Foreclosure forestalled, home sold for big profit! I have known Chris Lindgren since high school, but had lost touch with him during our wanderings around the country. I was so glad to reconnect with him after a local, disloyal bank refused to renew a balloon mortgage and tried to foreclose on my property. It was a second mortgage, I was not in default, and the bank returned my monthly payments, preferring to just try and grab my property and fifteen years of equity I had built up. Everyone I spoke with could not believe that a bank would foreclose on a second mortgage, especially when I was also timely on the first mortgage for fifteen years! I was not in default and always met my obligations. Imagine how they treat people who suffered more in the Great Recession than I did? Needless to say, I was angry, determined to protect my equity, and needed trustworthy, down-to-earth people to guide me through shark-infested waters. Chris is as real as it gets--salt of the earth, but a consummate professional and friend. He does not just look at the house, he looks at the person. I hired lawyers to forestall the foreclosure, and we eventually sold to real buyer for @$130k profit in the dead of January! When I found Chris, I was in a rut, and facing potential injustice from powerful banks and government agencies who step on "the little guy." My whole career as a plaintiff's lawyer was to protect the most vulnerable in our society from corrupt corporations, insurance companies, and unelected government officials who abuse their power.
Now, the tables were turned and I needed someone to help me. I addition to handling business losses, and a stressful family relocation to another state, I was trying to fix up my first and only home. I went through four home and office moves in two years. I loved that place and put sweat, blood and tears into it. Raised my child there, and now a predatory bank was trying to steal it? Demands on my time were too great, to add the new roof and other cosmetic improvements it needed to sell for top dollar. Like many folks who start out, For Sale by Owner ("FSBO") I was skeptical of realtors and their value. Now I'm a convert--and I tell everyone, hire Chris and he will more than make up the commission on the sale price. Also, because I had been FSBO and too busy in the summer, we did not sell until January. Then there were the unscrupulous "buyers" aware of the "foreclosure" and making lowball insulting offers. None of these obstacles daunted Chris Lindgren! He helped me stage the home affordably, and held open houses. Keller Williams has great resources for connecting sellers, buyers and their agents.
Chris was able to find a buyer who knew the home's real value--the neighborhood! In Minneapolis, they aren't digging any more lakes, and Chris knows Southwest Minneapolis almost as well as I do. We grew up here; he knows the schools, the parks, the lakes the neighborhoods, shops and restaurants. And he plays pond hockey, like me! Just like in my profession, knowledge is power. Being a lawyer, I can be adversarial at times. Or so I am told. But Chris is extremely patient and a good listener. This means he can develop a strategy, anticipate problems before they occur, and defuse negative situations. For example, when the buyer, after signing a contract, tried to get me to lower my price three business days before the closing, some advisors or family just "chickened out" and told me to "cave." In twenty-five years of litigation I never did that, and I certainly wasn't going to now. I hold out for the last dollar and Chris knows my personality. Intuition is key to negotiation and sales. I was respectful but firm to this buyer--a deal's a deal. Plus, I let the buyer know I could simply payoff the small mortgage and redeem it from foreclosure. I had a backup plan and Chris was aware of it. Chris artfully tweaked a few things to mollify the buyer, and calmed me down (editing but not sending an angry letter I had written). (Classic technique, Christian, I may use that one myself on clients). But I got my price, and the buyer and his young family got a beautiful home and wonderful neighborhood. Win-win. As you can see, this was not your typical sale. Neither is your purchase or sale! Mr. Lindgren and his team at Keller Williams will get you the best value possible in your transaction. Your family can trust Chris to listen, communicate promptly, plan, schedule, negotiate and do everything possible to reach your goals. I'm glad I did. In fact, in addition to my law degree, I may be getting my real estate license soon and his professionalism inspired me to do so. Thank you, Chris Lindgren and K read more
