THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR:
Tim Connor by Siân Murphy & Ben Lampert
Established in 1976, WK Real Estate is the largest independently owned, full-service real estate company in Boulder County. From our inception, we have been committed to helping residential, corporate and commercial clients find the perfect property. Our brokers are chosen for their proven expertise, deep knowledge of Boulder County and beyond, and unwavering passion for connecting people with the right properties and the best resources.
WK Real Estate blends the best of big firms and boutique agencies, delivering world-class service with a personal touch. We boast an extensive international network, integration of the most current technology, and membership in many of the industry’s most prestigious organizations.
WK Real Estate has an outstanding reputation for marketing distinguished properties, and for sales professionals who offer specialties in residential, mountain, farm and ranch locations in Boulder, Longmont and the surrounding communities. We also proudly maintain an international real estate presence through our strategic alliances. We invite you to read on to learn more about us and how we can help you. When it comes to real estate, we prove that you can have it all.
your passion? At WK Real Estate, that’s an easy question to answer. While some say our industry is about buying and selling houses, we believe it’s about finding and creating new homes. That’s our passion. And for more than 45 years, it has been the driving force behind everything we do.
At WK Real Estate, our mission is to stimulate the quality of life in Boulder and surrounding counties through real estate. Our clients are our primary focus. We work tirelessly to meet and exceed your expectations.
WK Real Estate was built on 5 core principles. We embrace these values every day with passion and energy.
WK Real Estate’s adherence to these principles is continually revealed though our unparalleled personal service and a nurturing business environment that promotes long-term financial success. We are leaders in the communities we serve and live in. The spirit of giving back is fundamental to everything we do. In fact, our agents annually participate in more than 100 volunteer events and organizations.
WK Real Estate seeks out the best and brightest brokers around. Our agents average more than 15 years of experience in real estate. They come from diverse backgrounds and draw on a wealth of knowledge. We encourage a culture of collaboration. Our agents rely on their colleagues to ensure the needs of every client are met.
When it’s all said and done, what you give back matters most. This is a guiding principle at WK Real Estate. Our roots run deep in the communities we serve. Our agents see the big picture and actively work to make the world a better place for their
As an independently owned company, WK Real Estate takes great pride in providing highly personalized service to lifetime clients. That commitment begins and ends with an impressive team of smart, seasoned agents.
No real estate company in Boulder County can match the combined experience of the WK Real Estate Leadership Team. Chairman and founding partner Lew Kingdom is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and a Certified Real Estate Broker Manager (CRB), and has earned National Association Realtor's Green Designation (GREEN). President Dan Kingdom has been recognized as Realtor® of the Year and has also logged two terms as Director for the Colorado Association of Realtors (CAR). Executive Vice President, Kari Newman brings a wealth of real estate knowledge being a graduate from the Realtor® Institute (GRI) and over 18 years of sales and management experience.
WK Real Estate has been in the relocation business for more than 30 years, longer than anyone else in the area. In fact, we are the only agency in Boulder County to have a Certified Relocation
Professional (CRP) on staff and a team dedicated specifically to this segment of the industry.
WK Real Estate has established itself as a leader when it comes to effective, targeted marketing. Our easy-to-use website (www.wkre.com) features cutting-edge technology that showcases properties of all shapes and sizes. In addition, the WK Real Estate Marketing Team includes specialists devoted to Social Media and Digital Marketing.
WK Real Estate is one of the few agencies in Boulder County that employs a full-time support team, including a Front Desk Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Showing Coordinators and Transaction Coordinators. This added layer of administrative support allows our agents to focus on the things they do best, while making the buying and selling process easier and more efficient for our clients.
Hustle and Heart right from the start!" Is not only Siân Murphy's life motto but it also speaks to the level of energy, communication, and dedication that Siân's clients will receive when buying and selling real estate with her.
Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Siân is a true local. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After graduating Siân was selected for an internship with the United States Ski and Snowboard Association in Park City, Utah. But she quickly realized that her true passion was real estate.
Siân enjoys helping Buyers and Sellers navigate the unique Colorado real estate market. With high level communication, transparency and hustle, Siân is an advocate and resource for her clients ensuring they are comfortable with the process of buying and selling.
In 2019, Siân was named REALTOR® of the Year for the Boulder Area REALTOR® Association. A prestigious award where she was nominated by her fellow REALTOR® peers and association. Also, in 2019, she was named to the National REALTOR® Magazine's 2019 class for 30 under 30; she was the only Colorado agent.
Siân is currently a Board of Director for BOLO (Boulder-Longmont) Association of Realtors. Former Chair of CYPN (Colorado Young Professionals Network) & former Chair of YPN-BARA(Young Professionals Network at Boulder Area Realtor Assoc.) who's goal is to create an energetic and supportive group of REALTORS that lead the way in the real estate industry and in their local communities through educational, philanthropic and social events.
Siân enjoys giving back to the Boulder community and sharing her knowledge about the area she grew up in. In 2016 Siân was honored to join the board of directors for the YWCA-Boulder County (Empowering Women, Eliminating Racism) and she continues to be an active board member.
