer by sharing their expertise. No one is an expert in every neighborhood in central Texas but there are a lot of great agents who create value for their clients by being “HYPERLOCAL.” Hyperlocal means “focusing on matters concerning a small community or geographical area.” Hyperlocal agents are experts on all matters concerning the area they sell in instead of just knowing a little about many areas. Agents who work all over the place, specializing in nothing embody the saying – Jack of All Trades, Master of None.
Yes, I can show you a house in Burnet, I have the technology to look up the listing and open the door for you, but that’s about it. I know as much about neighborhoods in Burnet as I do about neighborhoods in Nebraska. Want a home in Burnet….or Nebraska for that matter? Let me refer you to someone hyperlocal so you can have the best possible representation. Looking for a home in Steiner Ranch? I’m your girl. I’ve sold hundreds (and counting..) of homes in Steiner Ranch. I live in Steiner Ranch and study the market in Steiner every single day. That’s probably why I’ve sold more homes in Steiner Ranch than any other single agent in the last 5 years*!
I have no desire to drive around Texas opening doors for people – I’m driven by my love of Steiner Ranch and my desire to provide value by helping others achieve their goals in Real Estate – whether it’s finding them a home that’s not only perfect for their needs today AND also great for resale or getting them best possible price when selling in Steiner – things I excel at because I understand the intricacies of the hyperlocal market.
Top 5 Reasons to use a Hyperlocal Real Estate Agent to Buy or Sell
- An agent specializing in a certain area will usually know about new listings before they hit the MLS. And, when it comes time to write an offer, they will typically have more info to help negotiate a better price or win in a multiple offer situation.
- A hyperlocal agent will know the benefits and/or negatives of specific streets, floor plans, etc… and be able to educate on potential resale issues or advantages.
- An agent who lives in an area they specialize in and have built their career in is going to care more about you and your long term success because their local reputation is at stake.
- A hyperlocal agent typically has a better grasp on the comparable properties because they have seen them in person. Only the best photos and descriptions are used on the MLS and may be an inaccurate comparison.
- An agent who is working in a market day in and day out is going to feel market changes and fluctuations much faster than an agent just reading stats online.
February 15, 2015
Can I help you buy or sell in Steiner Ranch? Give me a call at (512) 657-7510, click here, or use the live chat button at the bottom of the page.
*Based on MLS data as reported by the Austin Board of Realtors
