• Experience is critical. A new Realtor may cost the same an an old hand in commission, but could cost you thousands in a number of ways. I have been listing and selling homes in the Boise Idaho area since 1991.  Since 2001, I've listed over 100 homes with better than a 75% success rate, a respectable number in hot & cold markets and for sellers with varying degrees of motivation.  Listing 100 homes in a decade may not seem like much, but I've also been counseling owners not to sell at the low, if possible, in the last few years. And I don't list short sales, which is a huge part of the market right now.
• Brokers over agents.  All agents are licensed through brokers.  In Idaho, real estate brokers must have at least 2 years experience as an agent and meet much more stringent education standards and testing to be licensed.  Therefore, brokers in general are more experienced, educated and qualified to represent you.  
• Letters behind their name. The best Realtors educate themselves to better serve their clients. Limit your search to the upper-echelon of Realtors, those who have earned meaningful designations. At the very least, Graduates of the Realtor Institute (GRI) and Accredited Buyer's Representatives (ABR) because it takes time, experience and substantial investment to earn the designations. I am most proud of my Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation. After meeting very high production standards and taking many outstanding courses, I can tell you Realtors with a CRS are the cream of the crop, in terms of education.
• Knowledge of the market. I know what buyers want and what they'll pay for it. For example, I can tell you how that split-entry design in Boise affects your resale. Or how those boxy no-frills new homes in Meridian/Kuna will sell. Or how that high-end home will sell in Eagle or Star. Or how high levels of foreclosures may affect your sale in Canyon County. I have been listing & selling homes in the Boise area for 20 years. 
• Knowledge of Financing. The loan programs available today play a key role in who your home should be marketed to. The condition, price range and many other factors can affect financing and the pool of potential buyers for your home. After hundreds of transactions, I can counsel you with competence on the costs, advantages and drawbacks of each loan program.
• Attention to detail.  A simple mistake on the listing or missing features can cost you thousands if likely buyers can't find your home. You would be amazed how many mistakes I find in the MLS, from wrong lot size categories to lack of pertinent terms to lack of photos. Also, when you are considering offers, I provide a good faith estimate of your cash at closing based on the offer and expect to be held accountable when it comes to your bottom line.
  

Internet Advertising- is most important today, since the vast majority of home buyers start their search on the internet. Yes, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is your ultimate marketing tool worth many thousands of advertising dollars, but all Realtors provide it along with Realtor.com. There are many other places where your listing should be. My website host, Homes.com, is ranked 2nd behind Realtor.com for home searches and your listing is also distributed to Yahoo, Google, Frontdoor, Bob Villa, HotPads, Propbot, Zillow, Vast, Oodle, Harmon Homes, Trulia, Bargain Networks and more.

Video- The Hottest New Trend. Virtual tours are extremely popular with buyers today. But, I'm not talking about the common glorified slide-show with music and no real details. For no extra charge, I can produce a real custom video tour of your home, where I point out every feature and positive selling point, actively pitching your home to prospective purchasers 24 hours per day. This also prevents unnecessary showings when the home is not what the buyer is looking for.

Personality- the X-factor. Finding a Realtor is like dating- good looks are not everything. Surviving in real estate for 20+ years proves I've got the experience and competence to professionally represent you, but am I a pushy jerk? There's only one way to find out. Call for a free market analysis and consultation and interview me.

Dan Rowe ABR CRS GRI, Broker

(208) 866-3481

danrowe@cableone.net