Why Buy With The Gerwin Group?
Broadest Market Access:
Mary and Shaylisa draw from the largest and most comprehensive network of available properties. Their access to the market is enhanced by membership in the Metro Area Associations of Realtors, Colorado Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, and Metrolist. The Gerwin Group is also recognized as part of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate at the Institute of Luxury Real Estate.
Outstanding Reputation:
Repeat business and referrals constitute more than 90% of The Gerwin Group’s annual sales, and have helped to make us one of the top teams in Denver, with over $30 million in sales and 65 transactions in 2015 alone. We were named to the Denver Board of Realtors Gold-level Realtor Roundtable in 2015,2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010, and we received 5280 Magazine’s 5 Star Award in real estate for overall customer satisfaction in 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009.
A Dedication to Professionalism – Our Promise to You
As your agents, we at The Gerwin Group have a fiduciary responsibility to you at all times and will service your specific real estate needs in the following ways:
Expert Guidance:
- Frame a property search around what’s most important to you
- Recommend lenders for pre-approval to help determine a realistic price range, strengthen your offer and lead to a faster closing
- Search MLS daily to find new properties matching your criteria
- Preview properties, schedule appointments and accompany you to showings
- Analyze comparable property values and advise you on current market conditions
- Structure and prepare your offer, review disclosures and laws and deliver the contract
- Negotiate skillfully on your behalf and promote clear and frequent communication among all parties
- Review title commitment, recommend home inspectors, facilitate lender approval, insurance coverage, and recommend attorneys or tax professionals, as needed
- Accompany you on final walk-through
Responsiveness:
- Act in good faith at all times
- Obey your instructions
- Return all calls and emails promptly
- Closely track dates and deadlines
Accounting:
- Receive and monitor all earnest money
- Receive and deliver all documents in a timely manner
- Review final settlement statements
Loyalty:
- Place your interests above all others
- Keep your personal information strictly confidential
- Ensure that all parties to the transaction are fully informed about any material facts that may affect the transaction
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A Quick Guide to Agency Terms
Seller’s Agent:
A seller’s agent works solely on behalf of the seller to promote the interests of the seller with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity. The agent negotiates on behalf of and acts as an advocate for the seller. The seller’s agent must disclose to potential buyers all adverse material facts actually known by the seller’s agent about the property. A separate written listing agreement is required which sets forth the duties and obligations of the broker and the seller.
A buyer’s agent works solely on behalf of the buyer to promote the interests of the buyer with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity. The agent negotiates on behalf of and acts as an advocate for the buyer. The buyer’s agent must disclose to potential sellers all adverse material facts actually known by the buyer’s agent, including the buyer’s financial ability to perform the terms of the transaction and, if a residential property, whether the buyer intends to occupy the property. A separate written buyer agency agreement is required which sets forth the duties and obligations of the broker and the buyer.
Transaction-Broker:
A transaction-broker assists the buyer or seller or both throughout a real estate transaction by performing terms of any written or oral agreement, fully informing the parties, presenting all offers and assisting the parties with any contracts, including the closing of the transaction without being an agent or advocate for any of the parties. A transaction-broker must use reasonable skill and care in the performance of any oral or written agreement, and must make the same disclosures as agents about all adverse material facts actually known by the transaction-broker concerning a property or a buyer’s financial ability to perform the terms of a transaction and, if a residential property, whether the buyer intends to occupy the property. No written agreement is required.
Customer:
A customer is a party to a real estate transaction with whom the broker has no brokerage relationship because such party has not engaged or employed the broker, either as the party’s agent or as the party’s transaction-broker.
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A Glossary of Common Real Estate Terms
Appraiser
The person who decides the market value of a home based on its condition and the selling prices of comparable homes recently sold in the area. His or her job is to compute a fair estimate of market value to help the lender decide a reasonable loan amount.
Assessor
A public official who appraises property for tax purposes, determining the assessed value, not the tax rate.
Closing
The conclusion of a real estate transaction, which includes delivery of a deed, financial adjustments, signing of notes and disbursement of funds necessary to the sale or loan.
Contingency
A condition that must be met before a contract is binding. For example, the sale of a home might be contingent upon the seller paying for certain repairs and buyer’s inspection.
Conventional Loan
A loan made with real estate as security and not involving government participation in the form of insuring (FHA) or guaranteeing (VA) the loan.
Fixed-Rate Loan
A loan with the same rate of interest for the life of the loan.
Homeowner’s Policy
A multiple peril insurance policy commonly called a package policy. Available to owners of private homes, it covers the dwelling and contents in case of theft or fire or wind damage, as well as liability for property damage and personal liability.
Interest Rate Cap
The maximum interest rate charge allowed on an adjustable-rate loan for any one adjustment period during the life of the loan.
Open Mortgage
A mortgage that may be repaid in full at any time over the life of the loan without a prepayment penalty
Point
A point is a dollar amount paid to a lender for making a loan, or one percent of the loan amount, also called discount points.
REALTOR®
A member of the National Association of Realtors who subscribes to a strict code of ethics.
Title
Documentary evidence of the right to or ownership of property, which in real estate is the deed. Title may be acquired through purchase, inheritance, gift or exchange, as wells as through foreclosure of a mortgage.
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All About Your Offer
The written offer you submit to a seller becomes a binding sales contract if the owner accepts it. We’ll ensure your offer is complete and serves your best interests. Your offer includes the following:
- Address and legal description of the property.
- Price you are offering to pay for the property.
- Terms such as “all cash” or “subject to your obtaining a mortgage for a given amount”.
- Target closing date when title is transferred.
- Earnest money accompanying the offer and cash-at-closing balance required, as well as the form it is in – check or promissory note.
- Contract provisions stating which party is responsible for the title insurance, survey property inspections and similar expenses.
- Type of deed to be given.
- Other requirements specific to your sale, which might include special inspections, tax advice or, occasionally, attorney review, disclosure of specific environmental hazards or other state-specific clauses.
- A provision that the buyer may make a last-minute walk-through inspection of the property just before closing.
- A time limit after which the offer will expire.
- Contingencies that state the sale will only go through if certain conditions are met.
- Common contingencies include the buyer obtaining specific financing from a lending institution, a satisfactory report by a home inspector, and an appraisal for at least the value of the contracted price.