Barbara "G" Real Estate

Twenty Years of Experience

 

Since 1989, signs started popping up all over the south bay area for homes with Barbara Gwozdz as the listing agent. To simplify her last name, Barbara simply added to the signs, “Ask for Barbara ‘G’”.

Barbara has lived right here in Silicon Valley for over thirty-four yearsife. She knows the benefits and challenges to living here, and can help get her clients exactly what they are looking for.

Barbara grew up and was educated in the Midwest.  She has a BS in Education and a Masters in Audiology. 

Shortly after moving to California, Barbara became a stay at home mother and volunteered in many aspects of her children's lives.  She was a Sunday School teacher, a Cub Scout leader and later Cub Master.  She was a team mom, coach and referree for AYSO soccer.  She helped out in the class room and was a band booster.  All of the skills these volunteer efforts used have come in very handy as a Real Estate Agent.

In 1989, Barbara got her Real Estate liscense and has enjoyed working in all aspects of buying and selling real  estate.  She joined Referral Realty in Cupertino and has taken advantage of all the training and help provided by this excellent, medium sized company.

The very best way to select a Realtor is to ask a happy friend who helped them.  Barbara has excellent referrences and in fact almost all of her business now is from referrals from happy clients.  Ask Barbara for her references.

Barbara's intention is not to be the biggest volume Real Estate agent.  She simply wants to be the "best respected" among her clients.  She works with a limited number of people at a time, so each gets the help they need, directly from her.

Barbara has honed her negotiation skills, and people skills through the years and finds her transactions seem to almost all flow smoothly.  She continues to obtain pertinent education to further her skills.

In addition to these essential Realtor skills, Barbara has been involved in development and construction of new homes. She knows more about the systems of a home than most Realtors and can help her clients see items they may have missed.

As time goes by, I have noticed an increase in cut rate real estate offices, such as Redfin.  Most people feel that Realtors earn too much money.  I actually think a lot of agents do earn too much. 

But, that is because I have noticed the rush of Realtors to do a high voluum business.  If you sell 100 homes, quickly, you will have a lot of commissions.  That doesn't seem to be real earned money.  If an agent is working with 10 -20 transactions at a time, he or she is considered one of the top agents.  I suggest a different set of  criteria for defining top agent.  I have always limited my clients to a manageble 5 or less at any one time.  I feel that way I can give all the time and effort that purchasing or selling a home needs.  I don't want to shunt my clients off to someone else who is not as skilled as I am.  Therefore, I take more commission than the cut rate folks.  I give more.

I never blindly set up email for my buyers.  I think they deserve a screening and maybe even a personal look at a home that fits their criteria.  It is their job to earn the money to make the move.  It is my job to do all of the looking, previewing and sorting so they only see homes they would want to consider buying.  I was recently shocked at a buyer saying he had looked at 126 homes.  Why?  If he spoke to a "good" agent, they should be able to show him a handful that would all be worthy of his looking.  This does however take time.  I do not give a list of listings to clients and ask them to drive by and see if those work.  It wastes their time!

Another item that shocks me is that the commission is a small part of the whole price picture.  If I can find a better home, NEGOTIATE a better price and save them time, Who is to say the dollars saved won't be more than any rebate the buyer could get?  As an agent for 20 years, I have honed my skills and am much better at making sure my clients are well informed, protected and will wind up with a good home at the best price.  A new agent, with little experience or an agent who works with too many people at a time will do poorly sitting at a negotiation table with me.

Over the time the homeowner lives in his home, he pays taxes based on the price he bought the home for.  If I get a better price, that saved tax money adds up.

At least 3 times recently, I have been asked to promise a rebate.  My response has been, "Ask again when we are finished."  When they ask again, I ask what they think my services were worth.  They have all opted to leave the commission with me.  I was worth it.  And those same individules have since, referred new buyers to me.

Sellers have found my services to be equally worth it.  I have a team of professionals who can inspect, repair and stage their home to get top dollar and my advice is often the reason they value my services.

If you need a great Realtor –

ASK forBARBARA "G"