The Devil is in the Details....don't get burned by using an inexperienced agent.
Because Del Dios homes were constructed on a graded hillside slope, there is a tendency for moisture to percolate downhill through mostly granitic soil towards the lake shore especially during the rainy season (FYI we only get an average of 8" of rain per year). Moisture is certainly one thing to be concerned about as are the affects of shifting soils and hardscape. Although once in escrow we will hire and pay a licensed inspector to go through the home and the systems, we cannot rely on him to be the last word but in fact he would be the first word or alert in identifying a potentially larger issue out of the scope of this work. This is one area where you really benefit by being represented by a seasoned agent that has cut his teeth experiencing and working through tough problematic negotiations, repairs and solutions.
Don't forget that Buyer's Agents commissions are paid by the sellers, not you directly (the cost of homes would be much less if we didn't earn commissions), so doesn't it make sense to find the most seasoned and savvy agent to represent you and your best interests & goals especially since it doesn't cost more to hire the best?
Construction Experience.
Cutter Clotfelter and Chaco Clotfelter are 3rd generation real estate agents/brokers. So what does that mean? In a nutshell our family has been representing other families in Escondido since the 1930's. Our dad Tom was born in the Ranch in 1932 and enjoyed fishing around the lake as a kid. Cutter and Chaco grew up in and around residential construction sites their entire lives and have inspected literally 100's of homes, remodeled more than 3 a piece, and built 2 from the ground up. Until an agent experiences or supervises a remodel or construction project themselves, most learning up to that point is from standard home inspections but if you were to turn to any page of an inspection report and ask an agent about a particular system (crib wall, weep screed, etc), would they be able to tell you what materials are involved and what can fail and lead to expensive repairs or replacements down the line? This stuff matters.
No offense to our associates but frankly a real estate agent that has not personally undertaken a major remodel or better yet the building of a home, likely doesn't know the first thing about actual construction methods and where contractors or subcontractors may cut corners that lead to future problems and more importantly what items and systems in a home are prone to fail on you first. Most agents rely only on the inspectors report and for newer homes still under the 10 year warranty this is more often than not just fine.
Remodel Experience.
To buyers that have never undertaken a remodel there is nothing more valuable than having an agent that can give you ball park ideas of what finishes and materials cost, what labor costs and how long projects will normally take. Cutter and Chaco have both remodeled 3 homes each. An immeasurable amount of time goes into these projects understanding what options exist, sourcing the best materials for the money (not always Home Depot or Lowes), understanding the importance of prep and finish work and ultimately making the creative decisions that will eventually provide you with satisfaction and hopefully create that "sweat equity" that you have always heard of. Sweat equity is in fact the essence of making money in real estate. You learn to look for potential or lean on seasoned agents like Cutter and Chaco to point things out to you that are 'valued added.' Chaco still gets excited when he walks into an older Escondido home with a nice yard and sees very few changes and an open flow obstructed by non load bearing walls. Chaco's claim to fame among buyers is that he has NEVER purchased a home that he hasn't shown to at least two other buyers. We make our living putting Escondido home sellers and Escondido home buyers needs ahead of our own.
When looking for a buyers agent be sure to ask them is they have any remodel or construction experience. Ask them what they have done to their own homes to add value? Also ask them if they live in a newer home or an older home and why? These questions should allude to an agents wherewithal to add value to your representation.
The Black Book - an agent is as only as good as the company he or she keeps.
Nothing will save you more time, money and stress than relying on us to provide a list of the absolute best service persons. Our Black Book of service persons is constantly being refined and amended and frankly is one of most coveted assets. So many people rely on us to find the best bang for the buck in everything from power washers to popcorn scrapers to finish carpenters to licensed and even unlicensed contractors, there is the right person for every job but ultimately we want to provide you with choices for each and every remodel or repair project. Too often today people from out of town and especially young adults rely on Yelp or Angies List and although they may have some luck there is nothing more accountable than relying on someone that is working in the field, meeting these service persons, seeing their work and following up with those that have hired them.
When and if an issue is identified or we come across one on our own during or after (we will serve you long after the transaction has closed) a transaction we rely on a finely tuned list of experts to come in and give additional professional advice and recommendations and then ultimately arm you with all the information you need to make the soundest decision possible.
