Photos from Kim Daugherty, McKinney REALTOR, TX Broker
Pool party in Stone Brooke Crossing hosted by Kim Daugherty & Laura Barron of RE/MAX Four Corners.Located in: Mc Kinney, TX
In this secion of "McKinney's Ultimate Buyer's Guide", we'll look more closely at McKinney's neighborhoods by price range - from $450,000 up to $500,000. As of today, April 2, there are 43 luxury homes for sale in McKinney,TX within this price range.
You could start your home search in any of these unique neighborhoods:
Stonebridge Ranch - a sought-after master-planned community offering top amenities to homeowners, such as a beach & tennis club with sandy lagoon, aquatic center, stocked ponds, hike & bike trails and appealing landscaped entrances:
Craig Ranch - another popular master-planned community centered around the PGA golf course at Craig Ranch. Area offers shopping and great schools:
Areas in and around Historic Downtown McKinney - own a piece of McKinney's history!
Tucker Hill
And these great neighborhoods:
The Eldorado Countryclub Area:
Of the 43 Luxury Homes priced in this range in McKinney, they had the following characteristics according to MLS data:
Note: All data & photos taken from NTREIS
For more information about McKinney Luxury Homes visit www.McKinneyTexasHomesBlog.com.
In this next secion of "McKinney's Ultimate Buyer's Guide", we'll look more closely at McKinney's neighborhoods by price range - from $400,000 to $450,000. As of today, March 31, there are 58 luxury homes for sale in McKinney within this price range.
You could start your home search in any of these unique neighborhoods:
Stonebridge Ranch - a sought-after master-planned community offering top amenities to homeowners, such as a beach & tennis club with sandy lagoon, aquatic center, stocked ponds, hike & bike trails and appealing landscaped entrances:
Craig Ranch - another popular master-planned community centered around the PGA golf course at Craig Ranch. Area offers shopping and great schools:
Areas in and around Historic Downtown McKinney - own a piece of McKinney's history!
Tucker Hill
And these great neighborhoods:
The Eldorado Countryclub Area:
Of the 58 Luxury Homes priced in this range , they had the following characteristics according to MLS data:
Note: All data & photos taken from NTREIS
For more information about McKinney Luxury Homes visit www.McKinneyTexasHomesBlog.com.
Anyone up for a good debate?
Let’s face it. The real estate market is different than it was 5 years ago. Even ten years ago. Certainly more different than it was twenty years ago. If you hang around a veteran agent long enough you will hear about how “back then” we didn’t have the fancy MLS or lockboxes or the internet. I know I certainly appreciate the conveniences of today. The fact is things have changed, yet the profession is resistant to change.
Each of us is in charge of how we spend our days. We are all independent contractors, correct? No one tells us the hours to work, what meeting we must attend, or how many open houses we must hold. If we want to take a 2 month vacation, that’s our prerogative. And if you’ve been in the business for any length of time, you know that if you choose to take that route, your business will quickly dry up. Each Realtor experiences a direct proportion to how much they work and how much they make.
So why should our brokerage keep so much of our hard earned money, if it is up to US to produce the business? As Julie Ferenzi, a Realtor in Plainfield, IL stated in her blog post, a brokerage is kind of like a fancy wrapper. It is the AGENT that makes the difference.
The traditional brokerage is soon a way of the past. Today’s Realtors must quickly adapt to the new technology changes, and if their Brokerage is slow to change, then the agent must be the one to make the change.
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The Experiment: Make a list of all of your deals over the last 2 years. Highlight those that YOU produced through YOUR efforts (blogging, referrals, your website,etc) and highlight those that the BROKER produced (walk-ins, corporate website). I have been with name brand, national brokerages. I did this experiment. Guess what? I couldn’t justify spending the amount of money that I was spending by putting a fancy logo on my business card.
If you make this list, then eliminate the money you made as a direct result of being with your brokerage, let’s say – Keller Coldwell 21-Max.