During her free time, Siân enjoys investing in real estate, skiing, running, mountain biking, playing on her rec sports teams, ski instructing, traveling, hanging out with family and friends and supporting her University of Colorado Buffaloes at sporting events. You can always find Siân running in the Bolder Boulder come Memorial Day!
Siân loves working with Buyers and Sellers in the Boulder and Denver areas.
“Hustle and Heart right from the start!”
SIÂN MURPHY AWARDS:
2015 & 2017: Siân was the youngest of 4 recipients that received the President’s Award from the Boulder Area REALTORS® Association for her exceptional service to the association.
2017: Siân was an honoree of the 2017 BizWest Boulder Valley 40 under Forty class. This recognizes emerging young leaders in Boulder & Broomfield counties who make a difference in their companies, industries & communities.
2018: Siân received the Gus Williams Colorado Young Professional Network REALTOR® of the Year Award from the Colorado Association of REALTORS®.
2019: Siân was named REALTOR® of the Year for the Boulder Area REALTOR® Association. A prestigious award where she is nominated by her fellow REALTOR® peers and association.
2019: Siân was named to REALTOR® Magazines 2019 class for 30 under 30; she was the only Colorado REALTOR® .
2020: Siân received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from the Colorado Association of REALTORS®.
720-936-2309
303-541-1957
smurphy@wkre.com
www.SianMurphy.net
wkre.com/our_agents
BROKER ASSOCIATE
“Sian is the absolute best. She was always extremely professional and went above and beyond to sell my property! She answered every one of my questions with a smile, and called out items that needed my attention. Sian did a great job of making herself available to talk through any concerns, the best strategy, and next steps! There was never a moment in this process that I did not trust that Sian was working her hardest.” to get me the best sale possible.”
- Anna Linn“We had the privilege of working with Sian as our realtor and we could not have been happier with all of her assistance on the sale of our home. Sian did an excellent job on giving us ideas related to making our home easier to sell and her local market knowledge was invaluable. Sian always made herself available and was at all times quick to answer any questions that we had. She was extremely organized and was always on top of all of the different deadlines and checklist items. Her knowledge and expertise of real estate made us feel truly comfortable during the entire process and it was so nice to have a professional on our side.”
- Jeff and Stephanie Nielsen“Sian Murphy is a Rockstar! We are grateful to have Sian Murphy as our Agent. My wife and I have been looking at a second home here in the Boulder area. Sian has always went out of her way to show us great properties. She takes the time to review the specifics of each property and how they suit our needs. She always is patient and caring of our her clients requests. If you should think of hiring her, she is extremely perceptive of her client's needs and desires and will always help you find the perfect home and purchase experience!”
- Zac and Amka“Sian is amazing and always works hard. She was extremely responsive, attentive to our concerns, and knowledgeable in regards to our market. She worked with house in both the sale of our condo in Boulder, where we sold at a record high, and then our new home in Erie where we got a great deal on a brand new build. I can't say enough about how AWESOME Sian is! Sian is a broker for life. Thank you Sian!”
- Zach Brick“We can't say enough great things about our purchase experience with Sian Murphy as a realtor! From day one, she was on top of every aspect of the offer/purchase. We are somewhat new to the world of home buying and Sian was excellent at explaining all of the in's and out's. We followed her advise throughout the process and we were extremely pleased with all of her suggestions and help. She was knowledgeable about the process as well as answering any questions about the home that we had. All of our questions (there were a lot) were answered very promptly as well. We were in the process of buying during Boulder's 1000 year flood which complicated the process substantially, but Sian pulled everything through without a hitch. We would recommend Sian to anyone in the market to sell/buy a home in the area!”
- Dave and Nora
“Sian was phenomenal. She went above and beyond every day we worked with her. My boyfriend and I were looking for our first home together and Sian did everything we needed and more. Sian gave us her honest opinion about every place we saw and made sure to get us into any place we were interested in. She was available any time we needed her to answer questions and if she didn't know the answer she would go out of her way to find it. I highly recommend Sian as the best realtor in or around Boulder who will do anything you need to find you the best home.”
- Rebecca and Lucas“Sian Murphy was a pleasure to work with and a professional in every sense of the word. She kept the entire event incredibly smooth throughout the complex (isn't it always) process of purchase of our home. We would definitely use her again and recommend her to others.”
- Tom and Holly“Excellent experience in a tough competitive market. Sian's knowledge of the area, expertise with the web and communication skills with the owner and agent allowed us to get this great property at list price. We got a super deal in the competitive Boulder market. I think the fact that Sian grew up in Boulder was a plus. We highly recommend Sian.”
