Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

– John F. Kennedy    35thAmerican President

I would be beating a dead horse to say things are changing. We look around and see a lot of the same, yet none of it seems to be familiar. This is only in the course of a few weeks. I have one recommendation. Don't fear it. 

Some might say this means to go around as we please. I am not recommending that. What's in front of us is real and should be handled with some respect. What I am saying is that the world we live in, at least for a moment or two, is out of our control. We don't have a cure or strongly defined solution to the state we are in. That is very scary. But what we can do is handle our fear. 

I believe fear is a good thing. It's what keeps us alive and focused at times. But don't fear change. This is just another long line of changes we will all experience until the day we die. Think about what will happen if we let change control our actions and our thinking. Think about how, if we let change guide us instead of being consciously managed, it will take us where it wants us to go and not where we desire to be. 

Change can also be a blessing. We have a lot of very smart, innovative minds in our industry. I can assure you they are not sitting idly by waiting for what the future will bring them. They are not idle in any way. They are pressing forward. They are helping a neighbor or supporting a local business. They are being logical and adjusting their own business accordingly. They are guiding fear where they want to go as an inspirational factor. They look at the world around them, care enough to listen, then ACT!

Change is intimidating. But it's not insurmountable. Take it and make that change in the shape you need it to be. Make that change a positive so the outcome is one you can appreciate and be proud of. Don't be afraid to change your approach. Ask for help if you are not used to it. Lean on someone. Let someone lean on you who might not usually need support. Open yourself up to all the new opportunities this world will give you. Lean on me. I've been afraid at moments in all of this. I am here for all of you if you need me. All of us are stronger together.

We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.

– Helen Keller    Author & Activist

I freaking hate patience! It's probably my weakest trait. Being patient is very uncomfortable for me. I was that person you went on a date with and reached out to you the next day trying to feel out wondering how you REALLY felt about it. 

I've since improved in my ability to wait. It comes with faith in those around me and trust that things will be OK. 

The ability to be patient rarely is developed because we are content. People who are driven often go nuts waiting for things to either fall into place or for them to work it out themselves. But they learn to rely on others they can trust. People who must go through their own operations in their own ways where they must keep their cool knowing there will be an answer or solution in a timely manner, sometimes not knowing exactly how long that might be. 

Covid-19 has created another level of patience our generations have never seen. A very difficult virus to overcome on top of business disrupted in an economy and culture that heavily relies on a healthy income to survive within lifestyles that are some of the best in the world. Patience comes with practice. Well, we've never been able to practice this scenario.

For those of you who are home with your kiddos and still trying to keep afloat, you are heroes. For those of you who are finding ways to make our industry thrive in new and unique ways, you are innovators. For those of you new to the industry working to find your break, keep working. You will be the ones who rise when we are able to work more freely.  To all of you who are reading this, thank you for being patient. This will prove to be an action that is compassionate, kind, resourceful, and respectful. The people you work for will remember this when they are done being patient and ready to move.

I am patiently waiting until I get to see each of your faces. I look forward to being in a room with all the people I genuinely care about for meetings, workshops, handshakes, hugs, high fives, Jenga (an in-office tradition), or you simply being patient because I don't tell short stories (as you are slowly walking away to get around the corner). Thank you for your patience. It's not "it will get better." It's getting better as we speak, thanks to your patience.

2019 Company Award Winners

We are honored to announce the Award Winners for 2019! The selected Agents, Partners, and Staff are incredibly deserving of these awards and we are honored to work with them every day. Congratulations to this year's winners!

— 2019 — Rookie of the Year ELLIOT HOYTE		— 2019 — Admin of the Year JULI ALDRICH		— 2019 — Mentor of the Year MARK STEVENS
— 2019 — Ambassador of the Year TIFNI PENNECARD		— 2019 — Unsung Hero KIRK BELL

2019 Production Award Winners – TEAM

— 2019 — Top Producer | Team BAUSCHER REAL ESTATE		— 2019 — 1st Runner-Up | Team LEMP REAL ESTATE		— 2019 — 2nd Runner-Up | Team WESTON REAL ESTATE

2019 Production Award Winners – PARTNER

— 2019 — Top Producer | Partner TIFNI PENNECARD		— 2019 — 1st Runner-Up | Partner VINCE HORDEMANN		— 2019 — 2nd Runner-Up | Partner TINA RICHARDS

2019 Top Performers – ASSOCIATE

— 2019 — Top Performer | Associate EVE-MARIE BERGREN		— 2019 — Top Performer | Associate VICKY HABAN		— 2019 — Top Performer | Associate ASHLEY & WILLIAM KAISER

 

To learn more about how to JOIN OUR TEAM and begin a fulfilling career in real estate with Amherst Madison click below.

