Kudos...
September 2009 – “Olsen Ziegler Realty is, simply, the best. Chris and Julie helped us take our home from 'OK' to fabulous in a very short time. They introduced us to tradesmen who did an amazing job on a very tight budget, and with whom we will work on every house we purchase in future. Julie has wonderful taste, selecting all the finishes for our project and managing every detail. This was a tremendous load off of our shoulders as we prepared to move, and a service you just can't get anywhere else. The changes they suggested allowed us to price our house $30K higher than we had anticipated, and we had a signed contract in two weeks for almost the entire asking price. This, after several houses on our street that are represented by a very prominent realtor had sat on the market for well over a year. We enjoyed our experience with Chris and Julie so much that we asked Chris to represent us in the purchase of our next home. Although it was a complicated and difficult process, Chris worked patiently to be our advocate through the process and helped us get the house we wanted at a great price! We will definitely be calling on Julie to help us as we tackle projects on the new house, as well. Olsen Ziegler Realty is the only realty company we will ever use.” – Scott & Quinn B.
May 2009 - "We would absolutely recommend Olsen Ziegler Realty with 100% confidence. With the extreme constraints of a highly competitive housing market and our need to relocate out of state, finding the right realtors with a high level of expertise and professionalism was a must for us. Although we could write a novel of accolades for Chris Olsen and Julie Ziegler, there are several main factors that helped us in deciding to use Olsen Ziegler Realty:
- Free Home Staging: We can’t say enough about Chris and Julie’s ability to identify strengths and weaknesses of our house, and find clever and low cost ways to really present our house and property. We followed their recommendations, and the house looked so good, it surprised us both. We kept thinking to ourselves, we should have had them come out to our house years ago. We would have enjoyed living in it!
Even more impressive was the cost and dedication Chris and Julie demonstrated. Many Realtors charge the seller for this service which usually costs around $250 just for the home staging report. Not only were Chris and Julie experts at staging, they helped to save us an additional several hundred dollars in staging labor, as well as guiding us through this process, step by step. - Recommendations for Property Improvements: This really set Chris and Julie apart from other realtors. Given the extremely competitive selling market, we were anxious to learn what advice realtors had for us to best market our home. Other realtors provided minimal to no advice on practical improvements to help protect and maximize our sales price (i.e., painting, etc.). This was NOT the case with Olsen Ziegler! They spent multiple hours offering clear and economical recommendations for improvements, yet we never felt pressured to make even one - the decision was always ours to make. Likewise, Chris and Julie had an extremely knowledgeable appreciation of market trends and ways we could further maximize our marketing by considering additional property improvements. Olsen Ziegler quickly identified several consulting experts, whom provided us with some amazing options we took to further improve our home marketing potential and increase our ‘curb’ appeal.
- Lower Listing Commission: Despite the extensive consultation and knowledge of staging, Olsen Ziegler was surprisingly economical. Compared to other national and local realty companies, Olsen Ziegler Realty helped cut costs. We saved in excess of $2,400! We also felt no pressure to sign a contract to list our home with Olsen Ziegler for longer than we were prepared to do.
- Negotiations & Savings: Chris Olsen negotiated very hard to NOT use certain local title/escrow companies, which saved us around $1,000 in variable title/escrow fees.
Insurance premiums were reduced with Chris’ skills for obtaining a re-issue rate in our title insurance premium – another $300-$400 savings. Moreover, there were no administrative transaction fees (or as Chris would call them - junk fees) - saving us an additional $200-$250 versus other companies. Most importantly, Chris really knew how to discuss and negotiate with buyers agents to maximize our home price. Chris and Julie were wonderful! - Cost-Effective Contractors: Recommendations for home improvements also came with a list of contractors to help cut costs on larger projects. We had considered several of the projects for years before, but previous estimates made these projects impossible. However, Olsen Ziegler knew of several contractors to work with, and the estimates from these contractors nearly made us faint! It was considerably less costly than we anticipated, and the contractors had a reputation throughout the area for top quality work. The work on our house was done very professionally, and Chris and Julie were in contact with and worked with us and the contractors to get projects done. The saving was approximately 40% off retail prices. The materials used were name brand, high quality materials and the final product made us wish we weren’t selling our home!
