Will Dixon Real Estate Your Start to Home Ownership
Will Dixon Real Estate “Your Friend in Real Estate”
Thank you for the opportunity to help you find your next home. I understand that buying a home is a major decision. My goal is to take you through the home finding process, making it as efficient, stress-free and successful as possible. The purpose of this Home finding Guide is to help you understand the process of finding and buying a home, to acquaint you with the kinds of housing and financing choices that are available and to assist you throughout the home buying process. In order to best serve you, I will need to spend time with you learning more about your unique needs, both in a home and of your real estate sales professional. My goal is that you will be delighted with your home buying experience. Please feel free to call on me at any time, ask questions and share your concerns with me. Again, thank you for allowing me to help you select your next home.
Thank You in advance for your business, Will Dixon
Prudential Kahler REALTORS®
About Will Dixon
When you hire Will Dixon Real Estate you are hiring a full service REALTORŽ that will be attentive to all of your real estate needs. Let’s meet Will! Will Dixon - Broker Associate: I have been in the Rapid City business community since 1985; owning and operating a jewelry retail and repair business from 1985 to 2004 and a real estate professional from 2004 to present. I have lived in Rapid City since 1972 so I consider Rapid City my home. I have been married to my wife Pam for 22 years and have 3 children. I am very active in the community serving as a Boy Scout Leader, soccer coach and a baseball coach. I am also a member of my church parish council. This past year I was also elected as a local director for the Black Hills Association of Realtors. I am very passionate about my real estate career. I treat all of my clients as friends, by doing this they feel comfortable with me. This turns the sometimes uneasy feeling of buying a home into an enjoyable one. I have had numerous awards in the past 7 years as a real estate agent, including multimillion dollar producer in all my years as an agent and top producer in sales and volume for Prudential Kahler in 2007.
Will Dixon Broker Associate
HOW I CAN HELP YOU
I will apply my knowledge and expertise to help you find the right home. Here is what you can expect from me: I will work with you at every stage of the home finding process, from the initial selection of properties to view, through the presentation of a purchase offer, to obtaining financing and the completion of the transaction. Communication is important. We will want to agree to a system of regular contacts (whether in person, on the phone, by mail, text or e-mail) so that you can be kept informed at all times. I will give you reliable information and solid advice so that you can make informed decisions. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. It is my hope that you will be so pleased with my service that you will turn to me for advice on your future real estate needs and refer me to your friends and family.
Work Schedule: I am in the office Monday thru Friday from 8:30 – 5:00. I am also available on weekends by appointment. I am available by cell phone, text or email any time. If I don’t answer my phone please leave a message, I will get back to you as soon as possible.
AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS When real estate professionals work with sellers and buyers, “agency” relationships are established. As you start working with a real estate professional, please ask for a clear explanation of the current agency laws in South Dakota, so that you understand these important issues. There are three kinds of buyer agency relationships:
Single Buyer’s agent A “buyer’s agent” represents the buyer during the home buying process. The buyer’s real estate professional (agent) has a fiduciary responsibility to represent the buyer’s best interests including reasonable care, loyalty and confidentiality.
Disclosed Limited Agent A “disclosed limited agent” represents the interests of both the seller and the buyer, during the same transaction. A limited agent has responsibilities to both seller and buyer and must act in the best interests of both parties.
Appointed agent An appointed agent works on behalf of the seller or buyer and owes the same duties to the client as a single agent. The agent acts solely on behalf of the client and may only share confidential information with the responsible broker or agents named in the agreement
Buyer Broker Agreement This is an agreement between the agent and the client. What it does is protects both parties, detailing what is to be expected of either party. It outlines what type of property is to be searched for, what area and what price range. It also discloses any charges if any are to be paid by the buyer at the time of closing. This contract may be cancelled in writing at anytime by either party. Please note that Prudential Kahler does have an administrative fee of $150.00 payable at closing.
COMPONENTS OF A MORTGAGE A monthly mortgage payment can contain several components: Principal The original balance of money loaned. As the loan is paid over time, the principal is the remaining loan balance.
Interest The charge for the use (loan) of money. The interest rate remains constant in a Fixed Rate Mortgage. The rate can vary according to specified guidelines over the life of an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM).
Property Taxes The county assessor charges property taxes based on the value of your home. Two tax installments are due each year. The majority of loans today require you to escrow your property taxes into your house payment so it is very easy to keep your taxes current.