- Robert and Catherine Murphy“It was an absolute pleasure working with Sian to buy my first home. She is extremely knowledgeable about every step in the buy/sell process. She knows the market of the Denver/ Boulder area extremely well, and is able to provide lots of insight and comparison during the process of looking for a home. Sian is also extremely patient, flexible, and non-pressuring; we did tons of showings before we found the right place, and Sian was always accommodating with schedule and timing. When it came time to make an offer, Sian's communication and proactivity really shone; at every juncture she was communicating where we stood currently, what our next step was, what our options were, etc. It was truly sanity-saving during the stressful lead up to the closing process. I would highly recommend Sian to any one of my friends or family who were looking to buy or sell a home in the area, she is a consummate professional.”
- Josh QuistI worked through Sian to purchase my first home and she was nothing short of awesome. Throughout the buying process, Sian was there every step of the way with an open line of communication and opinions that were spot on. Most impressive was her follow-up - whenever we were ready to talk to a listing agent or an action was needed once we went under contract, Sian's response rate was impeccable. I'd highly recommend her to any prospective buyers or sellers and was extremely satisfied with her level of service.
- Matt W.
“We couldn't have had a better first home-buying experience than we did with Sian. She was always so attentive and easy to get ahold of with the numerous questions we had throughout the process. With the market being as it is, Sian was always on the ball to get us in to view properties ASAP, and continually sent various ideas and options our way. That being said, we never felt any pressure, even though it took about 6 months to find our perfect home. Sian knows the market very well, and she is super well connected all throughout Boulder/Denver which also came in handy for mortgage and insurance information. I would recommend Sian to anyone in a heart beat – already have! – and will work with her again down the road when we're ready for something different."
- Jennifer Boxhorn“As first time homebuyers, my fiancé and I were both anxious about starting the process and to add even more stress we were starting the house hunt while moving from out of state! Our first meeting with Siân was during a short Colorado visit to secure a temp apartment and she immediately settled a lot of our worries with her fun personality and vast knowledge of all things Boulder County. We hit the ground running once in state and viewed multiple houses a week. Siân was always easily reachable via email, text or phone and scheduled viewings promptly. Placing an offer on our first home was effortless as all contracts were viewed and signed online and Siân touched based with us at least once per day with updates. Once our offer was accepted, Siân again did her best to keep us on track throughout the closing process and explained in detail the contracts and paperwork all the way to the closing table. Siân even went above and beyond by offering us local advice including the best restaurants, hikes and even an orthopedic surgeon when my fiancé tore his ACL our first week living here. We'd not only highly recommend Siân to potential home buyers, but we'll be happy to work with her again in the future.”
- Casey and Connor
“Sian was professional while balancing a warm and friendly relationship with me and my mother. Not only was she responsive to questions and concerns but she provided updates and status information in a timely manner. As a native Coloradan, it was a pleasure to work with someone who has the same values and understandings. Overall, she made it an easy and comfortable process. Thanks.”
- Kathy
“Sian Murphy was incredibly helpful and professional. She provided us with an extremely organized schedule of all dates and deadlines and checked in with us often. It was an absolute pleasure to work with her!”
- Deborah and Phillip
“Sian was very understanding of our needs and tolerated our silly girls while house hunting.”
- Sam and Heather
Attention to detail, resourcefulness, and reliability: these are the qualities that set Benjamin M. Lampert II apart from other real estate brokers. In 2017, Ben turned his love for ‘Parade of Homes’ into a career helping others buy and sell real estate and has been going above and beyond ever since. Whether focused on relocation, luxury, a first-time home-buyer or a long-time investor, Ben strives to ensure his clients are heard and their needs are met.
As a broker associate with WK Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, Ben works with the Siân Murphy Group, helping buyers and sellers navigate the unique Boulder and Denver area real estate markets. He is an active member of the BOLO Realtors® association and Colorado’s BOLO YPN (Young Professional Network) in Boulder County.
In 2013, Ben moved from Virginia to Colorado to pursue graduate school work at the University of Denver, where he earned a master’s degree in performance psychology in 2015. He’s called Colorado home for the past eight years and is proud to say that after meeting his wife, Ali, in Denver, he successfully convinced his family and Ali’s family to move to Colorado from out-of-state. He and Ali started a family of their own in Boulder daughter Varenna and golden retriever Beso and love calling Colorado their home!
When not engaged in real estate activities, Ben is most likely to be found on a pickleball court. An avid pickleball player and a leader in the Colorado pickleball community, Ben promises it’s easier to learn a “third-shot-drop” than it is to get under contract in today’s Colorado real estate market and he’s here to help you do both!
“Ben was outstanding from start to finish. In particular, when it came to negotiating for our dream house, Ben made some suggestions that led to a very fair deal that was very much in our favor. Sian and Ben have incredible relationships with other agents in Boulder, helping our house purchase run very smoothly. Ben was always available with an immediate response time. He gave us many referrals for independent contractors who were outstanding. We give Sian and Ben our highest recommendation.”
- Neva Howard, 10/29/2022. Bought a Single Family home in 2022 in Boulder, CO.
“We worked with Sian and Ben to buy a house in Boulder. We worked mostly with Ben he was superb. The process was the smoothest of any house purchase we have made. Ben was always incredibly responsive; he was always available almost instantaneously when something came up. He was just a pleasure to work with and 100% trustworthy. Highly highly recommended.”