- Exceptional Project & Time Management: Due to our move out of state, the time frame for renovations and preparations were limited. In 8 short weeks, Olsen Ziegler expeditiously moved from identifying issues, facilitated proposals with contractors, and assisted in the completion of projects (both on time and within budget)! This is exceptional service, particularly for more established and sizeable homes.
- Exceptional Personalized Customer Service & Local Market Knowledge: Chris and Julie were both professional and personable. They understood the stressors involved in the selling of a house and took this into consideration along every step of the process. Their knowledge of the market was absolutely without parallel! It was clear to us, Olsen Ziegler had more expertise than other realtors whom purported to “know” the market. They always kept us informed of any changes on a timely basis and communications were always seamless.
- Overall Grade: A+!!!! The Olsen Ziegler approach (both to reducing expenses while maximizing our selling price) saved us at least $50K versus a traditional realtor. This paired with the indeterminate time on the market had we chosen to adopt the traditional approach with another realtor would likely have resulted in our home still being on the market today. In short - we highly and most definitely recommend Olsen Ziegler Realty! We feel we have been spoiled by Chris and Julie, and wish we could take Chris and Julie with us. Regardless if you are buying or selling a home, if you don’t call and talk with Olsen Ziegler Realty, you will short change yourself.
- Mike & Mariann.
February 2009 - "Olsen Ziegler Realty was the perfect realtor for me. I had to sell my home during a very slow market in order to enter a retirement community. This meant that I was working under a time limit and would need to realize net proceeds that would secure my future. After seeing the ad in the local paper and checking the website I realized that Chris was going to save me several thousand dollars on commission, title/escrow fees, and an administrative transaction fee. I e-mailed Chris. He called me the next morning and we were on our way to selling a house. I say we because I always felt that we were in this together. There was no pressure and Chris always explained, in detail, what was required and what to expect.
Both Chris & Julie went above and beyond the call of duty to help me reach my goal. Julie was so helpful in staging my home free of charge and helping me plan how to remodel my kitchen. Chris was exceptional in providing help for those tasks that would be difficult for a senior citizen, like painting small areas, helping to move furniture, taking rubbish to the curb, driving me to the title company and even wading through deep snow to read my water meter after I moved.
I highly recommend Olsen Ziegler Realty. You just can’t go wrong with them." - Rhoda C.
December 2008 - "It’s a story in its own right how we came to find Olsen Ziegler Realty. Three previous Realtors, affiliated with three separate, well-known Realty Companies, all claimed they possessed expert market insight and that they would aggressively market our home. However, in the end, we got bad advice on pricing, no strategy adjustment due to the market slowing with the sub-prime mortgage crisis, and the “aggressive marketing strategies” all boiled down to a listing in the MLS and waiting for prospective buyers to come along.
After our house sat on the market for an entire year with virtually no showings and suffered the wear and tear of being empty over a Cleveland winter, we finally decided to try renting. Renting didn’t prove much more successful since our tenants decided to stop paying rent when my wife’s job took us overseas. By the time we completed the eviction, the tenants were months behind in rent and left the house in disgusting shape; there really is no other better word for the condition in which they left the house.
Being overseas, we had no option but to find an agent who could oversee repairing the property and getting it rented or sold. After an exhaustive search of both Realtors and Rental Property Managers we finally selected Olsen Ziegler Realty because no one else who competed for the business had as detailed a plan for how to repair and market the house; had previous experience doing similar projects; had as many wildly happy references; or provided as detailed market analysis in such an easy package to understand.
Olsen Ziegler proposed a variety of marketing options, from investing nothing in the property and listing the house at a rock bottom price to a complete renovation that would increase the initial asking price by at least $75,000. We elected to invest $40,000 to repair and renovate the property over an 8 week time period. Olsen Ziegler Realty would manage all aspects of the project from material selection to coordinating contractors and laborers and providing me final authority to approve everything.
By the end of the project, our home had a complete renovation of the kitchen with new cabinets, appliances and granite counter tops; two renovated bathrooms; a waterproofed and renovated finished basement; sanded and coated hardwood floors throughout 3 levels; and a full interior painting. To top it off, they also staged it with furniture and accessories and made sure all the routine tasks like yard maintenance and cleaning were done. Julie Ziegler was especially valuable during the renovation process; she selected materials, appliances and décor that both fit within the budget and greatly enhanced the property’s overall appeal.