Negotiational Wisdom.
Let's be honest with each other and admit that not everyone likes to play the game the same way. Some would like to think that most people want a mutually beneficial outcome with the other party when entering into a negotiation, while others expect a knife fight and someone to come out on the losing end, either way, the buyers agents wisdom and experience will always determine who you are dealing with, what their motivations likely are and offer strategies to win the offer. So much analysis goes into this experience yet is seldom mentioned. We can show you numerous testimonials that allude to our negotiational prowess. What we do is tactfully communicate with our fellow agents hoping for a win/win situation but also making determinations by any info obtained like who the sellers are, why they wish to sell, how they have likely substantiated a listing price, what they have done to improve the property if anything, what emotional events are tied to the transaction, etc. Experience amounts to trends, although many people negotiate different ways, common denominators are realized after a combines 25 years between Chaco and Cutter's transactional experience.
Loyalty.
Cutter and Chaco Clotfelter are 3rd generation full time 24/7 real estate agents/brokers raised by hard working 'great depression' era parents. We are of the old school in that we live to serve others that place their trust and confidence in us. Much like a Rotarian's creed of 'service above self' we thrive on ensuring that our buyers and sellers receive the ultimate in loyalty, service and representation. Loyalty often means placing the needs or our own and our family aside temporarily so that we can provide an extra level of attention or expediency on your behalf that may just become the deciding factor as to whether you were one of the first people inside to see a new listing or the first person to learn about a listing that will imminently hit the market. Loyalty is directly linked to service and a good agent should be able to show you whether they have time for your needs or not. Many will often qualify you as a buyer to determine if you are 'ready' to buy or if you are still spinning your wheels. Real estate can oftentimes come down to timing and if our relationship isn't at a point where you trust the information or advice being passed along in an expedient manner you may quickly learn that it is easy to lose a deal. It is only through a mutual level of respect that loyalty can work for you. Many opportunities such as various strategies for winning a deal EVEN if your offer isn't the highest are the result of mutual respect and dogmatic service. If an agent that you are working with doesn't have any listings or has too many or is not working fulltime...run for the hills or just give us a call!
Because Del Dios homes were constructed on a graded hillside slope, there is a tendency for moisture to percolate downhill through mostly granitic soil towards the lake shore especially during the rainy season (FYI we only get an average of 8" of rain per year). Moisture is certainly one thing to be concerned about as are the affects of shifting soils and hardscape. Although once in escrow we will hire and pay a licensed inspector to go through the home and the systems, we cannot rely on him to be the last word but in fact he would be the first word or alert in identifying a potentially larger issue out of the scope of this work. This is one area where you really benefit by being represented by a seasoned agent that has cut his teeth experiencing and working through tough problematic negotiations, repairs and solutions.
Don't forget that Buyer's Agents commissions are paid by the sellers, not you directly (the cost of homes would be much less if we didn't earn commissions), so doesn't it make sense to find the most seasoned and savvy agent to represent you and your best interests & goals especially since it doesn't cost more to hire the best?
Construction Experience.
Cutter Clotfelter and Chaco Clotfelter are 3rd generation real estate agents/brokers. So what does that mean? In a nutshell our family has been representing other families in Escondido since the 1930's. Our dad Tom was born in the Ranch in 1932 and enjoyed fishing around the lake as a kid. Cutter and Chaco grew up in and around residential construction sites their entire lives and have inspected literally 100's of homes, remodeled more than 3 a piece, and built 2 from the ground up. Until an agent experiences or supervises a remodel or construction project themselves, most learning up to that point is from standard home inspections but if you were to turn to any page of an inspection report and ask an agent about a particular system (crib wall, weep screed, etc), would they be able to tell you what materials are involved and what can fail and lead to expensive repairs or replacements down the line? This stuff matters.
No offense to our associates but frankly a real estate agent that has not personally undertaken a major remodel or better yet the building of a home, likely doesn't know the first thing about actual construction methods and where contractors or subcontractors may cut corners that lead to future problems and more importantly what items and systems in a home are prone to fail on you first. Most agents rely only on the inspectors report and for newer homes still under the 10 year warranty this is more often than not just fine.
Remodel Experience.