- Shachar Link, 10/22/2022. Bought a Single Family home in 2022 in Boulder, CO.
“I had such an amazing experience working with Sian and Ben. They really helped me find an amazing place and made the process so easy in these difficult times. I have recommended them to many people and will definitely use them in the future. Thank you so much Sian and Ben.”
- Kaitlin Kirsner, 07/11/2022. Bought a Condo home in 2022 in Boulder, CO.
“Ben assisted my husband and me in buying a 26-acre plot adjacent to our current home. He handled every detail and made the process as easy as possible for us. He thoroughly researched all areas of concern that we had, including dealing with two counties on permits, build sites, potential subdivision, road/driveway access, soil tests, water/well, gas, and more. He thought of things we would never have even known to ask. He also assisted us with arranging good financing. Ben was the consummate professional at all steps in the process. I have complete confidence in him and his partner, Sian, and the service they provide. I heartily recommend them to any buyer or seller in Colorado!”
- Mary Alison Jameson , 09/04/2022. Bought a Vacant Land home in 2022 in Pine, CO.
“Ben was phenomenal to work with. He always came prepared with facts and knowledge on the properties we were viewing. Ben was flexible with time for showings and he made sure we viewed a property of interest within 24 hours of finding. The buying process was easier than expected. Ben made sure he was there every step of the way. He answered any questions we had and helped coach us through the process, start to finish. Thank you, Ben!”
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Nicole Lightfoot“Ben was a tremendous realtor! He was extremely knowledgeable of the market in the Boulder area. He was very patient with me and provided excellent advice during my home search. He was also very helpful when it came to finding a lender, home inspector and any communication that needed to happened with the selling agent. I highly recommend Ben to be your realtor.”
Hannah Brickse-
“We had an amazing experience working with Ben Lampert & Sian Murphy, we highly recommend working with them in your next home purchase! We purchased a single family home in Boulder near the university in October 2022 our search lasted from ~July through September when we went under contract on our home, we toured ~15 homes with Ben & Sian (and went to many other open houses on our own), and we put in two offers. They were incredibly responsive and jumped on opportunities quickly to make sure we didn’t miss out on any opportunities.
We primarily worked with Ben Lampert on the transaction; he led the day-to-day communication, most of the logistics around touring, and was the lead on the negotiation and during our closing process (at least from our perspective). However, Sian was highly involved in a few certain instances that required her expert insight. Sian was very involved in the initial overall strategy and education on the market given her decade of experience in the area and broad network of contacts. Sian also did not hesitate to come and show us a few properties on short notice when Ben was out of commission with a cold. It was a huge value-add to have two agents on our side!
Our closing process went incredibly smoothly, despite some unfriendly behavior from the Sellers and Sellers Agent during the negotiation process. Before making our offer, Ben discussed it with the Sellers Agent, and the Sellers Agent assured us that the Sellers would be open to fixing things based on the inspection. After our offer was accepted, we quickly ran into very unreasonable behavior from the Sellers who weren’t willing to make any changes or price reductions (other than a small $5k drop) even though there were $30k+ of reasonable fixes to be made. At the end of the day, we loved the house and still thought that the house was worth the price that we paid however, if we knew that the Sellers were going to act unreasonably we would have offered a lower purchase price from the get go. We wish that this negotiation went a bit better than it did, but it is very hard to find fault with the way that Ben & Sian handled the situation. We felt that they both put a lot of effort into trying to persuade the Sellers to be reasonable, but at the end of the day the Sellers continued to be obstinate.
Overall, we have absolutely nothing but positive feedback for Ben Lampert & Sian Murphy’s support during our home-buying process. Ben & Sian are both kind, thoughtful, and very competent real estate professionals that care about the relationship beyond the transaction being made. It was a pleasure spending many hours with them both during the process we’re excited to work with them both in our next purchase!”
- Brandon Moynihan, 11/19/2022. Bought a Single Family home in 2022 in Boulder, CO.
“We are so lucky to have crossed paths with Ben! We have bought and sold many homes over the years, but we have never worked with an agent as helpful as Ben. From the first day through closing, Ben was incredibly responsive. He followed up on all of our questions immediately; he paid close attention to our needs, concerns, and objectives; and he was the perfect communicator to get us a great deal and to take it through to closing. Ben is honest, supportive and very attentive to details. His sincerity and care for his clients is evident in everything he does. We couldn't have been happier with Ben as our agent, and we look forward to working with him again in the future. Thanks, Ben!”
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James Kennedy
“On a personal level, Ben is intelligent, attentive and a great guy. I enjoyed being around him and house hunting wasn't the chore it could have been, it was something I looked forward to. Professionally, Ben helped me find a new home just as Covid-19 began accelerating in early March. At that point, homes were literally being taken off the market because of the uncertainty. With Ben's help, he directed me to a neighborhood that was exactly what I wanted and it became our target area. While getting out to visit a new house was compromised by the virus, he provided weekly and daily updates of any new listings in that area. In mid May, he called to tell me he found the house that ticked all of the boxes on my wish list. He was right; I came, I saw, we offered.”
