Buyer’s Agent

Why You Need a Buyer’s Agent

A buyer’s agent is the real estate agent that represents the buyer in the purchase of a home.

Almost all home buyers start looking for homes online and visiting open houses.  The real estate agent listing the home is the listing (selling) agent.  They are under legal contract with the seller to represent the seller’s best interests in the transaction.

There are many reasons why you need a buyer’s agent to represent you:

1. They will look for a home on your behalf that meets your needs. This will save you time and money.  They can send you current and new listings for the criteria you select.
2. They are qualified negotiators that are working for you. They will pull together all of the information about what other houses are selling for that are similar to the one you want to buy so you don’t pay too much.
3. The Buyer’s Agent is someone to buffer you from pushy Sellers, pushy Listing Agents and anyone else who is not obligated to look out for your best interests.
4. Someone to help you understand what you must do to protect yourself in a real estate transaction so  you don’t end up with a crappy house that you paid too much for.
5. They can arrange private showing where you and they can review the home honestly and without sale pressure from the listing agent.
6. Someone to explain the whole process to you, from making the offer to getting the deal closed.

In working with many different buyers agents over the years, I would recommend that you meet with a few agents to see who you want to work with and feel confident in.  This is an important choice and you need to feel that they are working for you at all times. Attributes to consider in selecting a buyer agent:

1. Do they communicate open and honestly.  Do they return phone calls and email promptly?  Are they honest about a home that is not what you are looking for?
2. Do you genuinely feel that they are working for you?
3. Are readily available to meet with you and show homes?
4. Are they familiar with the communities you are searching in or are they willing to research to get the answers to all of your questions.

If you do not feel they are working hard for you it would be a good idea to look for a different agent, one that will consider your objectives, and help you to achieve them.

If you have any questions or would like to meet an excellent buyer’s agent please give me a call at 952.837.3366.

Thank you!

Owen Riess

Marketplace Home Mortgage, LLC

oriess@marketplacehome.com

NMLS # 543286

(952) 837-3366

Equal Housing Opportunity Lender

Autumn Leaves

The kids are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and your yard is covered in a layer of fallen leaves. Yep, it’s that time of the year again, but don’t think of fall leaves as a chore. They can be a useful resource for fertilizing your lawn or even decorating your home for autumn.

Finish The Raking

It’s tempting to just let the leaves lie in the yard. It’s good fertilizer anyway, right? Wrong. You should rake everything up as soon as the trees begin to look bare, or else risk the blanket of leaves smothering your lawn over the winter season. Gather them up in plastic bags and put them to use.

Refuse To Rake Leaves

If you can’t bring yourself to pick up a rake, you do have an alternative. Wait until the leaves are dry and crunchy and fire up the lawnmower once more before winter. Many mowers have a mulch setting that will chop the fallen leaves to bits.

The smaller pieces won’t suffocate your lawn, and the crushed leaves make a good fertilizer. If you’d rather use the leaf bits in the garden or a flowerbed, use a grass clipping catcher with your mower to gather up the pieces as you mow.

Use Mulch And Fertilizer

Fresh chopped leaves are a good homemade mulch. Put a layer on the garden and the flower bed to replenish the soil over winter. Also, be sure to put a thick layer around young trees and shrubs to keep them warm. If you really want to get the most out of your leaves, then take them to the compost pile.

Mix the leaves in with the regular green yard waste, and the leaves will boost the composting process into overdrive. The fully composted material makes a potent fertilizer.

Get Crafty

Set some leaves aside to take indoors. The changing colors of the fall leaves are part of the beauty of autumn. Why not bring some of that beauty into the house?

Fill a vase with leaves for a seasonal centerpiece, or use a wire frame to make a wreath for the front door. You can make leaf etchings with the kids or simply use one as a bookmark.

It’s sad to see so many fall leaves burned up in piles, or put out with the trash. The leaves on the lawn aren’t just a mess to be cleaned up. Inside or outdoors, autumn leaves are an easy, natural, and free material. Be sure to put them to use!