An Amherst Madison REALTOR® Case Study

Mike Williams, or as he demands to be addressed, “Mike T”, is a case study in Perseverance. He is one of the best humans you will ever meet. He has an infectious personality that will always alert you to its presence, and when Mike laughs, everyone laughs.  Mike has a huge heart for giving and supporting the people in his life. He is always available to answer questions of those who ask, and he can frequently be spotted helping his fellow agents get through tough spots. 

Video Production: Sunny Skies Media

I'm lucky. I was good at football. It was a football scholarship that took me from Sacramento to Boise state. It was the beginning of who I would become and it was a teammate of mine who would show me my true potential.

Although he has kept laughing, His road in the Boise real estate world has not always been a laughing matter. Mike, like so many of us, has faced incredible challenges the past four years as he has started his journey into what will no doubt be a tremendously successful and decorated career as a Realtor®.  With the help of his friends, colleagues, and supportive team at Amherst Madison Mike T has gone from a new agent with zero sales experience, to a top producer, in four short years. Years that were marked with struggle in both his personal and professional life. Mike has stood out to all of us at Amherst Madison as an example of what you can do with hard work, mentorship, business development support, and always keeping a smile on your face. 

My mom encouraged me to get into real estate. I never gave it any consideration until I had a conversation with my old friend Nick. I mentioned to him that I thought about being an appraiser, but Nick steered me to being an agent.

2014 – The Rookie Year 

Mike’s first year in real estate was not easy. He spent a lot of time, as we all do, adjusting to the demands of a sales profession that places a premium on relationship building and getting outside of your comfort zone.  As anyone who has made the transition from another job to full time Realtor® will tell you, it is not an easy road. Mike had never sold before or been in a position to ask for the business, so it was all new to him and much different than tending bar. In addition the terminology and calculations used in our industry were like a foreign language to Mike.  The good news is that Mike dug in with a strong work ethic and began to sponge-up the knowledge offered to him through the Amherst Madison Mentorship Program. Mike also benefited from ELEVATE, a comprehensive training system built and used by Amherst Madison which teaches our agents how to create a profitable, scalable, sustainable business.  Because of the people around him, and his own determination, Mike was able to get his feet under him and close out a respectable rookie year sales volume of $1,262,290, helping six clients get into their home!

2015 – Momentum 

In Mike’s second year, things begin to click. He begins to get more comfortable and confident with practicing his newly-acquired sales skills from his work in the Amherst Madison business development systems as well as his hands-on work with clients. In his second year, Mike is able to help seventeen clients with their real estate goals and closes escrow on over $3.4M in sales volume. This is nearly triple what he did his first year.  Mike earns a six-figure GCI and begins to see the bigger future that real estate has for him, his life, and the lives of his family members.

 

2016/2017 – Heartbreak and Growth  

Mike hit a wall in 2016 that would carry through to 2017 and change him for the rest of his life. In the same year that his first child was born, his beloved mother passed away from Cancer.  The most important person in his life has been taken from him, just as he brings another life into the world. As a result, there was nobody at home in Sacramento to take care of Mike’s younger brother. So, he moved him up to Boise and became his legal guardian. Considering that Mike only recently had his first child, this was a monumental undertaking. As with all of his other challenges, even though he felt like quitting, he never broke. He never ran. He took it on, one day at a time, supported as best as they were able by his teammates and colleagues at Amherst Madison. 

Astonishingly, in a business where your personal emotions and your overall energy tend to dictate your ability to influence others (and create sales), Mike was able to increase his production year over year. He closed a combined 40 transactions and nearly $10M in real estate during this two year span of great challenge. His success as a Realtor® put him in the position to buy his first home. A home that was much needed for what had become a family of 4 in just 12 short months.

They stepped in and maintain relationships with my clients. Their support and their positive mindset continued to carry me through the process of adopting my younger brother after my sweet mother passed away. It's what you do for family.

2018 – Expansion 

In his first four years, Mike had closed $15M in real estate sales and helped over 60 clients buy or sell their property. The light bulb had turned on for him that this profession could alter the course of his entire life. Indeed, it already had. Coming off the loss of his mother and the additional responsibility of his new family, Mike was eager to see how he could improve. He dug in, made a plan, and hired a personal coach from Amherst Madison. The result of their work together was extremely impressive. Mike was forced to face up to some life-long fears and self-limiting beliefs. He overcame many of them and made progress on all facets of his business, which he was now treating like a business to a greater extent than ever before. In 2018 Mike helped nearly 40 clients with their real estate transaction and closed escrow on just shy of $10M in transaction volume.  He generated a GCI of nearly $300,000 with his net income placing him in the top 5% of all US earners. 

In addition to financial independence, my time at Amherst Madison taught me how powerful my thoughts of my own mind can be. This knowledge has taught me how to set, visualize and conquer my goals.

