Kelly M. Fisher

I accept the local business challenge, but with some hesitation. I have lived and worked in real estate in the same area for 20 some years and in all of those years, I have been cautious when it comes to referring a builder. The Poconos has long had a (bad) reputation for fly-by-night builders. Granted, some have earned the reputation. But there is always an exception.

One of my first encounters with Bryan Moyer (Bryan D. Moyer, Inc) was many years ago, while I was working as a secretary for a real estate developer. It seemed Bryan had been advised by one of his previous clients that an Anderson patio door he installed several years earlier had leaked and so Bryan wanted to check all of the doors in all of the houses where he had installed those same doors -- just to make sure there was no problem. Now, no one else had complained of a similar problem and he had no reason to think the doors might all be defective, but he just wanted to be sure.

I asked him, "are you nuts? who does that? Most builders were offering a one-year warranty and good luck collecting on that if there truly was a problem. Who would inspect a door that was installed several years before and without even being told to do so? Well, Bryan would. He explained that it was HIS REPUTATION at stake and if he had just one unsatisfied customer, whether or not he was at fault, that bad publicity would get out and hurt his business.

When Bryan left the office with a handful of house keys, I thought, wow, a builder who actually cares about his customers and takes pride in his work... that was a long time ago and I still tell that story whenever anyone asks me who I would hire to work for me.

Bryan has been around for a long time (about 40+ years). He started as a kid and learned building from his father. Now, his son Brad works along side and they still enjoy the same reputation for quality, reliable worksmanship.

Call him old fashioned, but Bryan's business comes to him mostly through work of mouth. No website or flashy ad campaign. And, speaking of word-of-mouth, Bryan always has something to say. There's no such thing as a quick word with him. He takes the time to get to know his customers, answer any questions or just chew the fat. He's equally at home with a stay-home housewife or a Wall Street Exec. It doesn't matter who you are, Bryan is always himself and people instantly feel at ease in his company. Some have jokingly called him "the mayor" because he is constantly out socializing with the citizens. And, oh yeah, he's always happy to share pictures of his new grandbaby or his latest hunting trip or scenes from Colorado or all three. Look for the bright blue pick up with the dogs in the cab -- or just give him a call if you want the best contractor around. 570-646-7958 or cell 570-350-6802. Tell them Kelly recommended him!

I showed a foreclosed home today to a previous client. He was looking for a potential rental property in an area where houses will (eventually) appreciate in value since he may be looking to sell the house down the road. He chose Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. He has access to an entire construction crew and has bought fixer-upper homes before which turned out to be good investments for him. I found a winner -- good neighborhood, big house, only a few years old and repairs needed are minimal. The price was unbelievable -- couldn't believe it hadn't been snatched up after 6 days on the market. A steal at asking price and even though I knew he'd insist on a septic inspection, the sellers were open to it. My buyer had just refinanced his house and pulled out money precisely for such an opportunity. Yet, he wanted to lowball his offer. I couldn't believe it! He had lost out on a good deal a few weeks ago, even though he offered full price.

My buyer was not used to the low interest rates available to him. He was calculating that his monthly payment would be much higher than it actually is.

I have recently started a practice of showing prospective buyers different financing scenarios as they are viewing my listings. I've hooked up with a local mortgage banker to provide flyers showing 3 financing options -- 0% down, 20% down and 3.5% down - amount needed for closing; monthly payments, etc. and included pictures of the house. I posted these charts in each house and provide extras that the buyers may take with them. I think they are always pleasantly surprised by the smaller-than-expected monthly payments.

I work with a group of investors who purchase tax sale and foreclosure properties. Some of the homes are rehabbed before being placed back on the market, but many of the lower end homes are just listed cheap and I attempt to resell them "as-is." Many of these homes are in such a state of disrepair, they are uninhabitable - vandalized, garbage filled, roofs or floors collapsing, leaking roofs, you name it. After selling so many, I have become de-sensitized as to what is really BAD. Being the forever optimist I am, I try to find something good about each property, but sometimes I am at a loss for words entirely.

I recently advertised a group of these fixer-uppers in a local magazine and decided to be completely honest in my descriptions. Funny, the house that got the most attention was the one which ran with a headline, "Beware: The House!" The asking price was only $5,000 and although it is just short of a tear-down, what can you really expect for $5,000? It hasn't sold yet, but we have put 3 $8,000 listings under contract.