All the renovation and repair was done while I was out of the country and the project was completed both on time and on budget. Unlike all of our previous experience, Olsen Ziegler not only met their commitments, they exceeded them on every count.
Seventy-eight days after the house was listed, their efforts and my trust in them were rewarded-- not with a single offer, but two on the same day! The offers came at a time when no other house in the neighborhood was under contract; in late October, typically a poor time of year to sell in our neighborhood; and just weeks after the Banking collapse of 2008; and at 95% of our listing price. And, like every other aspect of this project, Olsen Ziegler Realty protected my interests during closing and made a logistically difficult process as easy as could be wished for.
Beyond all this, Olsen Ziegler saved me money in all phases of the project. Their listing commission was less than the typical rate of the large Real Estate companies; they brought with them a complete portfolio of contractors and service professionals who did excellent work at rates less than had been quoted to me previously; they identified savings opportunities with the “re-issue rate” on title insurance; they selected a Title and Escrow company that was both less expensive and which managed the out of state transaction like I had been sitting in the office with them; and provided expertise in negotiating the sales contract so that the buyer ended up assuming thousands of dollars of City Point of Sale (POS) repairs.
The expertise and services of Olsen Ziegler Realty truly put them in a league of their own!" - Matthew F.
October 2008 – “We highly recommend Chris Olsen as a realtor. He is unfailingly courteous, patient, and a man of integrity. He is very knowledgeable about home values and characteristics, and shared this with us as we looked at a variety of properties. He knew when a property was over-priced for the current market, or a good deal. Chris was very effective in helping us close the deal for our new house at a great price and right on schedule. He went the extra mile to help us close quickly and easily, calling in inspectors and tradesmen as needed, even when it wasn't strictly his responsibility. He also saved us money by negotiating well on our behalf and by recommending a title company with lower fees and no kick-backs. Chris's website and MLS search features were integral to our home-buying quest, since we were moving from California to Ohio. We could check out possibilities from 2500 miles away. Chris was quick and helpful in answering any questions we asked, whether by email or phone. Having some experience with other realtors, we know they're not all like Chris!” – Glen & Anne C.
July 2008 -- "We highly recommend using Chris Olsen as a Realtor. We relocated to Cleveland for a job. We were completely unfamiliar with the Cleveland area. We were uncertain of the area or type of house we'd like to live in. We were undecided whether an urban or suburban setting would be better for us. We scheduled several days with Chris. We selected a massive amount of houses in various locations that we'd like to see. Just prior to our appointed time, Chris broke his leg. He did not cancel or limit his schedule. His wife Julie drove us, and Chris hobbled along and showed us what I would estimate to be approximately 60 houses. He not only showed us countless urban and suburban places but described, sent links to, and physically showed us interesting landmarks and places associated with each area.
Chris and Julie not only showed us houses but gave us a real feeling for Cleveland. They not only listened to what we said, but also, in retrospect, observed our response and reactions to various things, and were able to use this to further help us in our search.
Chris and Julie were cheerful, intelligent, sincere, organized, and remarkably patient as they spent several long days with our two restless kids, my wife, and myself.
I literally could not ask for a better experience with a Realtor." -- Scott L.
June 2008 -- "Chris not only helped me with suggestions and contractors to make my house more market ready and coordinated a lot of the work to stage my house. My house closed within 5 months of the work being completed during a very stagnant housing market!" -- Tom G.
June 2008 -- "Chris walked into a challenging situation with my house. It had been on the market for 6 months, empty, and my husband and I had recently divorced. This was a nice large home on a lovely street, with a pool, and several other attractive homes for sale nearby.
Utilizing his experience with demographics, market conditions, desires of new buyers, and experience in remodeling, Chris pulled it all together. He got the house remodeled to a more desirable configuration, repainted and updated some of the older features and fixtures. Most of the work happened during the winter months, not the easiest time of year for contractors to get in and out.
I was pleased and surprised when an offer came in early April, and delighted when the sale went thru in mid-May.