Today Mike is well-positioned to become one of the most productive and respected Realtors® in the Treasure Valley. To learn more about how to join our team and begin a fulfilling career in real estate with Amherst Madison click below to proceed.

 

Buying or selling a home can be a long process. An important part of that process is the home inspection where a professional makes sure everything in the house is functioning properly and identifies needed repairs. We outlined our top reasons why you don’t want to skip over this step.

Home Inspections For Buyers

In the case of the buyer it often takes months searching for the right home before an offer is made. Once an offer is made and accepted, there are several more hoops to jump through before the sale closes. One such hoop, so to speak, is the home inspection. However, it's not so much a hoop as it is an absolute necessity. It is the responsibility of the buyer to pay the cost of a home inspection. Keep in mind that a buyer does have the right to waive having a home inspection done, but that’s not a good idea. Our agents at Amherst Madison make a home inspection a vital part of the home-buying process. This goes for both the purchase of a pre-owned home as well as new construction.

“Our goal is to provide our clients with an unbiased, third-party inspection of the property they’re looking to purchase. We recommend that all buyers have an inspection performed by a
certified inspection company so they feel confident and informed on their decision.” – Logan Kimball, owner of Treasure Valley Home Inspectors in Boise, Idaho.

The Inspector Sees The Unseen

A decision to buy a home is typically based on features a buyer can visibly see. While the home may look to be in excellent condition, real problems might go unseen. The need for an inspector to climb into the attic and inch around in the crawl space is to detect potential problems in areas of the house that go unseen. The inspector can discover real and potentially expensive problems that are not always apparent when you view the home with a real estate agent. It is easy to get caught up in the appeal of fresh paint and new carpet. A complete, thorough, and unbiased home inspection can provide written proof of a home's true condition inside and out.

Unseen and Unpredicted problems which can be detected by a proper home inspection. Image via EnviroShield

Transactional Flexibility

When the buyer and the seller reach an agreement on the home, some legal obligation exists in order to finalize the sale. A home inspection can provide legitimate reasons for exiting a real estate transaction. Once the home inspector completes a report, there is an opportunity for a buyer to renegotiate with the seller. Certain items in the home may need repaired, or the buyer might seek to have the cost of the home reduced. If an agreement is not reached on the items in the report, the buyer can back out of the deal. The National Association of Realtors conducted a survey that determined that 14% of sales are not finalized due to discoveries made in the home inspection. This is the third largest reason for failed real estate transactions.

Structural Integrity

The home inspector will look at the foundation and other structural elements of the house. If the house is not structurally sound, the inspection report will identify the problems. Structural problems are major red flags when buying a house. Structural problems are not always linked to build quality. The need for inspections is even more important in areas where the geographic environment itself can bring challenges. Here in Idaho we are not strangers to earthquakes, landslides, groundwater drainage issues and more. An inspector that has worked in the local area long enough to identify patterns and reoccurring problems due to the local environment is a huge plus.

Home Longevity

A safe roof overhead is the essence of what we define as shelter. The longevity of a home can be largely measured by examining the condition of its roof. A new roof can cost $10,000 or more to replace and is one of the more expensive maintenance costs of owning a home. The inspector will look at the roof and identify the roof’s age in order to decide whether it is in proper working order. Faulty gutter and drainage can also be the cause of major internal damage either internally or potentially to come in the near future. Proper ventilation, duct work, heat and fan exhaust, and even dryer vents are carefully examined for correct operation, condition, and long term utility. A high quality home inspection report will point out any of these related problems.

Safe Living

An important part of the home inspection is to make sure the home is safe for every day living. The inspector will look at the electrical system, plumbing, doors, locks, and windows to insure it is all in proper working order. Overall safe living conditions offer an unspoken peace of mind. An additional component to home inspection can be further testing for mold, gas leaks, radon, or carbon dioxide. If you choose to get a radon test, you will understand if the radon levels in the house are safe. Radon is a naturally occurring odorless gas which can cause lung disease and cancer.

A very important regional factor to keep in mind when considering your home inspection is the actual inspection company you choose to work with. The state of Idaho has no current regulation for the level of service, quality, certificates, or licensing of home inspectors. That means that the inspection checklist and documentation from one inspector might be completely different and lacking than one certified by a nationally accredited association.

“In a state like Idaho, home inspectors are unregulated. We recommend everyone looks into the type of company they use when it comes to their inspection. At Treasure Valley Home Inspectors, we’re professionally certified by the International Association of Certified home Inspectors, or InterNACHI. Associations like this allow us to stay up to date on industry standards as well as provide continuing education for our inspectors and peace of mind for our clients.” – Logan Kimball, owner of Treasure Valley Home Inspectors in Boise, Idaho.