Now take only the commissions that YOU earned as a result of YOUR work in procuring the lead and total them. If you were on a split, adjust it so that you are now showing 100% commission on those deals. Also add back in the monthly office fees you paid over the course of the year that go directly to your broker.
Did it make up for what you lost in the commissions that you had as a result of being a Keller-Coldwell 21-Max agent?
What you have done is compared what your salary could have been if you were on your own versus what you made being affiliated with Keller Coldwell 21-Max.
If you did the above experiment (and this really only applies to agents that have been in the business longer than 2 years), then most of you will see that the amount of business you received as a DIRECT RESULT of being a certain brand name agent is not that large. Most of my business is through referrals, website, blogging, Active Rain and social networking. Yours needs to be too.
Here are a few other points to consider when deciding whether or not you need to change brokerages:
Walk-In Traffic. You might think, “Well, what about walk-in traffic? Won’t I be missing out on that”? The answer depends on your part of the country. I will only speak for MY area. In the 3 years I was with NATIONAL, BRAND NAME COMPANIES, I can attribute a VERY SMALL percentage of my business to walk-ins. In fact, I found that in those settings, leads were given to “favorite” agents. They were NOT distributed evenly. Chew on that. And to go along with walk-ins, I would offer that every single agent experiences “walk-in” traffic – on your website. Consumers will now go ONLINE before ever stepping foot in a real estate office. They are “walking in” to YOUR WEBSITE. If you are not making it VERY EASY for consumers to find you, then you are missing out on this very valuable traffic. Guess what? You don’t need a big fancy logo next to your name to be found on the internet! Your broker needs to know AND utilize sites like Active Rain, Facebook, Twitter and blogging.
Networking & Relo Business. You may ask, “Well, what about networking with the agents in my office? What about the office tours”? Really? You get business from going on tours with your competitors? Tours are great, but why can’t you preview on your own time? Remember, you dictate how you spend your time. If you’re a member of Active Rain, you can network any time of day, in your PJ’s even – and with 140,000+ agents and members of the real estate industry. You’re building up one heck of a referral network too. Remember those RELO departments that take 35%+ of a cut when they refer you a client? Remember how difficult it was to get on those “lists” to get a cut of the RELO business? You don’t need it when you network online the smart way. The NEW way. Things are changing.
Home Office vs Traditional Office Setting. The main place for most agents to do their business is sitting in our driveways – in our cars. With a drastic number of agents working from HOME, not an OFFICE setting, why do we need to pay high monthly overhead fees to a broker when we don’t spend any time there except to meet a client of attend a monthly meeting?
Commission Splits. Now, more than ever, there is an increased need for Realtors to retain as much money as possible. Many agents are experiencing a job loss of a spouse and that puts the pressure on the Realtor spouse to produce closings in order to pay the bills. It’s more important to retain as much of OUR money as possible – not given to a broker so that we can have a nice logo next to our picture.
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Training. Think about it – while many national brokers offer great training, the same training is available to any agent who wants it. Brian Buffini? Craig Proctor? You don’t have to be a RE/MAX or Coldwell Banker agent to benefit from their knowledge or programs. In my area, title companies provide some top-notch continuing education that is made available to whoever wants it. Real estate schools don’t discriminate either. You don’t need to pay extra to a broker for the education. It’s the AGENT that makes the difference – not the broker.
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Internet Presence. Guess what? In my area, you don’t have to be a RE/MAX agent to have your listing appear on Remax.com. You also don’t need to be a Keller Willilams agent to have your listings appear on Ebby.com. Or Realtor.com. Many of the biggest real estate websites that are visited by consumers will populate listings from the MLS (that ANY agent can belong to). You don’t need to pay extra every month to your broker in order to have great internet presence. All of my listings still show up in the same places. In fact, I choose to pay only $5 per listing and my listings populate to an additional 25+ websites. I am an independent contractor and I choose how to market my listings. The agent makes the difference.
Realtors – you must keep up with the changes. You deserve more of the money you work SO HARD FOR. By providing the best in customer service, and the best, most up to date home marketing for your sellers, you will succeed. You don’t need a fancy logo or “Diamond, Million Dollar Circle of Fame” title next to your name to say you’ve made it in this business. Ask what your clients want. They want an AGENT (not broker) who will work hard and represent them to the best of their ability.
