Reno Tahoe Real Estate News

Dickson Realty brings national Short Sale firm to the area

Thirty-nine Dickson Realty agents have recently earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales. This is invaluable expertise to offer at a time when the area is ravaged by “distressed” homes in the foreclosure process.

Short sales allow the cash-strapped seller to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even though it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.

In the Northern Nevada area, currently it is estimated that close to 1,800 homes are in danger of foreclosing. It is happening in all price ranges. Local experts say that even high-priced homes are not immune.

Dickson’s new CDPE designated agents: (shown)Teri Shields, Jeff Geisler, Tammy Olivas, Claudia Byrne, Chris Barns, Victoria King, Jill Deeter, Dan Rider, Andrea Green, Helen Graham, Beth Nitz, Amy Shocket, Mary Robinson, (not shown) Bonnie Beck, Cindy Henderson, Donna Clark, Ivy Cohen, Cyndi Dawson, Gary Edwards, Pam Eikleberry, Denise Fox, Jan Houston, Jen McDonald, Mandie Jensen, Christy Klinger, Anne Lavoy, Gerry Martin, Margie McIntyre, Dee McNeely, Brenda Mee, CJ Risley, Darlene Sharp, Jan Sluchak, Alison Elder, Norm Nicholls, Lil Schaller, Kane Schaller, Emily Sterling, and Maryann Truitt.

“Our job as REALTORS® has changed over the past several years. In our area, our number one goal is to help homeowners stay in their homes. If we are unable to do that then assisting them in a short sale may be a very viable option. A short sale doesn’t impact a homeowner’s credit as disastrously as a foreclosure does. A short sale usually nets the original lender more money and it does not devastate the neighborhood pricing. However working with lenders in a short sale situation can be very frustrating for sellers, for buyers and for real estate agents. We believe successful short sale closings require specialized training and we were pleased to have had 54 agents in this two-day training.” said Nancy Fennell, president of Dickson Realty. “In addition to this two day training, our firm holds monthly “short sale conversations” at each of our branch offices. We have sent our managers to short sale training around the country and we have pooled that information into our Short Sale Toolkit. Because policies and procedures change daily in this market, we find meeting monthly is a tremendous advantage for our agents. We are proud that our agents believe as we do in training, training and more training.”

Alex Charfen, founder of the Distressed Property Institute in Boca Raton, Fla., said that REALTORS such as these Dickson agents with the CDPE designation have valuable training in short sales that can offer the homeowner much better alternatives to foreclosure, which virtually destroys the credit rating. These experts have a better understanding of market conditions and can help sellers through the emotional experience, he said.

The Distressed Property Institute opened in January 2008 and provides training on-site and online. The CDPE is the premier designation for Realtors helping homeowners in distress and handling short sales.

To find our CDPE agents, visit us online at www.dicksonrealty.com or call any of our local offices: Caughlin Ranch 775.746.7000; Damonte Ranch 775 850.7000; Sparks 775.685.8800; Montreux 775.849.9444, or Truckee 530.587.

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Three good reasons to start a career in Real Estate right now.

At Dickson Realty we’ve just finished organizing our January – March training schedule. This particular session is designed to support and inspire both new and seasoned licensees with a re-newed focus on succeeding in a distressed market. I’m proud to say we’ve recently recruited almost a dozen new or newer licensees and all are looking forward to the cutting edge, extensive training we provide. For our agents, this training is free of charge.

I recently had one of my most seasoned agents ask me, “Why would anyone consider a career in Real Estate Sales, right now”? I have to admit that after 19 years in the business, I have seen easier environments to work in. There are some advantages too:

#1 While many of us “Old Pros” are grousing about how bad things are and reminiscing about the good old days (You know, like 2-3 years ago), a new licensee only sees the market as it is now. Most of us are working twice as hard for half the pay when compared to ‘05 or ‘06. A disciplined, hard working “new agent” is simply more likely to take that reality in stride.

#2 We’re finding that today’s environment requires a completely new skill set. Frankly Short Sale & Bank Owned (REO) transactions are vastly different from the traditional transactions we’ve typically conducted prior to this. Many top agents are strugglling with that reality. Think of the phrase “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. I think you can but only if one can throw some of the old conventions out the window. Many have to un-learn before they can start learning again.

#3 Technology and the generation gap. The average agent is around 52 years old. I don’t have the most current stats but in 2007 our typical buyers were in their early to mid 30’s. This creates some real challenges for all concerned; The seasoned agent wondering why their loveable, first time buyers aren’t listening to their sagely advise. Of course the buyer’s frustrated because they’ve already read all that on the internet and formed their own opinion.

We’ve placed a lot of talent and energy into solving these challenges. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to drop me a note DRider@DicksonRealty.com

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