Hitting Their Market
RE/MAX Wampler Team Helps Locals Find the Way Home
Writer / Lois Tomaszewski
Photographer / Jubilee Edgell
Navigating the real estate market is not an easy task. Thats why having an experienced team guiding you in the home selling or buying process can make a world of difference.
Anyone looking for a house in Starke County can count on the father-son team of John and Jason Wampler with Re/Max Realty 1st Choice REALTORS. Combined, the Wamplers have more than 48 years of experience, with more than 2,500 properties sold since the business opened in 1988.
Both Jason and John are brokers and owners of the family owned and operated real estate office located in Knox. Originally established in Bass Lake, the realty moved to Knox in 2009.
While home styles, color palettes, architecture and amenities may have changed over the last decades, some things have remained the same.
Buyers often continue to look for the same thing: A property that will fit their needs, the Wamplers say.
Finding out what the buyer needs is part of the role the real estate agent plays to help their clients find that perfect house. It takes asking questions, gauging their reaction to properties that are shown to them and listening to what the client says.
Starke County has a variety of real estate available, from single family homes in any of the nine cities in the county, such as Knox, North Judson and St. Pierre to name a few, to lake front property on Koontz and Bass Lakes. There is also commercial listings and undeveloped land.
Our local market is very strong right now, the Wamplers say. This is a result of increasing demand as people moving from Chicago and northwest Indiana are discovering what we have known all along. This is a great place to live.
Our family settled in Starke county in 1902 and we have been here ever since, John says. We have no desire to live anywhere else.
Although the home-buying process is made easier with the help of trained professionals, the potential buyer still has some work to do. Sometimes the most difficult hurdle is finding out what the buyer can afford.
Buying a home starts with a discussion with a lender to find out the type of program a buyer will use in their purchase, Wampler says. We work with many highly qualified lenders, inspectors and loan officers who are seasoned and very knowledgeable.
That is an example of how a team like John and Jason Wampler can make the difference. Buying a house is not like buying a car. Clients must trust their agents and depend on them to find the professionals needed to close the deal.
Buying and selling a home can be an emotional transaction as well as a business transaction, the Wamplers say. Either way our job is to use our experience to complete this transaction in a situation where all parties involved are satisfied.
When selling a home, a real estate agent can be an asset. There are many considerations for which experience matters. Also, most homeowners sell their house now through buyers found online. In fact, they can check it out now.
Selling property is about experience and understanding our market, Jason explains. It involves knowing how to price and maximizing returns through knowledge of the market and negotiation.
We are one of the few offices who participate in two MLS groups and are featured on multiple real estate websites, he says. This along with the RE/MAX name gives our listings the most exposure possible. Exposure and market pricing will result in the quickest sale and yield top dollar.
When the Wamplers are working for a client who is selling their home, experience is the difference.
We offer input and help on marketing your home and we work with contractors who can help with the whole process, the Wamplers say. From cleaning, packing and any minor repairs we can get you in touch with folks who contribute positively to your sale.
Its the little things, such as staging the home to showcase its attributes, that can make a listing standout. It is often overlooked by the seller.
Staging and preparation of a home is critical, Jason says. We encourage sellers to let buyers see their home at its finest.
Success for a REALTOR is helping the buyer or the seller find satisfaction in the deal. It is also an opportunity to welcome new neighbors, families and businesses to the community. That is true for John and Jason and the clients they serve.
Buyers in our rural market have an appreciation for a quiet peaceful area as well as larger land purchases, they say. We enjoy finding properties that fulfill our clients’ needs and wishes.
Youll find the RE/Max 1st Choice REALTORS team of John and Jason Wampler at 803 S. Heston Street, Knox. For more information, call 574-249-1336 or 574-772-5784.
