Let me tell you my Donna story :). I was recently faced with a dilemma: How do I sell the home in Dayton, Ohio that my mother has lived in for 56 years when I am in Arizona. The house has two stories and a full basement. Mom and my stepdad could no longer manage the stairs up to their bedroom or down to the laundry in the basement, so almost three years ago, they moved temporarily into an apartment. Then my stepdad passed away at age 94. Mom is 92 and sharp as a tack but could not return to the house. The house needed a myriad of minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint inside. It was also full of 56 years of memories, personal belongings, and collections.
While my brother and other family members helped with the repairs and cleaning out mom's belongings, I started looking for just the right person to help us sell mom's home. I checked reviews and looked at pictures of realtors in Dayton. I looked at brokers and researched the market. As I was doing my research from Arizona, I called several realtors including one who had been referred to mom by a friend. Somehow, I stumbled on the smiling face of Donna Knauer of RE/MAX Alliance. I called Donna and was greeted by someone whose voice smiled at me over the phone. I told her my dilemma and asked what she thought. She said she would drive by the house and get back with me; and boy did she ever.
Later that day, Donna sent me a professionally done mini report presentation on mom's home along with comps, a market analysis, public records and more. No other realtor bothered to do more than set up an appointment with me for a trip to Dayton the following week. I cancelled all the other appointments and met with Donna at the house before it had been repaired and cleaned out. Within two minutes, I knew Donna was the right person to represent mom. She actively listened, answered my questions, and then offered suggestions on what needed to be done to make the house more attractive to a buyer.
To make a long story short, Donna sold mom's home in less than one week but she did more than that. She provided advice, support, and assistance at every step in the process. She met with mom at her apartment and even arranged for the title company to go to the apartment for the closing. Understanding that mom had only owned two homes in her entire lifetime and had not sold a home since 1962, Donna was extremely patient and helped mom with the process. The next day, Donna returned with a check for the proceeds and even offered to take mom to the bank. Even though I was 1,800 miles away, Donna kept me informed via e-mail and/or phone call nearly every day. She even called and texted me while she was on vacation out of the country!
Donna is an AMAZING person and fantastic realtor who our entire family highly recommends to anyone buying or selling a home in the Dayton area. She will certainly make you smile and know that you made the right choice.:) read more