Aside from his business experience and capabilities, Chris is a very pleasant person to work with. He is calm, low-key, prompt, and does what he says he will do in a timely manner. I always walked away from an encounter with him feeling well cared for, and that he knew what needed to be done.
In today's difficult economic climate and real estate market, these are all important qualities that one needs to have in a realtor. I would always highly recommend Chris and I'm sure his customers would agree with me. I am grateful and pleased to have had the opportunity to work with him, and to benefit from his professional expertise." -- Sue G.
May 2008 -- "Chris Olsen is, in a word, fantastic.
You will never find a realtor who is such a devoted advocate for his client and with dogged determination can guide you through the maze of real estate transactions with intelligence and exacting attention to detail. He is a kind, caring, ethical man who can negotiate like a bulldog when the need arises. Trust me, you want this guy on your side.
I began my realtor search armed with what I considered to be the best advice in a tough market: go with a big realty company. I stumbled across Chris by accident and now, having just sold and purchased a home with Chris, I challenge everyone who has been spoon-fed this myth that a big company can help you in a tough market. I would defy anyone to prove to me that the larger companies can do better than Chris Olsen. And I have the numbers to back this up.
I would hire Chris to do anything because of his exceptional competence. Not only is he amazingly competent, he has great contacts who are all the best of the best. My husband said it this way, "Go with Chris and all the people he recommends."
Chris has literally saved us thousands of dollars. You will be shocked at the ways Chris has figured out to save dollars and we are not talking trivial amounts of money. His money saving tactics occurred throughout our relationship with multiple examples of saving us money that we never would have known about at all." -- Jonathan & Maria W.
Note: This home sold in 16 days for 98% of list price when only 11% of the competing homes were under contract! This was accomplished by thorough and creative home staging, competitive pricing and innovative Internet marketing!
March 2008 -- "Chris Olsen was a very thorough and honest Realtor. We needed to move quickly and Chris made it happen quicker than we ever expected, saving us thousands of dollars. He and his team helped us do exactly what needed done to sell a house in what amounted to a very slow market. He was upfront and straight-forward with us, not leading us in directions that would not have been helpful. Chris was recommended by a friend and I would recommend him again for any real-estate transactions in the Cleveland area." -- Joe & Tiffany M.
Note: This home sold in 25 days for 97% of list price when only 8% of the competing homes were under contract! This was accomplished by thorough and creative home staging, competitive pricing and innovative Internet marketing!
February 2008 -- "Your communication throughout the sales process was impeccable and unmatched in the real estate industry. Additionally, your in-depth knowledge of the local market, the competitive homes on the market, comparisons among the homes and the recommendations for staging our home all made the difference in being able to sell our home in a reasonable timeframe. It's clear you take your role in real estate seriously and I'd recommend you to all of my friends and family." -- Aaron H.
November 2007 -- "I wanted to take a moment to write a brief note to those of you who may be considering Chris Olsen to represent you as your real estate agent. It would be one of your best decisions to select Chris.
I worked with Chris long distance and on weekends to find a house that fit some pretty tough criteria--dogs, fences, covenants--we could write a book. Chris was persistent and worked diligently many times into the night searching for the matches to my criteria. On the weekends I could come up to Cleveland and he spent all his time with me. I never felt as if I was being juggled between other clients but that I was his primary client at all times. Unlike some agents, he wasn't limited by areas. He worked the MLS broadly opening up the whole Cleveland area which definitely helped with my search. But more importantly, he was knowledgeable as to what was going on in each of these areas, knowledgeable about builders, schools, growth areas, always supplying me with that little extra information we all need to have when investing in an area.
Well, we found the house and I love it. But more importantly, Chris was still continuing to work for me even after the close!!! Because I was long distance, he made the closing a piece of cake, and also continually offered his help with anything. He recommended and even contacted resources for me, getting pricing and quotes on the little things I wanted to have done prior to move-in, and then he was there to let vendors into the house. I never have felt so supported nor have trusted someone with my most important asset as much as I did with Chris. He certainly epitomizes the descriptors, solid integrity, outstanding professionalism, customer-oriented, and full-service.
Should I have to look for another home or sell this one, Chris Olsen would be my agent again, and again and again. And I highly recommend he should be yours as well." -- Deborah C.