Insurance Protection against loss resulting from certain hazards, such as theft or fire. The standard policy pays replacement costs, minus depreciation based on actual cash value. You will need to obtain homeowners insurance from your own insurance agent.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) Loans with smaller down payments involve greater risk for the lender, who requires protection in case the loan goes into foreclosure. Without PMI, lenders would be reluctant to offer loans with lower down payments. Anything less than 20% down payment usually requires PMI.
Looking for a Lender? I recommend 2 lenders in the area. One from a bank and one from a broker. Either can give you the service you deserve. Please feel free to interview them and let them know that I sent you. Tami McGuire @ Wells Fargo 394-3818 Terry Telechan @ Rushmore Mortgage 430-8707
Searching for a Home in Today’s Real Estate With the internet and smart phones, searching for a home can be a fun experience. It also can be an overwhelming ordeal. Most buyers today start with searching on the internet. Printed advertising is getting to be a thing of the past. The majority of my buyers have already seen the homes on line before I take them to see it in person. This can take the much of the stress out of choosing a home because many homes are eliminated before they see them live.
Rapid City Real Estate Market: Trend, Analysis & Statistics Commentary 5772 Part 1: MARKET SUMMARY 3rd Quarter, 2010 Data: Rapid City, South Dakota Historical Home Price Appreciation Last Quarter 2.11% Last Year 1.5% Last 5 Years 12% Last 10 Years 54% Last 20 Years
Annual Home Price Appreciation Rates 1993 6.39% 1994 10.98% 1995 1.94% 1996 7.38% 1997 5.60% 1998 2.35% 1999 2.89% 2000 10.41% 2001 6.55% 2002 6.94% 2003 5.01% 2004 7.74% 2005 6.45% 2006 5.92% 2007 2.05% 2008 1.37% 2009 0.41% Real Estate Appreciation, Rank & Percentile Last Quarter 2.11% Rank: 49 of 381 (87th Percentile) Last Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5% Rank: 30 of 381 (92nd Percentile) Last 5 Years 12% Rank: 78 of 381 (79th Percentile) Last 10 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . 54% Rank: 96 of 381 (75th Percentile)
Home Price appreciation rates for Rapid City, SD are shown above for five time periods. For example: Rapid City appreciated 2.11% in the Last Quarter. At that rate, the Rapid City Real Estate Market was ranked 49th out of 381 metropolitan areas for Real Estate Appreciation. Rapid City was in the 87th percentile. So Rapid City, SD performed better in the Last Quarter than 87% of the 381 metropolitan areas covered in ForecastChart.com.
We are very fortunate to live where we do. Where other cities in the country are depreciating, Rapid City is keeping its head above water.
Company Resume
Prudential Kahler, REALTORS(R) is a full service real estate company dedicated to satisfying the diverse real estate needs of clients and customers throughout Rapid City and the surrounding areas. Our sales associates respond with the highest level of skill and sensitivity to the preferences of our buyers and sellers in every transaction. Prudential Kahler, REALTORS(R) holds nearly 20% of the entire Black Hills Market. With over 25 firms competing, we believe that is quite an accomplishment. Prudential Kahler, REALTORS(R) draws strength from powerful alliances with professional organizations. We are affiliated with the following groups: Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Prudential Referral Network, National Association of Realtors, South Dakota Association of Realtors, Black Hills Association of Realtors, Rapid City Multiple listing Service and Employee Relocation Council. Many companies have tried to imitate our success, but they just can't duplicate our people. We are committed to serving you with honesty and integrity. We stand committed to these ideals because we're not in it for the fast sale, we want you to be our customer FOR LIFE!