Owen Riess | Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS # 543286

Social Media for Realtors and Loan Officers

Social networking is more than a flash-in-the-pan it is the “real deal”.

When combined with your online presence (website) and online reach (existing customer database), it is a huge business opportunity as well as a revenue generating platform.

The key is doing it correctly…..

Are you  utilizing social media outlets to their full potential?

I’ll reiterate ~ social media is here to stay.  It’s the “real deal”.  You need to be in the game.

The businesses that have taken advantage of it are reaping the benefits. The reward is that they will still be in business and thriving in five years.

You need to wake up and read the tweeting on the wall.

You can’t treat your employees like children and expect them to act and perform like adults.

If you are restricting the use of social media, you are saying you don’t trust your people to do the right thing.

You are also allowing your customers to be stolen as well as employees. Plus, think of the feedback you are missing, and the opportunity for improvement.

You need to create written social media policies and  training programs. Seek professional help and have that person teach you and your employees how to correctly utilize social media.

Establish guidelines within your policies and be specific ~ tell employees what they can do, as-well-as what they cannot do.

What you should do as a business social media wise:

1. Model after others who are successful at building organic growth.

2. Create attraction through value and the valuable information and services you offer.

3. Do not wade in slowly ~ Jump in full body!  Social Media can only be learned from being fully emersed.  It’s a fast moving current and you need to be in it to get the full ride.

What is the big picture? Check these numbers:

Facebook has one billion users, 600 million mobile users, and more than 42 million pages ~ Who likes you? Who can you share your message with? Who do they know that needs what you do?

LinkedIn has 175 million users~ How many connections and leads do you have? How many endorsements have you given this week? What does your profile page say about you?

Twitter has 500 million users ~ Are you sending valuable messages to thousands of potential customers and prospects?

YouTube has more than 4 billion viewers every day ~ Why aren’t some of them yours?

Pinterest has 25 million users and its use is skyrocketing.

Take some time and visit the sites and search for your competitors.  Check on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest.  What are they doing that you are not?  What can you learn from looking at their activity?  There is hardly a business of any size that isn’t already active in their social media activities or wouldn’t benefit from having an active social media program.  As always contact me anytime.

Owen

 

 

Owen Riess Resume

952.240.3020 owenriess@gmail.com

EMPLOYMENT

Marketplace Home Mortgage, Edina, Minnesota – June 2012 to Present

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER | SR LOAN OFFICER

As the Social Media Manager I am responsible for social media policy, compliance, and content. Directly responsible for adherence to corporate policy with the specific objective through coaching, assisting and teaching to help each individual loan officer grow their business organically through social media. I am a skilled social media strategist and experienced on-line community manager.

Senior Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS # 453286 with Marketplace Home Mortgage, LLC serving the individual mortgage needs of home owners, home buyers, and residential real estate investors.

Prospect Mortgage, Minneapolis, Minnesota – December 2011 to June 2012

SR LOAN OFFICER | BRANCH MANAGER

Responsible for developing relationships with real estate agents, financial advisors, CPAs, and builders to generate new business and the management of that loan manufacturing process through to completion. Design, develop, and implement responsible social media marketing for the growth of business. Responsible for recruiting new producing loan consultants, managing their production, and coaching as an SEO advisor.  NMLS # 453286

MetLife Home Loans, Bloomington, Minnesota – January 2011 to September 2011
MORTGAGE CONSULTANT | SALES MANAGER
Responsible for developing relationships with real estate agents, financial advisors, CPAs, and builders to generate new business and the management of that loan manufacturing process through to completion. Design, develop, and implement responsible social media marketing for the growth of business. Responsible for recruiting new producing loan consultants, managing their production, and coaching as an SEO advisor.