- Steve Porter“Our experience with Ben was wonderful and comforting. Ben always gave us the feeling he was on top of things and is masterful at communicating. We have bought and sold over 10 homes and for the first time we felt the realtor had our best interest at heart and was eagerly working for us. Our experience in the past has most often been that a realtor does the least amount of work possible to get the transaction done. Ben's strategy was to continually ask if there is anything he can do for us. Ben's negotiating stills are second to none so we always felt we were getting a fair deal. We would highly recommend Ben to anyone in a buying or selling position who wants an honest, hardworking and professional realtor.”
- Tom RetiWe maintain offices in Boulder and Longmont, but our reach extends far beyond that, including Arvada, Berthoud, Broomfield, Dacono, Denver, Eldora, Eldorado Springs, Erie, Firestone, Fort Lupton, Frederick, Golden, Hygiene, Jamestown, Lafayette, Louisville, Loveland, Lyons, Mead, Nederland, Niwot, Superior, Thornton, Ward and Westminster.
WK Real Estate's reach is truly global, thanks in part to our membership in the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ® (LeadingRE), an invitation-only network of more than 565 agencies in more than 70 countries around the globe. In total, LeadingRE accounts for more than $372 billion in sales volume, and its members have the #1 market share in more top markets than any other real estate network.
LeadingRE's headquarters are in Chicago, with international offices in London and Singapore. It boasts more sales among the top 500 brokerages than any other real estate network. Training Magazine has recognized its awardwinning learning platform, Leading RE Institute, multiple times. WK Real Estate takes great pride in being one of a select group of companies to earn the Website Quality Certification from LeadingRE, a designation that highlights high achievement in online design and functionality.
WK Real Estate’s affiliation with LeadingRE is of great benefit to our clients. For clients moving out of state, LeadingRE’s website features powerful search tools that allow you to view homes in locations all over the country and around the world.
WK Real Estate was the first Boulder County company to recognize the specialized services and support that relocating clients require. To address this need, in 1987 we formed our Relocation Department with staff and associates who have the relevant knowledge and necessary skill sets. We have since worked with thousands of individuals as well as local and national corporations to ease the transition of relocating in or out of the area.
As an affiliate of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, our brokerage is a local and global market leader working on your behalf. Through world-class resources and connections, LeadingRE and our award-winning Relocation Department work together to provide our clients with truly exceptional real estate experiences anywhere in the world.
WK Real Estate is consistently recognized and awarded for our outstanding work and contributions to the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® network. WK’s Relocation Department proudly holds the RELO Quality Certification® (RQC). Currently only 27 of the 565 firms in the worldwide network have been awarded this most prestigious certification. Modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the RQC was created by LeadingRE to provide measurable standards for the pursuit of relocation excellence. WK Real Estate is currently the only firm in the North Metro Denver, Boulder and Northern Colorado area to have been awarded this prestigious credential.
With over 30 years of combined relocation and real estate experience, WK’s Relocation Department is the area’s most experienced and only full-time team. WK Relocation is a recognized leader in individual and corporate relocation services. Additionally, our VP Corporate Services & Relocation is the area’s only Certified Relocation Professional®, accredited by the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council®.
We offer an extensive array of services to both individuals and corporations, including:
Luxury Portfolio International® utilizes a mix of online media tools and traditional publishing venues to position homes to receive maximum exposure. More than 50,000 properties were featured last year in Luxury Portfolio International’s global publications and on its award-winning website, www.LuxuryPortfolio.com.
Luxury Portfolio International® is the luxury face of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, and gives our listings exposure t0 the largest audience possible outside of our local market. Some of the advantages of this affiliation are:
P More #1 market share firms in major U.S. cities than any other network or franchise
P More than $58 billion in global luxury properties on 6 continents
P More listings over $1 million than any other network or franchise
P More than 58 million affluent consumers targeted through integrated marketing
P An average of 3 million high net worth visitors annually to luxuryportfolio.com
Through our relationship with Luxury Portfolio International®, WK Real Estate provides your distinctive property with unprecedented measurable exposure to a global audience, including:
P Affiliate websites such as WallStreetJournal.com, MansionGlobal.com, Juwai.com, CountryLife.co.uk, LeadingRe.com, and Barrons.com
P Innovative online media tools
P Traditional publishing venues such as the Wall Street Journal, Unique Homes, LUXE Interiors + Design, International Property & Travel, FOUR, Financial Times and Yachts International
P Exclusive Luxury Portfolio International magazine
P Award-winning Luxury Portfolio International® website that reaches consumers from more than 200 countries each month
At WK Real Estate, our goal is to be your Realtor® for life. When you choose a WK Real Estate agent to help you find a new home, you are getting a skilled and knowledgeable associate who will always look out for your best interests. When we make a commitment to you as a client, we pledge the following:
P Understand your criteria.