My Resume Experience Licensed broker associate with Prudential Kahler Realtors Prudential Kahler Realtors “Rookie of the Year” 2004 4.3 million dollars in transactions 2005 4.5 million dollars in transactions 2006 5.5 million dollars in transactions 2007 3.7 million dollars in transactions 2008 4.1 million dollars in transactions 2009 4 million dollars in tracsactions 2010 Prudential Kahler’s Top Producer in Volume 2007 Prudential Kahler’s Top Revenue Units 2006 & 2007 Agency’s monthly Top Producer 13 times 2006-2010
Education Graduate St. Martin’s Academy 1982 Graduate of Kahler School of Real Estate 2004 Required continuing education National Association of Realtors “Code of Ethics” training Prudential Real Estate “e” certified House Values certified professional Prudential Fine Homes International approved Agent
Professional Affiliations National Association of Realtors South Dakota Association of Realtors Black Hills Association of Realtors Board of Directors Member Rapid City Chamber of Commerce
Personal Affiliations and Hobbies Leader with the Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout All Sports, participating and watching Family oriented Ale Riders homebrew club Baseball Coach with Harney Little League St Therese Parish Council Vice Chairman
BUYERS FAQ’S HOW A BUYER/BROKER WORKS? When you sign the Buyer/Broker form that allows me to represent you as your buyer broker, we form an agency. This agency (similar to doctor/patient and lawyer/client) is a binding agreement between you the “buyers” and me, the “broker agent” I would have a fiduciary responsibility to represent your best interests including reasonable care, loyalty and confidentiality. WHAT I DO AS YOUR BUYER’S AGENT My job as your agent is to interpret real estate information for you, so you can make informed choices. I won’t make choices for you, but I will provide you with the best information and choices. WHAT IS MY FEE AS YOUR AGENT? My fee as a buyer’s agent is 3% of the sale price of the home that you purchase. This fee is paid by the seller of the home and not you in 99% of transactions. The only time you might have to pay my fee, is if we write an accepted offer on a “for sale by owner” home. Even in this case, we will write it in the contract that the owner will still pay my commission, but if the seller refuses, than you would be responsible for my fee. There is also a $150.00 transaction fee that is paid at closing. This fee is paid to Prudential Kahler Realtors. WHEN DO I COLLECT MY FEE? I only get paid when you have purchased a home. You do not pay me for showing you homes or writing offers on homes that are not accepted. I only get paid when you own your new home. WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS MY CLIENT? After you have signed the buyer/broker agreement, I have a few rules for all my clients. The first and most important rule is, that you contact me (or my assistant) when you want to see a property, please don’t call the agent who has the home for sale, and please, never call the owner of the home, or just go up to the home and ask if you can see it. This is not only to be courteous to the seller, but so that I can be there to protect your best interests. Remember, my main job as your agent, is to protect your interests. The other rule is just for you to tell me exactly what you think, please don’t think you will hurt my feelings or think you have wasted my time if you don’t like the home we have seen. This will save us both from spending more time than we need to on a home that you have no desire to own. WHAT IF I DON’T SIGN THE BUYER/BROKER AGREEMENT? By law, I am only allowed to show you one home (one home, one time) without a buyer/broker agreement. I also would not be able to give you my personal or professional opinion in regards to any home we may look at. I personally feel that every buyer deserves to be represented by a real estate professional.
WHAT IS THE BUYING PROCESS? After we have a signed buyer/broker agreement, I will sit down with you and go over your criteria (what you are looking for in a home). You will have a list of needs and wants. These are very important to separate. Your needs are something that you must have in your new home, for example, at least 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a two-car garage. We shouldn’t look at homes that don’t have most, if not all of your needs available. Your wants should be things you would like to have in your new home, for example, a privacy fence, sprinkler system or maybe a basement. These are items that wouldn’t be deal breakers if the home doesn’t have them, but you would prefer ones that do. SHOULD I GET PRE-APPROVED? We will make sure you are pre-approved for a loan for a home in the price range we are looking. When the time comes to put an offer in on a home, on the purchase agreement is asks for a pre-approval letter, so it is better for everyone involved if we have one in advance. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE When we go out and look at houses, remember that every other real estate agent is Rapid City can show the same property that I can show you. If you find a property that you really like, but you want more time to make up your mind, just be aware that I can’t stop the sellers from accepting another offer. This is really important on a home you think it would really hurt you if you don’t get it.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS WITH OFFERS? If you do decide to make an offer on a property, the sellers can entertain and accept other offers until you have a signed agreement. If the sellers don’t accept your first offer, more than likely they will present you with a “counter-offer”, you will then decide if you want to accept their counter-offer or counter it back. Please be aware that even during the counter-offering stage, they can still be receiving other offers. Not until both parties have agreed and signed do you have a binding contract.
WHAT IS EARNEST MONEY AND WHAT HAPPENS TO IT AFTER I PAY IT? Earnest money shows your intent to purchase the home. The higher the amount the more serious you look to the sellers. You pay this money at the time of writing the purchase agreement. The money won’t be cashed until after we have a binding contract, signed and agreed upon by both parties (accepted offer). This money is held in an escrow account until closing. At closing it is deducted from the price of the home.
