Welcome to Billings Home Connection - a website I have put together for you in response to the many questions and comments I have received over a number of years in management positions and, more recently, as a real estate agent in Billings, Montana!

As a proud fourth-generation Montanan, I am pleased to share pictures of our breathtaking Big Sky Country!  (If you have any you'd like to share, too, send me a note!)

For nearly a decade, I have been practicing real estate in Billings - currently with Montana Real Estate Brokers, and Diamond Real Estate prior to that.

I have had many blessings in my life that have allowed me to give back to my community in equal measure. Like many of you, I live by a simple principle that volunteering is not a choice; it is a responsibility. I think the old adage is true that:  "Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." This is the single most important reason I wanted to be a member of Montana Real Estate Brokers (MREB): for their consistent philanthropic devotion to our city, county, and state! 

I am honored to serve as both a Boardmember of the Billings Association of Realtors and the Chairwoman of its Education Committee. In addition, I am a very proud volunteer for the following organizations:

Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice                    

     American Cancer Society

     Baptist Church

     Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yellowstone County

     Billings Association of REALTORS^®

     Faith Chapel

     Friends of Lake Elmo

     Girl Scouts of America

     Lockwood School District

     Red Cross

     Homeward Program for First Time Homebuyers

Currently, I am working with Volunteers of America Wyoming & Montana's (VOA) Magic City Terrace's Service Coordinator on an educational series for low-income seniors. Most recently, VOA celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 65-unit low-income senior housing complex to be built on Wicks Lane. Independence Hall on Lake Elmo Drive is their new transitional housing complex just for veterans.  Won't you join me in welcoming VOA to Montana?

And most importantly, I am the very proud wife of my best friend, Dan Welborn, whom I married in 1986; and the equally proud mother of Ashley and Amber Welborn. Ashley is a student at Rocky Mountain College (Go Bears!) and Amber is a student at my alma matre, Senior High School (Go Broncs!)

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To Whom It May Concern:

First Appointment

Recently, I and my wife, Nona, contacted Terri regarding the sell our home. Nona and I had one condition for our real estate agent:  We did not want to hear what we wanted to hear.  We wanted her to speak honestly to us about our home and its prospects for sale.  

During her first visit, Terri wandered around the outside and checked out each room.
She recommended that we pay for a professional inspection and then do the required work according to the inspection.  Her rationale was that this adds to the sales value of the home when buyers see that the home fulfills the inspection requirements.  
Terri made significant contributions about how to make the home more attractive when perspective buyers would tour it.  Less stuff lying around.  More exposure to the counters.  A more presentable way to show pictures on the walls. Our visit lasted about an hour. Terri answered all of my questions with professional honesty and integrity. 

Second Appointment
Before contacting Terri, we had experienced a sale that fell through at the last minute.  While we were driving our car and discussing what to do next, we drove by Terri's advertisement at a bus stop on Monad and 24th St. West.  I called the number on the advertisement and requested an appointment.

Our house was vacant and cleaned, ready for presentation.  Nona and I were also very weary and wary of selling our house. 
a.  Terri told us that her commitment is to represent us and our interests in the sale.  She would negotiate on our behalf when dealing with another agent and their clients.  She also said that if someone were to contact her to purchase the home, she would refer this person to a colleague at their office so there would be no conflict of interest with both the sellers and buyers. 
b.  Terri discussed the price she believed would be most salable for our home.  Because we asked for her complete honesty, she recommended sales price was acceptable to us. 
c.  Terri told us what would be our payment at the closing according to this sales price. 
d.  She brought some Irish shamrocks as a good wish for us.  This was a way to bringing good will.  Something that we didn't expect, yet it showed such a pleasant good will. 

Impressions once the house was listed:
a.  Terri would call and talk to Nona and then me about what was happening with the listing.  She could explain matters to Nona much more professionally than I could.  So, she made both of us feel confident in matters. 
b.  She asked us if we wanted feedback from other agents who had visited the home.  We agreed that it would help us to know what we needed to do.  She contacted us with the feedback and a couple times gave us recommendations that would help present our home.
c.  We had an inspection done from the previous sale that had fallen through.  She advised us to do all that was written on the inspection.  So, I agreed with a handyman friend to do that. 
d.  She put a rug at the front door and wrote a note to visitors to take their shoes off to keep the floor clean.
e.  She put informational brochures at the kitchen counter for buyers to take with them.
f.  We felt like she was the one selling our home for us...  Thus, we felt 100% trust that she was representing our best interests and needs. 

Impressions when negotiating a sale:
a.  When there were offers  (We received 3 offers),  Terri presented each detail in the offer and explained what they meant to us.  She was able to discern the integrity and quality of the offers.  This is something that we absolutely would not have known.  So, again, we trusted her judgment 100% about what we should do.  Ultimately, the terms were very reasonable in the contract.  I believe that she was respected mutually also by the buyers and their agent.  Clearly, she knew how to represent our best interests with all three of the contracts. 

Impressions after the sale and before closing:
a.  Terri kept on us to complete all that was required for the inspection.
b.  She informed us that the final sales price will be dependent on the appraisal.  So, we were aware that if the appraisal would come in lower than the offering price, we would accept a lower payoff at closing.  We never felt any surprises would come our way at closing. 
c.  Terri would call Nona and tell her what was happening on the sale so that Nona was fully informed. 

Impressions at closing. 
a.  Terri informed us what our payoff would be at closing before we showed up.
b.  At closing she brought a basket of gifts as a blessing to us for our successfully selling the home.  We felt like we had a Christmas celebration as we opened the gifts together and talked about their meaning. 

Terri began her task as our agent to sell our house.  We were skeptical and frustrated clients at the beginning.  But, she gained our trust and confidence.  She began as an agent.  By closing, she had become a friend.  So, of course, we will recommend her to anyone and everyone we know who wants to purchase or sell a home. 

Sincerely,

Bill and Nona Baker 
Billings, Montana

 

 www.BillingsHomeConnection.com

"Proud to be a friendly, professional, enthusiastic, meet-your-needs Real Estate Agent bringing homes and families together!" 

  "Where a word is a bond; a handshake is a promise; and a smile is genuine."™

Website by Sara Hudson, HUDSON CONSULTING, L.L.C. © 2009