P Share our knowledge.
P Locate matching properties.
P Use your time efficiently.
P Walk you through offers, negotiations and purchasing steps.
P Review paperwork to ensure it’s complete and accurate.
P Streamline all transactions with timely communication.
P Coordinate with the title company, lender and seller’s agent.
P Accompany you to the closing to offer advice as needed.
P Answer any questions regarding your new home.
P Provide assistance for future real estate needs.
In Colorado, real estate agents are tasked with many responsibilities they don’t have in other states. In general, their job is to act as an advocate for their clients. If you are looking for a new home and sign with a broker, you enter into buyer’s agency. That means you and your agent have an exclusive agreement to work together.
At WK Real Estate, we take our relationship with our clients very seriously. Once buyer’s agency is established, our work begins. WK Real Estate promotes your interests and advocates for you with the utmost goodwill and fidelity. Our agents will always encourage you to consider the facts when considering a home purchase and will never pressure you to make a decision. Among our many duties are:
P Help you find the right home based on your criteria.
P Disclose any adverse material facts about a property.
P Advise you regarding verification of information related to a property.
P Seek price and terms that are acceptable to you.
P Prepare current market and financing information.
P Review all contracts and explain them to you.
P Write offers that protect your interests.
P Counsel you as to known benefits and risks of transactions.
P Protect your negotiating position at all times.
P Procure acceptance of the offer you make.
P Assist in the completion of an accepted offer.
P Ensure title work and related documents are completed on time.
P Identify everything you need to bring to closing.
P Recommend qualified attorneys, accountants, engineers and other professionals when you need additional expertise.
According to state regulations, there are also duties we are not allowed to perform:
P Provide legal or tax advice.
P Guarantee that the seller and lender will do what they promise.
P Warranty your home against defects.
P Guarantee that school boundaries and zoning will not change after closing.
P Guarantee the exact square footage of a house and the size of each room.
Interview with Realtor
Needs Wants
Relationship Services Expectations
Lender
Pre-Approval
Search/View Property
Submit Offer
Contract Accepted
Loan Application
Gather Documents
Document Verification
Underwriting
Loan Approval
Mortgage Company
Property Inspection
Negotiation
Credit Report
Property Insurability
Inspection Resolution
Title Search
Closing Readiness*
Closing Possession
Rejected
Counter Proposal
Accepted
Property Appraisal
Due Diligence Documents
Blue boxes are prewritten contingencies in the contract
HOA Documents
Walk Through
Property Survey
Final Loan Documents
* Be fully prepared to close no later than seven days prior to the closing date stated in the buy/sell contract. This is necessary to ensure your lender can provide you the final loan documents and disclosures within the time period required by law.
What type of transactions can WK Real Estate assist with? In addition to vacant land, here is a list of other properties:
Any new home construction in a new home project. Don’t sign anything, including a guest registry, until you visit a property with your WK Real Estate agent.
Any home listed by another company. Some properties may be advertised as “exclusive listings,” but all agents are part of the same MLS.
Any property you may see at an Open House. Give the host agent the card of your WK Real Estate broker and let them know you are working with us.
Any For Sale by Owner properties.
Check with your WK Real Estate agent if you see an interesting for-sale-byowner property. We will call to arrange a showing and negotiate a contract on your behalf.
Any Commercial Property.
Let your agent know if you are interested in any commercial properties. Our areas of expertise include leasing and sales, tenant representation, 1031 exchanges, apartment sales and investment analysis.
At WK Real Estate, we work with our clients to make getting a mortgage as easy and simple as possible. WK Real Estate has its own preferred lending partner — Cherry Creek Mortgage — which operates out of our Boulder office, but should you prefer to secure a mortgage on your own, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
Find a lender that fits your needs and personal style.
Remember that you are building a relationship with your lender. Don’t select one based solely on rates and fees.
Compare apples to apples.
The more accurate and detailed the information a lender has regarding your financial situation, the more accurate and detailed the rate quote. In general, the higher the risk, the higher the rate and costs.
Determine your down payment.
All things being equal, you will get a better rate quote with a larger down payment.
Increase your power as a borrower.
There are many factors that influence the type of loan you get and the rate associated with it. Is this your first home purchase? Is your income easily verifiable?
Is your credit history strong, specifically your FICO score?
Get pre-qualified or pre-approved. This will save you time and hassle down the road.
Local is better than out-of-state or web-based.
Lenders are responsible for picking the appraiser. As a homebuyer, you are much better served by an appraiser with extensive knowledge of your local market.
Consider the APR along with the rate. The APR is an extremely useful tool in comparing different interest rates and fee configurations.
Understand the terms of your loan. Are there pre-payment penalties? If you are obtaining an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, when will the adjustments occur and how are they calculated?
For many people, buying a home is the single biggest financial decision of their lives. Choosing a lender is a crucial part of that process.
WK Real Estate has its own preferred lending partner, Premier Mortgage Group, which operates out of our Boulder office.
