It’s been quite a while since I have composed a recent newsletter, or “Portfolio Insights” which I began writing several years ago. We called it Portfolio Insights regarding my portfolio of listings. But now that I decided to stop putting my name on signs and not carrying the brunt of the listing job any longer, I wasn’t sure what to call this newsletter today. I have been debating the new name causing writer’s cramp! But I asked my husband Mark, and he said, “You don’t need to change it. Now that you are focusing on being a real estate advisor vs. a listing agent, you are relating to your clients’ portfolio of real estate vs. your listings”. Exactly!
First off, to clear up any rumors or misinformation, I did not retire. I am still running two businesses full-time (Reecer Real Estate Advisors and Indiana Talent Attraction), and volunteering on three boards. I did stop listing properties in my name so I did not need to be affiliated with a large real estate firm anymore. So January 1st, I formed Reecer Real Estate Advisors with my most exceptional hire ever, of nearly 10 years now, Kate Leach.
I spent the winter in Florida with my husband Mark (who also made a huge year-end career change and closed his 20+ year private practice, Fort Wayne Physical Medicine and joined IU Health on April 1st.) I even started playing tennis again after a 27-year hiatus. I could barely move the first month of this! But it was so good for me. At my age and stage, I had to set priorities and make sure my time was best spent at work on what I do best and enjoy most, and that is the big picture, advising part. Then I can work for many more clients and travel to see my kids and grandson, who are all over the world. now, and spend more time at home with my husband and mother nearby.
I am focused on advising clients from my past 14 years in the business and their referred friends and family, with their real estate buy/sell/keep decisions anywhere. We partnered on listings on Nantucket and in Da Nang, Vietnam the first quarter of this year, in addition to many in Fort Wayne and on the lakes. (Kate and I recently closed on a wonderful Lake Wawasee property that was never listed. A loyal buyer waited on us for over a year to find what they really wanted and when a loyal past client called me about this north shore property to list, we put them together.) Outside of NE Indiana, we research to help the client find the best qualified agent/firm for their specific needs, then they interview them, and once selected, we advise both the client and agent from listing to offers to closing. For buyers outside of NE Indiana, we collaborate on home shopping, buying and closing. I will travel if requested to help with the final selection decision. I am paid a fee by the referred agent if a property is closed upon, so there is no additional cost to the client.
I am also going out to homes to advise on numerous questions related to keeping up the value of their homes, deciding to stay or sell, preparing the home to sell, upsize or downsize or move to assisted living. I charge an hourly fee for this service and I share all kinds of resources I have for different home services. I just had an appointment like this a few weeks ago and advised them to not spend $30,000 on a bath remodel. For some I would say “Yes! Do it!” But for this particular home in this particular neighborhood, I believed it would be a waste of money when selling in the fairly near future and I gave them all the reasons why.
