Before I traveled to Pocatello to investigate income property, I left voice mail for a few realtors there I'd found on the web. Gina Lee at Gate City Real Estate was not the first I called, but she was the first to call back. That alone says a lot about her. Her customers are her first priority and she doesn't waste time.
My schedule allowed me only five days in Pocatello. I arrived with a list from Zillow and Trulia, to which she added some of her own. Using her own car, she showed me 17 properties in the first two days.
I put the numbers into my spreadsheet and was encouraged, but didn't trust my own rent estimates. Gina gathered her colleagues having rental experience, who gave me their input. The numbers suddenly didn't look so good.
Not one to give up, Gina then introduced me to a property manager. Since I would be an absentee landlord, I would be needing one anyway. This one did some rental investing on his own account and led me to a property that was available. This time, the numbers worked.
I depended on Gina's local experience to come up with an appropriate offer. She helped me with the initial offer and handled the negotiations through the seller's agent, giving me valuable feedback as to how low the seller would go. The seller and I ended up meeting halfway, and I had my property.
My own insurance agent wasn't licensed in Idaho, so Gina then referred me to one in Pocatello. With buyer, seller, title company, insurer and property manager all lined up, closing went off without a hitch.
Gina is a hard working go getter in tune with her clients' needs. She is organized, uses her time well and works to a deadline. She will save you a LOT of footwork.