October 2007 -- "Chris made one of the most difficult and trying times for my fiance and me a truly painless process. His expertise and work ethic allowed us to purchase a home in Ohio while I finished school out of state and she worked on the east coast. His knowledge of the market and area helped us find exactly what we wanted. Chris was always more than willing to go the extra mile to ensure that we understood the process every step of the way. Chris comes highly recommended as a Realtor who will go out of his way to ensure that your home buying (or selling) process is successful. He is the only way to go. Thanks for everything Chris!" -- Mark Z., PharmD & Emily P., PharmD.
August 2007 -- "I am a first-time homeowner, and the process was a bit foreign, however Chris took an objective approach, with a non-pressure style, so that I was always driving the purchasing, but I was well-informed and guided by his years of experience. Chris has a great way of making purchasing, customized for the needs of his clients. I highly recommend Chris for your real estate needs." -- Brooke B.
July 2007 -- "As first-time homebuyers, Chris was incredibly helpful as in educating and guiding us through the home buying process. From our first meeting with him, it was clear that he was the type of professional, knowledgeable REALTOR we were looking for. His website and personal guidance were very helpful as we organized our initial search and identify properties of interest. As we progressed through the home buying process, he was incredibly quick to respond to emails, and always ready at the phone for more urgent questions. We look forward to recommending Chris to all of our friends & family in the future." -- Paul & Milica K.
July 2007 -- "We would like to thank you for all your help, support and guidance throughout the purchasing process. Your professionalism, comprehensive knowledge and follow-up skills were second to none. Lets keep in touch." -- George & Deborah M., Luxury Home Buyers.
July 2007 -- "We recently relocated from the Chicago area to the Cleveland area. While searching the Internet to see the types of homes available in the Heights areas, we found a listing by Chris Olsen. After inquiring about the house through the website, we were happy to hear from Chris within hours and was able to set up a phone interview with him on the same night. From this point to the time we purchased our new home in Shaker Heights, Chris was the epitome of professionalism. He was able to work around our busy schedules and accommodated us even in the snow to help us find the right home suitable to our needs. Chris was there every step of the way from the time our offer was made right through closing. Chris has raised the bar as far as what we even looked for in a REALTOR to list our home in Illinois!! He is someone we would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for an educated REALTOR who is honest about the real estate market when working with his clients and who is the type of person who will take all the time necessary to help his clients in one of the biggest and most important decisions they will ever make." -- Maisha & Andy G.
June 2007 -- "Chris was very helpful throughout the entire process. He never pressured me into something I didn't want and was very open to my suggestions. He really listened to me and showed me the places I would be interested in. Highly recommended!" -- Griffin S., M.D.
February 2007 -- "Thank you Chris for a great job! Your knowledge, professionalism, and patience with me as a first time buyer proved to be invaluable. With your help, I was able to avoid several pitfalls and stay on top of the situation from start to finish. I recommend you highly to anyone looking to buy in the area." -- Joe F.
February 2007 -- "I've already recommended you to 3 friends who are in the process of contacting you to sell their homes. Not an easy task, so they are quite impressed with the results you produced for our family!
That you sold our house in just a few months in the current economic climate (i.e., 2-4 percent houses under contract in our town) is nothing short of miraculous. Your advice on how to remodel and stage our home to increase our standing among our competition was right on the mark. It was a pleasure to work with you and you made the experience a lot less stressful than I ever imagined.
As for your interpersonal skills and customer service, they are impeccable. You are a genuinely nice guy - probably not common enough in your profession. You are also compassionate, hardworking, organized, fair, honest, and appropriately assertive on behalf of your buyers and sellers (we've been both!). You also provide sound advice and are good at listening when clients need a counselor during such a stressful life event - most important, you are almost always available and easy to reach. And if you want, you can mention that I do personality assessments for a living! :-) -- Dana B., Ph.D
February 2007 -- "Chris has restored my faith in real estate agents!" -- Tom B.
July 2006 -- "I would strongly recommend Chris to a friend. Chris always returned phone calls quickly. Chris is very knowledgeable and provided wonderful service. There is nothing he could have done better!.