Clients Served In The Last Few Years Mark & Tami Deahl Barry & Chrissy Clark Casey Cornell Troy Ritchie Terry Lehmkuhl Rich and Robin Whipple Phil Nordstrom Jason Roe Don & Jodi Bruckner Dan Friendshuh Bracken Robinson Brian & Renee Martin Kraig and Michelle Kerns Joe and Destiny Ortiz Carlos and Particia Gamboa Mike and Teri Farland Adam Fuchs Tom and Lynn Hehn Kevin Alleger Andy McCumber Sandra Peters Dean Riggert Les Heard Marshall and Bailey Ziemanski Scott Baltes Nina Davis Peter Velazquez Dr. Ron & Margaret White Steve and Toni Vela Dean and Lyz Awe Keith and Sherry Garner Wes and Fawn Janis Barb Stucker Will and Amber Heltzel Jon and Randi Hodina Chris and Karla Kendrick Karen Mechaley Floyd and Samantha Savageau Melanie Ewing
Testimonials Working with Will Dixon as my realtor was like working with a member of my family. No matter what question or problem I had, he was right there to erase all of my fears and to ensure all aspects of the purchase of my new home went as smoothly as possible. In fact, I do not think it could have gone any better if he had helped me get the home for free. Honest, forthright, and reassuring, Will is the realtor to have if you want prompt, courteous and efficient service. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone. Dr. Linda Hardy, Rapid City, SD "I have worked with Will for the last 2 years and have found him to be hardworking and highly-principled. He consistently has kept me apprised of new commercial listings and has been tireless in providing door-stop information, due diligence and pricing advice for properties of interest. Most impressively, Will's client service does not stop after the closing. I continue to depend upon Will for timely, honest input and would recommend him highly to anyone looking for real property opportunities in the Rapid City area." Don Karras, Denver, Colorado Will was very helpful and since this was our first experience in buying a house it was nice to have someone with his knowledge of real estate helping us. Will was very easy to talk to and seemed more like a friend than a realtor. Matt and Jess Owczarek, Rapid City, SD "The home we were buying had a problem with the carpet, we discovered it only days before closing. Because of my allergies, we needed the problem resolved. Will fought hard to get the problem taken care of. Will's THE MAN!" Karen Swan, Box Elder, SD "Mr. Dixon is an excellent sales associate, he is probably one of the most patient, most accommodating realtors we have ever worked with. His knowledge of the area and the market is extensive. He is very thorough and organized. We are quite confident in highly recommending Will Dixon." Dave and Gloria Allardyce, Summerset, SD "Will was very professional and helped us find the house we needed. He was willing to meet us at night or on weekends to fit our schedule. Will promptly returned all calls and e-mails." Chuck and Jan Conlee, Rapid City, SD
"When my husband and I began looking for a new home we were working with a different realtor. She kept showing us homes that were beyond our price range. After signing up on the Prudential/Yahoo website I received a call from Will Dixon asking if there was anything he could do to help us with. After working with both realtors, we quickly noticed a difference when working with Will. He never tried to sell us anything out of our price range, and was always available to help us with any concerns or questions we had. Will helped us find a home that fit both our budget and needs. We have been very happy working with Will and respect him both personally and professionally." David and Michelle Mueller, Rapid City, SD "When we found out we were being transferred to Rapid City from Anchorage, Alaska we knew it was time to buy our first home. We needed a realtor we could trust and would be a good communicator since we were so far away. We contacted several well-known realtors in the area but none of them were good at returning emails in a timely manner. Then we happened to call Will about a listing that we had found on his website. We were so glad we did, we didn't end up buying that house but we found a great realtor as a result. Will was prompt at returning our emails, looking for potential homes and sending us additional information about home that we saw on line. When I came to Rapid City for a 2 day house hunt, Will committed most of his time to me although it was a busy time for him. After I made an offer on a home and returned to Alaska, Will continued to do all the busy work that we weren't able to do. We can't thank you enough for making our first home buying experience a breeze!' Amanda & Jon-Michael Rull, Rapid City, SD Dee Dee and I sure enjoyed working with you on the recent purchase of our home. We came to you upon recommendation with the plan to take our time to find a house; we were in no rush. This did not phase you- you were more than willing to work with us for as long as it took to find our perfect home. As it turned out, we found a home right away. We were also particularly grateful for all the coordination of services you provided. We were very new to Rapid City and would not have known where to begin. Your professional experience in guiding us down the path of making an offer in a market we were unfamiliar with was very beneficial. We will certainly recommend you to any of our friends who are looking to buy or sell a home. Bryan and Dee Dee Jacobson, Rapid City, SD Will Dixon made buying our house a pleasant experience. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and honest. He was not a pushy agent, but listened to what we wanted. He was there to answer our questions and meet us when we needed him to. We would recommend Will to anyone who wanted a great real estate experience. Keith and Stacie Morell, Rapid City, SD