Nina Chmiel got us 27%, or $117,500, more on the sale of our house than other real estate agents told us we could get. Now that I've got your attention, let me tell you more.
Over the years, I've been involved in a number of real estate transactions, and have interviewed a large number of agents and brokers. Nina Chmiel is by far the most forward-thinking, intelligent, capable, knowledgeable, prompt, hardworking, honest, trustworthy, and compassionate real estate professional that I've ever met. Nina Chmiel truly cares for the people she represents.
Here is the back story. My siblings and I inherited a house on the South Shore of Long Island. It stands on a larger than average plot. I did some research on line. I noticed that a number of homes in the area that were on similarly larger plots had sold for appreciably more over the years. Since there weren't that many, and only one sold within the last year, it made it difficult to get comps.
I have two friends in the greater New York metropolitan area who work in real estate. They don't know each other. One is in New Jersey, and the other is in Manhattan. Neither has ever been affiliated with Charles Rutenberg Realty. I asked both for referrals. Both referred me to two agents working for Charles Rutenberg Realty. I interviewed each, and was most impressed with Nina Chmiel. I chose Nina Chmiel, not only because of her qualities that I'd mentioned earlier, but also because she has a very calm, yet vibrant, but also very practical, manner. I felt from the very start that I was in very good hands with Nina Chmiel, and I was.
I showed a lot of other real estate agents the property. Nina Chmiel was the only one who told me the plot was potentially subdividable. None of the others even mentioned subdividing except one, who intentionally lied about it, saying it couldn't be divided.
Nina, on the other hand, took the initiative. She went to the village building department, and researched lot size, frontage, and set-back requirements, and determined the information given to me by the other agent wasn't true. She put me in touch with the inspectors there to corroborate what she told me.
Nina Chmiel explained we could sell to a builder. The builder would remove an addition to the existing house that extends on to what would become a second 50x100 plot. The second plot is worth $200k, just on its own. That plot is big enough to have another house built on it. She said we should primarily market to builders, instead of someone looking to live in the home. It would be unlikely anyone else would be willing to pay more than a builder would.
The lowest estimate I got from all the agents I spoke with was $430k, the highest, $465k. We're currently in contract to sell to a builder for $547,500, 10% down, all cash, as is, no contingencies, all commissions paid by buyer, no mortgage approval required.
We owe Nina Chmiel a really, really HUGE THANK YOU!!! read more