February 2006 -- "We could not have made a better choice, and you were instrumental in helping us to find the home. Without your help, we couldn't have done it. We owe you SO MUCH for your attention, your diligence, your professionalism and your guidance as we searched for a new home. You helped EVERY step of the way, even before we had fully committed to a move to Cleveland. It's rare in any field to find someone so dedicated to quality service and so professional. -- Dennis B. & Kaja J.
February 2006 -- "Chris did everything well and was incredible!!! For us, the real estate company was not important, the REALTOR was, and Chris provided us with everything we needed to know. Chris was excellent in his customer service, integrity, market knowledge, communication, negotiation, closing preparations and finding us the right home." -- Doug A., & Jeff A.
November 2005 -- "As an incoming relocation buyer, Chris gave us tons of information on neighborhoods, setup our own website with automatic e-mail notifications, responded to us via e-mail in a timely and efficient manner, and kept us well informed at all times. Chris customer service, integrity, market knowledge, communication, and negotiation skills are excellent! He even started a friendship with us and continues to this day." -- Jim & Emma N.
Note: I have since sold their home for full price in five days in a strong buyers' market by helping them thoroughly prepare their home for sale months in advance and pricing it competitively from Day 1. I also helped them purchase a subsequent home.
November 2005 -- "Chris Olsen went the extra miles for us and it was the best real estate experience we've had! Thanks Chris!" -- Rated "Excellent" -- the highest rating in all categories.
October 2005 -- "Chris was extremely helpful during a very difficult move. Without his help, I would not have been able to complete my move in the allotted time. Chris' explanation of the purchase agreement and offer presentation, professional assistance during the closing process, communication and follow-up after the transfer of title, and over quality of his service was excellent."
August 2005 -- "We wish to express our deepest gratitude and thanks to Chris Olsen. From the very beginning, Chris was beyond anything we ever expected from a real estate agent. He was extremely kind, knowledgeable and prompt with all of his work, e-mails, and correspondence. We were especially thrilled to know that we were in good hands -- we would highly recommend Chris to anyone needing his services." Kevin & Holly M., Incoming Fortune 500 Executive
March 2005 -- "Chris' professionalism, work ethic and motivation are why we chose him to market our home. His marketing For Sale Flyer to showcase our home is EXCELLENT." -- David & Pat G.
Feburary 2005 -- "Chris is very complete in his explanations and follow-ups. He is very knowledgeable and personable. We just knew Chris would do a great job -- and he is! He has gone beyond the call of duty preparing our home for sale. His communication, explanation of a market value analysis of our property, recommendations for preparing our home for sale and the overall quality of his service is excellent." -- Jim & Kathy B.
November 2004 -- "Chris did an excellent job. Chris was really supportive. We met at an open house and clicked! Chris' selection and showing of properties that met my needs were excellent. His explanation of the Purchase Agreement and Offer Presentation were excellent. His professional assistance during the closing process was excellent. His communication and follow-up after the transfer of title were excellent. The overall quality of Chris' service was excellent!" -- Mike S.
September 2004 -- "Chris is an exceptional REALTOR! Chris sent samples of his marketing materials and were impressed with the quality and thought Chris could assist us in selling our home (which didn't sell with our first REALTOR in the previous six months." -- Kevin & Stephanie W.
Note: This home was on the market for six months with a large real estate company and went unsold. The owners contacted Chris and asked for a fresh analysis. It became immediately apparent that this home did not sell due to a leaky roof, a wet basement, and an overly aggressive asking price. Recommending a quality but very price competitive roofer and having a re-roof done, an interior basement waterproofing job with new basement carpeting and painting the dark wall paneling white, and making the asking price more competitive produced a quick sale. The investment to remove buyer objections is always less than the cost of one or more additional price reductions had this work not been done. I have since sold this seller's mother's home.
August 2004 -- "Chris stopped by with a copy of his marketing information at one of our 'for sale by owner' open houses. He has a great deal of integrity, is knowledgeable, honest, trustworthy, and very professional. Chris is providing excellent service in the marketing of our home." Greg & Laura O., M.D.
Note: This home sold for close to list price in 3 weeks in a strong buyers' market due to thoroughly preparing the home for sale and setting a realistic asking price.
May 2004 -- "We just knew Chris would do a great job -- and he is! He has gone beyond the call of duty preparing our home for sale. His communication and the quality of his service is excellent!" -- Nelson & Carolyn Q.