To buyers that have never undertaken a remodel there is nothing more valuable than having an agent that can give you ball park ideas of what finishes and materials cost, what labor costs and how long projects will normally take. Cutter and Chaco have both remodeled 3 homes each. An immeasurable amount of time goes into these projects understanding what options exist, sourcing the best materials for the money (not always Home Depot or Lowes), understanding the importance of prep and finish work and ultimately making the creative decisions that will eventually provide you with satisfaction and hopefully create that "sweat equity" that you have always heard of. Sweat equity is in fact the essence of making money in real estate. You learn to look for potential or lean on seasoned agents like Cutter and Chaco to point things out to you that are 'valued added.' Chaco still gets excited when he walks into an older Escondido home with a nice yard and sees very few changes and an open flow obstructed by non load bearing walls. Chaco's claim to fame among buyers is that he has NEVER purchased a home that he hasn't shown to at least two other buyers. We make our living putting Escondido home sellers and Escondido home buyers needs ahead of our own.
When looking for a buyers agent be sure to ask them is they have any remodel or construction experience. Ask them what they have done to their own homes to add value? Also ask them if they live in a newer home or an older home and why? These questions should allude to an agents wherewithal to add value to your representation.
The Black Book - an agent is as only as good as the company he or she keeps.
Nothing will save you more time, money and stress than relying on us to provide a list of the absolute best service persons. Our Black Book of service persons is constantly being refined and amended and frankly is one of most coveted assets. So many people rely on us to find the best bang for the buck in everything from power washers to popcorn scrapers to finish carpenters to licensed and even unlicensed contractors, there is the right person for every job but ultimately we want to provide you with choices for each and every remodel or repair project. Too often today people from out of town and especially young adults rely on Yelp or Angies List and although they may have some luck there is nothing more accountable than relying on someone that is working in the field, meeting these service persons, seeing their work and following up with those that have hired them.
When and if an issue is identified or we come across one on our own during or after (we will serve you long after the transaction has closed) a transaction we rely on a finely tuned list of experts to come in and give additional professional advice and recommendations and then ultimately arm you with all the information you need to make the soundest decision possible.
Negotiational Wisdom.
Let's be honest with each other and admit that not everyone likes to play the game the same way. Some would like to think that most people want a mutually beneficial outcome with the other party when entering into a negotiation, while others expect a knife fight and someone to come out on the losing end, either way, the buyers agents wisdom and experience will always determine who you are dealing with, what their motivations likely are and offer strategies to win the offer. So much analysis goes into this experience yet is seldom mentioned. We can show you numerous testimonials that allude to our negotiational prowess. What we do is tactfully communicate with our fellow agents hoping for a win/win situation but also making determinations by any info obtained like who the sellers are, why they wish to sell, how they have likely substantiated a listing price, what they have done to improve the property if anything, what emotional events are tied to the transaction, etc. Experience amounts to trends, although many people negotiate different ways, common denominators are realized after a combines 25 years between Chaco and Cutter's transactional experience.
Loyalty.
Cutter and Chaco Clotfelter are 3rd generation full time 24/7 real estate agents/brokers raised by hard working 'great depression' era parents. We are of the old school in that we live to serve others that place their trust and confidence in us. Much like a Rotarian's creed of 'service above self' we thrive on ensuring that our buyers and sellers receive the ultimate in loyalty, service and representation. Loyalty often means placing the needs or our own and our family aside temporarily so that we can provide an extra level of attention or expediency on your behalf that may just become the deciding factor as to whether you were one of the first people inside to see a new listing or the first person to learn about a listing that will imminently hit the market. Loyalty is directly linked to service and a good agent should be able to show you whether they have time for your needs or not. Many will often qualify you as a buyer to determine if you are 'ready' to buy or if you are still spinning your wheels. Real estate can oftentimes come down to timing and if our relationship isn't at a point where you trust the information or advice being passed along in an expedient manner you may quickly learn that it is easy to lose a deal. It is only through a mutual level of respect that loyalty can work for you. Many opportunities such as various strategies for winning a deal EVEN if your offer isn't the highest are the result of mutual respect and dogmatic service. If an agent that you are working with doesn't have any listings or has too many or is not working fulltime...run for the hills or just give us a call!