M&I Marshall and Ilsley Bank, Eden Prairie, Minnesota — November 2008 to January 2011
PRIVATE MORTGAGE BANKER | RESIDENTIAL LOAN ORIGINATOR
Develop and manage new accounts through cultivation of and interaction with real estate  professionals, financial planners, past customers, and bank clientele. Initiate and implement new marketing strategies and tactics, resulting in substantial increases in new residential loan origination. Generate new residential loan origination business in the range of $12 million annually.

Guaranteed Rate, Inc., Bloomington, Minnesota — August 2007 to October 2008
BRANCH MANAGER | VICE PRESIDENT OF MORTGAGE LENDING
Managed a profitable branch of 12 to 15 loan officers generating business referrals primarily from  realtors, financial planners and CPAs. Responsible for recruiting, supervision, training and coaching of new loan originators as well as the generation and management of personal mortgage production. Guaranteed  Rate operated as Centennial Mortgage & Funding from August 2007 to March 2008.

Bell Mortgage, Chanhassen, Minnesota — April 2001 to August 2007
SENIOR MORTGAGE BANKER | SENIOR RESIDENTIAL LOAN ORIGINATOR
Developed new accounts with real estate professionals, financial planners, builders and brokers.  Managed ongoing maintenance of these accounts. Generated new residential loan origination business  averaging $25 million annually.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota— April 1993 to April 2001
MARKET SALES MANAGER | SENIOR RESIDENTIAL LOAN ORIGINATOR
Developed new accounts with real estate professionals, financial planners and brokers; managed ongoing account maintenance. Generated new residential loan origination business in the $30 million range annually from New York State. The Market Sales Manager position included supervising, training and coaching of  new loan originators.

Owen L. Riess, Inc., Hopkins, Minnesota — November 1990 to April 1993
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT
Commercial and industrial sales and leasing; tenant representative brokerage, land sales, property  development and marketing, and fee based counseling.

Hoyt Development Company, Edina, Minnesota — July 1989 to November 1990
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Commercial and industrial real estate development and leasing; owner representation, consulting, valuation, acquisition, and sale analysis. Coordination of all marketing programs for institutional owners, tenant businesses, and the brokerage community. Principal broker of record.

Eberhardt Commercial Real Estate Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota — April 1988 to July 1989
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Commercial and industrial sales and leasing, owner and tenant representative brokerage, land sales,  and investment analysis and counseling.

IDS Financial Services Inc., An American Express Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota —
February 1986 to April 1988
CORPORATE REAL ESTATE MANAGER
Managed all real estate activities relating to leasing of first class office space for specific  IDS/American Express Financial Advisors divisional sales offices throughout the United States.

Anderson Associates, Eden Prairie, Minnesota — August 1983 to February 1986
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Brokerage; corporate real estate consulting and tenant representative leasing, multi-building negotiations  from cold call qualifying through construction completion in a “total-move management” brokerage capacity.

MILITARY SERVICE

United States Marine Corps
Aviation Operations Officer. Honorable discharge. Rank: Sergeant (E-5) — 1974 to 1978

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science
University of Maryland, College of Journalism, College Park, Maryland — 1983

Real Estate Development Overview
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts —1987
Marketing Commercial Property (CCIM-100) Washington, DC. —1989
Real Estate Investment and Taxation (CCIM-101) Minneapolis, Minnesota —1989

Real Estate Brokerage License, St Paul, Minnesota — Annually 1990 to 2008

Real Estate Certificate
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Principles of Real Estate Appraisal; Principles of Property Management — 1986
Principles of Real Estate Finance; Principles of Real Estate Law — 1987
Business Site Selection and Analysis — 1988

AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS

Operations Professional of the Year, Social Media Innovation, Minnesota Mortgage Association — 2012

Commercial Cooperative Broker of the Year, Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors — 1991
Principle Player Award, Teamwork, Prudential Home Mortgage Company — 1994
Leaders Club, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc. — 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
Presidents Club, Bell Mortgage — 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

References and Compendium Upon Request