**Side note to my local Realtors: If any of this made sense to you, then know that d + b real estate is looking for independent like-minded agents that embrace today’s technology. We offer a 95/5 commission split with NO monthly fees. Our office is located in Beautiful Downtown Historic McKinney which provides a convenient and attractive place to meet clients.
To my fellow agents affiliated with the larger franchises – this blog was not meant to bash the larger brokerage models. There are brokerages that work for each Realtor out there and we are simply another choice. We look forward to working with you!
In this next secion of "McKinney's Ultimate Buyer's Guide",we'll look at McKinney's neighborhoods by price range - from $350,000 to $400,000. As of today, March 15, there are 81 luxury homes for sale in McKinney within this price range.
You could start your home search in any of these unique neighborhoods:
Stonebridge Ranch - a sought-after master-planned community offering top amenities to homeowners, such as a beach & tennis club with sandy lagoon, aquatic center, stocked ponds, hike & bike trails and appealing landscaped entrances:
Craig Ranch - another popular master-planned community centered around the PGA golf course at Craig Ranch. Area offers shopping and great schools:
Areas in and around Historic Downtown McKinney
Tucker Hill
And these great neighborhoods:
The Eldorado Countryclub Area:
Of the 81 Luxury Homes priced in this range , they had the following characteristics according to MLS data:
Note: All data & photos taken from NTREIS
For more information about McKinney Luxury Homes visit www.McKinneyTexasHomesBlog.com.
What is a Boutique?
\bü-ˈtēk\ 1 a: a small fashionable shop b: a small shop within a large department store 2: a small company that offers highly specialized services or products <boutique wineries> <an independent investment boutique>
While attending Texas A&M University, I took many, many classes. I changed my major many, many times. In my career at A&M, I always gravitated towards marketing classes. I LOVED marketing! One of the most important facts to take away from the most basic of marketing classes is the principle that in opening a new business, if you can’t be FIRST, then be DIFFERENT!
Throughout my research and brainstorming phase of opening up our own real estate brokerage in McKinney, TX, my business partner and I kept that statement in mind. And the question always came back to – How can we be different?
Our real estate market in McKinney is dominated by what we call the “Big 3”... RE/MAX, Keller Williams and Ebby Halliday Realtors. We belonged to 2 of those brokerages at one time or another before leaving to pursue the dream of owning our own company. Having the benefit of knowing the corporate culture and mindset behind these successful franchises, we left to make something different for ourselves and for our clients – past, present & future.
This is how the idea of branding ourselves as a Boutique Real Estate Firm came to be. I’ve been asked (OK, kidded) by some of my former colleagues and they’ll ask about the “boutique” concept. It makes total sense. Here’s WHY:
When you think of the word “Boutique”, what comes to mind?
The concept of running a Real Estate Brokerage like a Boutique makes perfect sense! For many buyers & sellers, the appeal of a boutique real estate office makes sense! How many people do you know that desire specialized products?
Now, here’s the genius part. The 3 examples above require that you PAY MORE for the alternative. In a Real Estate boutique, why not give the same exemplary customer service FOR THE SAME PRICE as the alternative?
In today’s changing economy, real estate brokerages must begin to think differently. Offering your community a Boutique may be just the thing consumers want. Is anyone offering this choice?
Be first, or be different!
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d + b real estate specializes in Collin County Real Estate.You can count on exemplary customer service before,during & after the transaction!When you need a McKinney REALTOR (R), call 972-838-5394!
Who is Kim Daugherty?
I am the Broker/Owner of d + b real estate - McKinney's newest boutique real estate firm We are a customer service-driven company whose focus is on the family, because we ARE family. "Real Family. Real Estate." is not just the slogan, but it's how we run our business. We understand that purchasing a home is one of the largest investments most people will ever make, and we also understand that a move doesn't just affect mom or dad, but the entire family. That is why we are experts in the area schools, neighborhoods and community benefits that each city provides. In addition to serving families, we also provide home buying & selling services to the first time buyer, empty-nesters, relocations & everyone in between!