Why Sellers Should Consider A Pre-Inspection

A serious home buyer is traditionally the party that initiates a home inspection. Uncovering any potential problems before signing on the dotted line is critical while there’s still time to negotiate. We want to take this a step further by sharing how a seller might benefit by having their home inspected before they even put it on the market. We think the following three points offer up compelling motivation to consider a pre-inspection.

Transparency In The Transaction

A pre-inspection is a voluntary gesture. It demonstrates a willingness to go beyond the usual listing presentation, and that sets a real estate listing apart from other sellers. Sellers can send a clear signal that their house is an "open book." This upfront approach not only adds a higher level of transparency but also efficiency to the transaction. The accuracy of the information detailed in the listing is essentially backed up by the pre-inspection report. Altogether this gives buyers and real estate investors peace of mind and confidence. 

Long Term Money Savings

A pre-inspection provides the seller, advanced notice of any problems that a potential buyer will likely want repaired. Once these problems are known, those issues can then be fixed before the home is listed. The cleaner and more problem-free a home is, the faster it is likely to sell.

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

A pre-inspection lets buyers know what they're getting from the beginning. They can calculate any needed repairs into an offer. By disclosing all known issues upfront, the seller is protected against claims the buyer might make. This in turn lowers the risk of legal action down the road.

Consider the case of not having a pre-inspection. During escrow, the buyer’s inspector discovers problems the seller didn’t know about. This is a common situation where the buyer will try to negotiate a lower price, which will cost a seller money and can delay the close of the transaction. Potentially, as mentioned above in our buyer section, the buyer might even cancel the contract all together.

Eva Steinwald is a real estate agent and broker in Boise, Idaho, but her career has dovetailed with her other passion: martial arts. She became an agent in 1998, just a year after buying Idaho Martial Arts in Eagle.

After a few years working as a real estate agent, I realized how unaware other agents were about their safety when working with buyers and sellers.

This raised red flags for her. “Agents don’t take their safety seriously enough,” she says. “Even though we live in beautiful Boise, you always have to be alert and aware.”

Eva wrote a Realtor safety course that focused on common sense, best practices, and tools to stay safe. The class is now available for CE credit and covers working in the office, working with buyers and sellers, holding open houses, being onsite, safety in the car and on social media, cell phone safety, identity theft, and safety in home offices.

We asked Eva for her top tips to stay safe during selling season and beyond.

Avoid this common mistake.

In our current seller’s market, real estate agents are too eager to show homes. Many meet the buyer, someone they have never met, at the home itself. Agents need to take the time to have an official one-on-one meeting or consultation with the buyer. This can take place at the office — the preferred location — or in a public space. Criminals don’t like witnesses. Once they have been seen with a person, they will think twice about doing something.

Document everything.

If you meet a buyer in a public space, explain that your brokerage has an office policy that requires the agent to take a picture of the buyer’s driver’s license. As a follow up, text the driver’s license to your brokerage or significant other. Once again: Criminals don’t like witnesses.

Communicate, communicate, communicate.

It’s the number one thing an agent can do to be safer on the job. Communicate where you are and who you are with. Communication is key to the real estate agent’s safety. Agents are so focused on getting something under contract that they can lose track of time, which makes them vulnerable.

Keep your safety top of mind.

The National Association of Realtors has a regularly updated safety page. It has tools, tips, webinars, videos, and statistics. They also update apps and gadgets since those change so quickly. It’s the best resource out there for agents. I personally check it weekly.

Follow the 10-second rule.

This simple checklist can help you identify potentially harmful situations. It seems basic, but if you practice it you will stay safe.

• Take two seconds when you arrive at your destination. Is there any questionable activity in the area? Are you parked in a well-lit, visible location? Can you be blocked in the driveway by a prospect’s vehicle?
   
• Take two seconds when you step out of your car. Are there suspicious people around? Do you know exactly where you’re going?
   
• Take two seconds as you walk toward your destination. Are people coming and going or is the area unusually quiet? Do you observe any obstacles or hiding places in the parking lot or along the street? Is anyone loitering in the area?
   
• Take two seconds at the door. Do you have an uneasy feeling as you walk in? Is someone following you in?
   
• Take two seconds as soon as you enter your destination. Does anything seem out of place? Is anyone present who shouldn’t be there or who isn’t expected?

In 10 seconds total, you can spot and avoid danger. Make it a habit, then share it with someone else.

Take a safety course

Even if you think you don’t need it. Over the years teaching the Realtor Safety Course, what surprised me the most is how many seasoned agents were grateful that they attended the course. You would think it only applies to new agents (in my opinion, it should be required), but so many seasoned agents become comfortable with their daily routines and don’t realize how vulnerable they are.

Eva’s next Realtor Safety Course will be from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 29. Cost is $35. To sign up for this 4CE course, visit the Idaho Real Estate Commission’s education page.

This article was originally published on September 8, 2019 by Fidelity National TItle Idaho