P remier Mortgage Group---- the #1 residential lender in northern Colorado---- is the top-producing division of Cherry Creek Mortgage Company (CCMC), A PRIVATLEY OWNED Top 40 lender nationally. Headquartered in Colorado, CCMC has more than 90 locations across the country. Their loans are provided by the nation’s largest banks and investors. WK Real Estate’s on-site team manages the entire loan transaction, from originating and processing to underwriting and closing. We ensure a smooth, timely process from start to finish.
Cherry Creek Mortgage— the #1 residential lender in northern Colorado— is the top-producing division of Cherry Creek Mortgage Company (CCMC), A PRIVATLEY OWNED Top 40 lender nationally. Headquartered in Colorado, CCMC has more than 90 locations across the country. Their loans are provided by the nation’s largest banks and investors. WK Real Estate’s on-site team manages the entire loan transaction, from originating and processing to underwriting and closing. We ensure a smooth, timely process from start to finish.
If you incur a loss of earnest money due to an error made by the Premier Mortgage Group Loan Officer or our Company, we will reimburse you the full earnest money loss incurred. The guarantee does not include errors, delays or non-performance by any third parties involved in the transaction. Certain restrictions and conditions apply and compliance with all applicable rules and regulations is required.
If you incur a loss of earnest money due to an error made by the Cherry Creek Mortgage Loan Officer or our Company, we will reimburse you the full earnest money loss incurred. The guarantee does not include errors, delays or non-performance by any third parties involved in the transaction. Certain restrictions and conditions apply and compliance with all applicable rules and regulations is required.
Stay on top of the market in your neighborhood with the sold home report. With just an address and email, you can begin receiving this complimentary monthly report detailing the recently sold homes near you. You can also view homes in your market or use the website to discover all the sold homes across the country on desktop and mobile devices.
Stay on top of the market in your neighborhood with the sold home report. With just an address and email, you can begin receiving this complimentary monthly report detailing the recently sold homes near you. You can also view homes in your market or use the website to discover all the sold homes across the country on desktop and mobile devices.
Homebot is a platform that allows homeowners to see the value of their home. The housing market is constantly fluctuating and Homebot can help you determine whether your home equity has increased by providing you with financial reports. This can be a great tool to help you calculate retirement. By the time the average American reaches 65 years of age, 83% of their retirement will come from their home equity. Homebot is a dynamic financial dashboard designed to empower homeowners to build wealth with their home.
Homebot is a platform that allows homeowners to see the value of their home. The housing market is constantly fluctuating and Homebot can help you determine whether your home equity has increased by providing you with financial reports. This can be a great tool to help you calculate retirement. By the time the average American reaches 65 years of age, 83% of their retirement will come from their home equity. Homebot is a dynamic financial dashboard designed to empower homeowners to build wealth with their home.
For homebuyers in the Boulder/Denver area, the first part of 2023 looks to bring leveling prices and steadying interest rates, while inventory remains tight Those who are not priced out by the rising interest rates from the second half of 2022, find themselves with more bargaining and negotiating power This provided a significant opportunity for Buyer’s to negotiate on both price and terms, especially regarding inspection items. However, we have still seen some situations that are multiple offers and over asking.Today, we find ourselves in a market where the average days on market for a listing are significantly more than this time last year Interest rates have settled in between 6-7%, generally speaking. Overall, we still have tight inventory historically speaking, in most segments of the marketplace We have compiled the information below to supplement our conversation on process and best practices to provide the most cutting-edge strategies as they relate to our market.
If the Buyer plans to get a loan to fund the purchase, we must have a pre-approval letter from the lender prior to submitting any offers Also, any funds that the Buyer plans to use for the down payment should be liquid – easily accessible.
We highly recommend Buyer’s work with a local lender who is easily accessible and responsive We’ll need a lender letter (pre-approval letter) to accompany any offer we make Oftentimes, it’s necessary to request this from the lender on a weekend or at a time beyond regular business hours In addition, it’s useful to work with a local lender to run different offer scenarios, specific to the subject property. We also work on behalf of our Buyer’s, with the lender’s assistance, in the background, to produce the best-fit offer.
Acompetitive strategy when a Buyer is funding the purchase with a loan, is to make the offer appear as close to a cash offer as possible (the more waived contingencies the better).
We encourage our Buyer’s to ask their lender: “will you fully underwrite my loan PRIOR to going out home shopping?” – this will enable us to expedite closing, potentially waive the appraisal (depending on cash on hand), and potentially waive loan conditions contingencies This
competitive strategy is more often utilized in a multiple-offer situation We are still seeing some listings with multiple offers, so we like to educate our buyers to this strategy, and implement, if necessary
If paying cash, we need proof of funds to accompany our offer.This can be a redacted bank statement or a letter from the Buyer’s financial institution
Overlapping showings are sometimes not allowed and appointments are then required We may only have 15 minutes in a home for a showing, and sometimes as much as an hour is allowed. If Matterport walkthrough and/or video is available, we highly suggest studying this prior to showing These are easily accessible from the listings we send you via email or on services such as Zillow.The more educated you are on a home prior to seeing it, the better.
