NANAIMO REAL ESTATE SERVICES
(and surrounding towns & islands)
So what do I do? Well, I'm the classic residential real estate agent; I can get your property listed and marketed and I can help you negotiate the terms of a contract and all the other paperwork.
For buyers, I can give you direct MLS access, discuss geography and implications of the property's features, as well as easements and other charges on title - and I can meet you at the properties to enable full access, discuss the market and handle everything involved with making offers and overseeing your takeover of the property after completion.
The technical name for my work is "agency services" - that means I am your fiduciary - someone trained in a particular matter who acts as an agent of your interests with confidentiality, obedience and competence. I'm legally required to put your interests ahead of mine! And that's fine with me, because it makes you happy and likely to recommend me.
I'm described as enthusiastic and honest, critical and approachable. I have high standards and will take your purchase or sale very seriously.
Buyers
My approach to helping buyers works like this:
- We discuss your needs - I have a great top-down view of the Mid-Island area including Gulf Islands.
- I create an MLS account for you. It lets you see more listing info than you'll find on any public website (even sale prices), and it sends you an email when there are new listings based on your needs.
- You reply to those emails with questions about those properties, and I respond in detail.
- We go and see properties, and if you want to make an offer on something, I help you with the negotiations and paperwork, but also (most importantly) setting up your offer with clauses for due diligence.
- I help you through that diligence period (especially jumping through hoops for your lender/insurer), then I ensure you get the keys on time and that the terms of the contract were also followed by the seller.
You'll find that I'm very knowledgeable about the city - the "feel" and future of the neighbourhoods, and the locations of amenities.
When I visit a property with you as a buyer's agent, I am not "selling" the property to you. That's a common misunderstanding and it dates from back when all real estate agents legally represented the seller. They had to sell it! My role during your showings is to do my own little inspection and point out material features that may affect you.
Want me to create a search for you? Use this form to email me and let me know your search parameters.
Sellers
Any agent can take some photos and list your property on MLS, then wait for the offers. In a market with low inventory, this usually does the trick!
But for all the money you're paying, why not choose an agent who does ALL the things - like photography, video, and paid web advertising for your listing? Someone who takes each listing as a personal project instead of another number for their business assets.
To get the most eyes on your property, I do the following for EVERY* listing I take:
- Professional photography – I'm good with my iPhone, but a full-time professional with an SLR camera and editing software is far more likely to show your property in its very best light.
- Video – There are two reasons why I create a video to help market every* property I list. It can be very helpful for attracting buyers from out-of-area, sometimes even causing them to make an offer without waiting to visit in person. But the other reason is because of social media; I've found that people are far more likely to SHARE a video than a link.
- Paid promotion in Facebook and Google – I pay for extra hits to your listing page from Google search results (Adwords), so that when a user searches for “South Nanaimo rancher” or whatever the relevant keywords would be, the user is brought directly to YOUR listing instead of to the main MLS search. And to promote the video, I pay Facebook to "boost" my post; my videos generally reach 10,000-20,000 pairs of eyes as a result of this expense, which I am happy to pay.
- Appropriate copy – I have a background in writing and I’m quite comfortable drafting a paragraph that emphasizes the saleable elements of your property. Many agents write a lot of "promo" fluff and there simply isn’t room for it when a user is scrolling through properties. Get to the point! You only have a few seconds to showcase the property's standout features.
- I listen – When you show me around your property, you will tell me about all the things you loved when you bought it. I know that these will be the same things I need to focus on when I promote your property. If it worked before, it will work again!
*For properties with less than $100,000 list price, I reserve the right to omit the video component from the listing. For properties in remote locations, I reserve the right to take my own photos/video (rather than bringing a professional photographer). But you can see the quality of my photography on this website; it's decent!
A Well-Calculated Price
In our heavily one-sided seller's market, your home can probably sell within a few weeks - for more than you paid for it. The stats demonstrate that this is happening in most cases. But when a listing sells quickly, it always begs the question: Could we have asked for more?
Although I'll study the comparables and use my experience to come up with the right price for your place, I am not the kind of agent to try to "talk you down" to a price that works better for me than it does for you. I've seen a lot of "successful" agents whose practice is to use their persuasive skills to get the seller to list low, and then when it sells for more than asking price, the agent thinks they should get a medal.
The pricing of your property is something I take very seriously. It's a lot of money. If you like my approach, call me or email me.
I'm Always on Hand
The current market requires agility because things happen very quickly. Agility requires availability. I don't take a listing if I don't have time to give it enough attention.
My Relationship with Buyer's Agents
I maintain a respectable profile in the industry, acting with integrity and friendliness in all dealings with other professionals. There is value in this! It means that more agents will want to bring their buyers over to our place.
Testimonials
We enjoyed working with Gerry. He is straightforward, creative, knowledgeable and flexible. A good person to have working for you in a changeable real estate market. After months of house hunting, we were pleased to discover Gerry, and putting a successful deal together quickly followed.
I've had the privilege of working with Gerry in a previous career and also in his capacity as a Realtor. His attention to detail, effortless communication style, and dedication to his craft has always impressed me. A true professional, Gerry embodies old world customer service and client care. As cliche as it sounds, he actually cares for his clients and never forgets that it's our best interests he's working for. In this crowded marketplace, his approach is refreshing and easy to recommend!
I'm currently working with Gerry as my buyers agent and I can't say enough nice things about him. Gerry is honest, knowledgable, quick to reply and always answers any of my questions. He really took time to understand what my needs and wants in terms of housing and neighbourhood are and he found the perfect place! Thank you Gerry, it is an absolute pleasure doing business with you.
Gerry is such a solid guy. Honest, kind and genuine. He seems to know every last nook and cranny of Nanaimo, and is happy to share his knowledge of the history and secret spots. If you're looking for a down to earth agent with lots of local expertise, Gerry is the one.
I'm glad you were actually listen to what's important to us with our very first purchase of our real estate. I wish everyone would have the same business communications skills like you do. I appreciate your professionalism & your style of business. Thank you once again for your dedication ... your patience and your guidance ... and your business & personal skills.
Thank you so much Gerry - for all your energy, time and patience with our purchase + sale. A card doesn't begin to cover it. We are so grateful for all your help during the transition time of ours. You were so knowledgeable + supportive. Huge thank you for everything. We'll recommend you any chance we get.
You’ve been extremely patient and helpful, and really the best realtor we’re feeling very fortunate.
Gerry is the most stand up and honest guy you will ever meet. He's extremely personable and I don't know a single person who doesn't like him. He knows more about Nanaimo than anyone I've ever met. I would recommend Gerry to anyone who is looking to a buy or sell a house.
My husband and I had such a wonderful experience buying our home. Gerry works like a crazy person! He recommended homes for us, answered every question we had. He always got back to us right away. Gerry also has a passion for Nanaimo history which made exploring Nanaimo fun, and full of interesting facts. We were recommended by a friend to hire Gerry as our real estate agent and I am so glad. I highly recommend this humble, smart, easy going, ready to work individual. Thank you so much Gerry for making this important purchase effortless, fun, and supportive.