Buying or selling a home can be a daunting process. Having a professional help get a potential seller or buyer through the process makes it much easier. Lori Snyder at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is one of the local professionals recognized for the skills and experience that can make real estate transactions easier.
Snyder is the managing broker at the Elkhart office. She is also a designated residential and commercial real estate broker.
Her firm has been in operation since 1945, and continues the tradition of providing real estate knowledge and skills. The firm is ranked number one in Elkhart County in number of properties handled for clients and the dollar volume of those properties, according to statistics from the multiple listing service (MLS) database. It has also earned awards from J.D. Power, the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce and others.
One way the firm continues its award-winning reputation in the industry, Snyder says, is training. New agents are taught how to show properties, how to use the MLS, how to present and negotiate offers, and how to use technology to be better at their job.
“The training makes them better equipped to negotiate offers for the sellers and the buyers, and how to get the deal accomplished for their client,” she says.
The training does not only apply to new agents. Even veteran agents benefit from coaching sessions and outside trainings that help them grow their business, Snyder notes. Each agent’s local connections also make a difference.
“Their commitment, their community involvement, their roots here in Elkhart, are important,” Snyder says. “They attend church where the clients attend church, and their children attend the schools where their clients’ children attended. Many of them are very service oriented and belong to civic organizations.”
With a history that dates back more than 75 years, it is easy to lose count of the number of homes and businesses bought and sold by Berkshire Hathaway agents. Snyder estimates that number is likely in the thousands.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices was founded in Michiana in 1945 as Associated Realty by Joseph Dunfee Sr. He is credited with establishing the MLS system in the South Bend and Mishawaka market in 1963.
When Dunfee’s son Joseph Dunfee Jr. took the reins, the firm continued to grow. Dunfee Jr. brought the first national franchise, Gallery of Homes, to the area and established multiple offices in South Bend and Elkhart as well as Edwardsburg, Michigan. In 1989 the realty became one of the Prudential Real Estate affiliates.
Under the direction of Steve Fase, who partnered with the Dunfee firm in 2013, the realty received a new name, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northern Indiana Real Estate and Michigan Real Estate.
In an industry in which timing the market is crucial, knowing when to buy or sell is key. That’s when the advice of a real estate agent can prove beneficial, Snyder says.
“The market can change on a dime,” Snyder says. “For sellers and buyers, life sometimes determines when they need to act. There are always life events for people to move, downsize, upsize, relocate, add a parent or add their kids. People are always moving in and out just because of life events.”
If someone doesn’t have an agent already, Snyder hopes they reach out to her company.
“A good agent is a person that likes people,” Snyder says. “They are someone who likes variety and diversity. Real estate isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life. Agents are good problem solvers, resourceful, and they are the say-yes-before-no kind of people. They are protective of their sellers and buyers, looking out for their best interests. They can recognize an opportunity when someone needs help, and they help them.”
Contact Snyder or any of the 32 agents at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices at 574-293-1010. The Elkhart office is located at 1741 East Bristol Street.
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