Odd Jobs: On the move with a First Tier real estate agent

With the new year upon us, it’s time to set goals, make plans and expand our horizons. In some cases, this includes a move—maybe to an office across the hall or to that new house across town. If you’re like me, the idea of packing everything, including the stuff you should have thrown away four moves ago, is as appealing as an impromptu visit from in-laws.

And who are the people who offer to ease our curmudgeonly, persnickety moods through this process? Real estate agents.

I’m learning the business from Jason Thornhill, an agent with First Tier Realtors, 3700 Monterey Drive. When I arrive at 10:30 a.m., I’m greeted by Jill Harris, a receptionist for the firm. The lobby is cozy; one wall is black granite speckled with silver flecks, over which hangs the First Tier logo in silver. It’s a little reminiscent of Star Trek—if Star Trek had a decorator. I peruse the plethora of business cards and brochures. It occurs to me that, next to models and news anchors, real estate agents must be the most photographed of all local professionals. Why is that?

Jason, an outgoing, amiable person, strikes me as a cross between Jerry Seinfeld and Jimmy Stewart. A full-time agent, he’s an independent contractor who rents a dedicated office. In addition to splitting his commission with the company, he pays a 4 percent transaction fee, which goes toward office supplies and support staff salaries. For a small technology fee, part-time agents gain the use of the bull pen, a room stocked with computers and phones.

Founded by Jay Wilson and Rob Smith, First Tier is a Columbia-based company. In a huge agency, your competition can be right across the hall. They wanted to limit the number of agents to 25 in order to create a team environment. This idea, combined with the atmosphere of First Tier, drew Jason to the firm. As of Jan. 1 he’s making his own move—to partner.

While printing out some paperwork, Jason runs me through some of the ins and outs of the business. I nod politely, jumping in with a comment or two when I think I’ve actually gleaned some of the technicalities. Mostly I just nod.

We meet Roger Veasly and Steve Sachs, the owners of Maxum Builders, for lunch. Jason is selling a house they took in trade toward one of their newly built houses. Their philosophy of building homes, not houses, suits Jason’s hometown personality. He is the king of casual conversation. Mostly I just nod.

They sign and initial the paperwork, quizzing Jason about when they might receive an offer. He counters with questions about their investment in the property, the changes they’ve made and what items are left to finish. He wants to broker a fair deal for all parties involved.

After lunch we head out to put a sign in a yard. It’s new construction—no grass yet, just dirt and gravel. He tells me to get some height on the sign before thrusting it into the soil. I manage to get the sign in part way and crooked. Pulling it back out proves more of a challenge. I adjust. I take another stab, jumping on it until it is secure. The construction workers in the background pause with a curious stare.

I kick the dirt off my shoes and hop back into Jason’s immaculate car. At first I thought the car’s tidiness meant he was just extremely fastidious, but it occurs to me that Jason’s car functions as a second office. This is where we spend most of the day, in traffic. We head back to the office to print out some house plans for another client, and then we’re back in the car.

We deliver the house plans, pick up an aerial photo from the County Assessor’s office and drop it off at A Civil Group engineering firm. They run down what’s feasible and necessary for a tract of land. It’s a busy day.

Jason’s motto for time management: “If there is anything you have to get done, finish it before lunch.” If a client calls, you have to be ready at a moment’s notice to finalize the sale. The current buyer is feigning disinterest. Jason isn’t fazed. “This happens quite a bit before someone settles down and makes an offer,” he says. Buying a house is a huge decision; he understands their trepidation. It’s important to put the right person with the right house.

We finish out the day by making flyers. At 4:10 I run them to a house on Stillwater and re-stock the box out front.

At home, as I kick through the detritus left by my children and greet my stinky basset hound, I have an epiphany about why agents have their photos printed on everything. It’s easier to trust a familiar face, as opposed to some random stranger invading your home and judging your quirky preferences. You want to feel like you know your agent, to believe the person you hire might forgive the odor of a beloved pet or the five-day-old peanut butter sandwich behind the couch.* v

*When selling your house, pet odors and old sandwiches are not recommended. For a check list of how to ready your property for sale, go to www.411homerepair.com/realtor/sellingTips.shtml