Before opening d + b real estate in December 2008, d (me - Kim Daugherty) and b (Laura Barron - my sister) partnered up as The Barron-Daugherty Team at RE/MAX.
I grew up in Carrollton, TX. After graduating from Newman Smith High School I went on to recieve my Bachelors Degree from Texas A&M University with an emphasis in business and speech communication courses. I then returned to the DFW area where I worked as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. I later married an incredible man, Kevin, moved to the Northern Virginia/DC area where Kevin was stationed in the Army and made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom when I gave birth to our first son. I didn't begin my real estate career until 2002 when I decided to go back to work part-time...just to "test out the waters" to see if real estate would be a good fit. As it turned out, I immediately saw this profession as one that offered the flexibility I was looking for. In 2003 our family made the move back to Texas and settled on McKinney as the place to raise our family. My sister, Laura Barron, had found that McKinney was the BEST place to live and raise a family. I began working for a large home builder and learned all about the new construction business. Knowing that I would eventually want to earn my Texas real estate license I made the decision to find a successful agent that I could work with as an assistant. It turns out this was the best decision I could have made...
A Successful Team hired me as their assistant in 2004 where I quickly learned what it takes to be a success in this business. I recieved my Texas license in January 2005 and immediately focused on working with buyers. I have made it my goal to make the home buying process as fun & stress-free as possible! I don't believe that the real estate business has to be boring and old-fashioned. Technology is so important to today's buyers and I'm making it a priority in my business to seek out the most effective resources for building my business and educating customers about McKinney Real Estate and Real Estate in Collin County.
In 2006 my sister, Laura Barron, joined our team as the Client Care Coordinator and Buyer's Agent. It wasn't long that we realized what a dynamic team we could make together. What better way to work than with your own family? In January 2008 we parted ways with our team and formed The Barron-Daugherty Team....
That leads us up to today! After learning from the "The Big Guys" (RE/MAX, KW, C21), we realized that it doesn't take a big name to make you a great agent. It takes dynamic marketing, unparalelled customer service and a true passion for your job to make you a success. We're proud to offer McKinney a new choice... d + b real estate!
Each Real Estate market is different. As a REALTOR, specializing in Collin County, I focus on the specific needs of home buyers & sellers in this market.
NEW HOMES: I have experience working with a home builder and can use this expertise when negotiating the best deal for buyers looking to purhase new construction.
FIRST TIME BUYERS & SELLERS: Newbies are put at ease when they work with me! I have created a step-by-step document that outlines each step of the home buying & selling process that is specific to the local market. Clients will know what to expect at every stage of the process. Knowledge is the best tool!
ALL buyers & sellers benefit from my list of Vendors that I have compiled from satisfied clients. Whether you are looking for a painter, HVAC technician, masonry contractor, lender, title company, handyman, babysitter or even the best place to get a slice of pizza in town, I have the answers!!
ALL buyers also benefit from the Dream Home finder. Stop searching through the big websites that turn up way too many homes that don't meet your specific criteria. I'll create a personalized home search website that meets YOUR criteria. Looking for a home with a kitchen bigger than 12 x 14? I can do that! Looking for a golf-course lot in a subdivision? I can do that! Looking for a historical home located within a designated historical district? I can do that too...Let me help you buy or sell your McKinney home!
I specialize in Collin County:
However, I also serve Dallas, Carrollton, Richardson, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, The Colony & Addison. I love the Dallas area and there is a perfect city for everyone!!
"Being first time home buyers, we didn't know what to expect and had many concerns. All of our concerns were put to rest after the first day of working with Kim. She had our best interests in mind through the entire process and helped us get exactly what were looking for and for less than we could have imagined. Kim was extremely knowledgeable, trustworthy and such a delight to work with. She made our buying experience enjoyable and trouble-free. I would recommend her and the Kraft team to anyone looking for a realtor." Kym and Brad Jackson
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