The sooner we can schedule showings the better With some listings, due to the frenzied nature of scheduling, these slots can fill up quickly Please do not hesitate to send us properties of interest and we will do our best to accommodate a showing window that works with everyone’s schedule
We think it’s better to reserve a showing and cancel it later if we don’t need it, than to wait until the last minute to schedule a showing
That said, we highly recommend Buyer’s do a drive-by prior to our scheduled showing, if their schedule allows for it
What do we mean by cadence? Our market, in most price ranges, has normalized, and isn’t the frenzied and hot seller’s market it was this time last year In any market, there is a certain schedule of events that can be typical. We want our Buyer’s to be aware of this schedule so they can plan accordingly
- Tuesday – Friday of week 1: properties are listed on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)
- Thursday – Sunday of week 1: properties are open for showings, sometimes moved from “coming soon” status, to “active” status
- Monday week 2 –Tuesday week 2: if seller has received multiple offers, they typically review all offers during this period, choose their best-fit, and go under contract
- Wednesday week 2 – onward: if a listing stays on the market into the second week, and you are still interested in it, we will gather info from the listing agent on first week performance (# of showings, contacts, etc) + present to you our recommendations for next steps We may start to see price reductions as early as week 2
Seller’s schedules may vary so we ask our Buyer’s to use the above timetable as a general reference.
*If there is a new listing that is priced to sell and we believe there will be multiple offers in the first weekend, then the worst time to schedule a showing for that listing is Sunday afternoon –Tuesday morning We want to get you in to see this property earlier in the weekend, if possible
In a multiple offer situation, securing a contract can be challenging We offer strategies to maximize our buyer’s chances of securing the contract
Every property is different, and we encourage our Buyer’s to consider that each home, on the market for less than one week, could receive multiple competing offers In addition, a final sales price of over list price, is not uncommon. If we suspect a multiple offer situation, we will always encourage our Buyer’s to put together their best offer first as most of the time there will not be time to reconsider, change offer price, or terms As the market has normalized and become more of a “buyers” market, there are many properties where we don’t recommend implementing this aggressive strategy
It is crucial that the Buyer put forward their walk-away offer price + terms, in multiple offer scenarios, so that if someone offers a slightly higher price and/or more attractive terms, our Buyer will be “ok” walking away
Strengthening the offer for multiple offer scenarios:
· Price – naturally the higher the better
Appraisal gap coverage – how much cash is the Buyer willing to bring to cover any deficiency between appraised value and offer price?
Inspection language – will the Buyer only be inspecting, and objecting to, major health/safety/hazard items? More aggressively, will the Buyer be writing a “pass/fail” inspection where the only recourse (at least on paper) to an unsatisfactory inspection is to terminate? There is some nuance to this that we can discuss
o We always strongly encourage our Buyers to get a home inspection, regardless of how we might write our offer terms.
· Waived contingencies
o If the Buyer will be covering the entire gap between appraised value and offer price, then we have the option to waive the appraisal contingency
o Should the Buyer have a fully underwritten pre-approval letter and the consent of their lender, we may be able to waive the final loan contingency
o When an offer is written “pass-fail” that means the Buyer will forgo their opportunity to object to the inspection and come to a resolution with the Seller (waiving inspection resolution and objection contingencies).
o Most aggressive: have earnest money go “hard” (belong to the seller) upon execution of the contract.
o Are there specific points in the contract where portions (or all) of the earnest money does go hard? (i.e.: after inspection, appraisal).
o Buyer might offer to double or triple the suggested amount ~1% of purchase price.
Number of days until closing
o Quick closes, i.e. less than 30 days, oftentimes give a Buyer a competitive edge
· Post Closing OccupancyAgreement (PCOA)
o Sellers sometimes want to close as quickly as possible, and then retain possession for as long as possible (if a financed loan, 60 days is the max) while shopping for their replacement home.The more flexibility the Buyer has regarding dates and deadlines, the better.
o Whoever selects the title company pays for the title insurance policy. If Seller selects, then the title insurance policy is the most expensive cost to the Seller. Buyer may offer to pay for this and all closing costs, something that is oftentimes split 50/50
Escalation Clause
o Designed to protect Buyers so they don’t have to immediately go to their top purchase price Some ListingAgents accept escalation clauses while other just as for highest and best (case by case scenario). So what is it? When you put in an offer at a certain price but we have a clause saying if they receive an offer higher we will increase our offer in a certain increment ( ex: $1,000) up to a certain top purchase price (walk away price).The ListingAgent must share the offer that is triggering the escalation clause to the new price
The above notes are very useful, and we encourage our buyers to digest this information and keep it nearby, during the home buying search As the market continues to shift in 2023, we will keep our Buyers updated.At this time, we are seeing that our buyers have more opportunity to negotiate price and terms, particularly on properties that have lasted on the market into week two and beyond.
