I think of my role, as being similar to a teacher.

I hope to help clients become smarter. More informed. Increase their knowledge in the real estate arena. Buying or selling.

No matter whether you want to buy or sell - are you better off with more information?

Are you better off with more knowledge? Are you better off with recent, relevant facts? In most cases the answer is yes.

A good place to review common questions I have been asked over the years in real estate is the FAQs within this site: Buyer-faqs

Michael Bishop, The Cooler Real Estate Agent. 

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. An Ohio licensed real estate sales professional.

Michael is a top realtor or real estate agent in Central Ohio. Serving home buyers and home sellers in New Albany, Columbus and all of Franklin county as well as surrounding counties: Licking, Delaware, Knox, Union, Fairfield, Union, Perry, Pickaway, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Muskingum, Coshocton and beyond. 

Strengths include knowledge of construction and trades, specifically in home construction. Plus I'm a numbers and data driven type advisor.

Construction knowledge. I have nine years selling new homes.  This experience provided a solid understanding of trades needed in home construction - or home maintenance. Trades such as: heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, roofing, insulation, footers and digging, or excavation. This knowledge is helpful when viewing existing homes as I can typically get a solid grasp of what might be needed in the near future for the next owner. My knowledge of trades started as a young man helping my father who had skills in electric as a lineman setting power lines to rural areas in Eastern Ohio working for the REA, aka Rural Electrification of America. He was a solid carpenter; knew heating, cooling, plumbing, roofing as well as electrical. 

Here is a real world example: How important is it to know if the main electric panel was made by a company that no longer exists? 

It's particularly important if a fuse goes out, or a breaker fails and you can't get the part to replace it. Also some of these old panels were not super reliable. Federal Pacific is one such example seen around Central Ohio. The parts needed are often very expensive; or worse, no longer available. This is a good example where most buyers will likely want to replace antiquated electric panel, with a modern panel.

I think it's an advantage to know this just from the tour, or showing walk through. It's also helpful to know a fact like this before the property is professionally inspected.  It's a scenario where you already know you're likely to have items to negotiable better terms from a seller. Or decide upfront that that maybe there's too much work and expense needed for your taste or purchase preference.

New electric panels can vary from $500 to $2-$3,000 just to get the panel replaced. Something a buyer might want to know before offering. Also, if you are selling and and you have one of these problem panels, you can expect the buyer to discover the fact and likely want either a lower price, or for the seller to pay to replace it to complete the sale. 

If you are selling. This is an example where you might want to consider proactively replacing the panel before putting the property up for sale. 

I use sales data to help clients get a solid understanding of values and how to determine fair values. The dollars and cents aspect.

Michael Bishop, A brief background:

Born in Coshocton, Ohio which is Eastern Ohio past Newark Ohio and about the same distance from Zanesville, Cambridge, New Philadelphia & Newark Ohio. My father was a US Navy enlistee in WWII and although I am not a military veteran. I will always help anyone who has served - as that is what my Dad wanted and expected. Honor those who have served.

My dad (Dennis) was not educated past high school, but I still do many things today because of what he said; what he did; and the things he taught me. He worked in a number of areas but was originally an electrician. He worked for the REA (Rural Electrification of America) running power lines and poles into areas with no power previously. Desperately needed, but far from glamorous.

He also did heating, plumbing, insulation and roofing. Oh and was a pretty good auto/truck mechanic as well. At times (though I never generally wanted to) I would help. Be a hand. Literally meaning, hand tools to him as needed. Naturally as a father he'd coax me into doing a few simple things, and the next thing you know - you're learning and beginning to understand "how things go together - how things work.... or break."

A couple famous dadisms: "Son, you can't push a rope up." If someone will at least exert the effort to hang onto the rope... you can pull them up. 

Another favorite: "Son, liars will figure, but the figures will never lie." I'm not sure how old I was the first time he said that - but I remember that I didn't understand what he meant. After my high school graduation and going to Ohio Wesleyan University I became an Economics major. Although I didn't directly connect it to this saying, I think it played a part in understanding my dad, and things he had taught me - before I even realized it!

My own career, sort of like my father's has covered several areas.

Numbers & data driven.

First career was in the investment industry. Stocks specifically. Spending about nine years in it - last working at Merrill Lynch. I left after the twin towers bombing and the market collapse. 

Second career: advertising. Originally just the old fashioned yellow pages but it was also transitioning to digital online sales as well. I sold the ads directly to our larger customers for 2-3 years and then worked as a sales planner over a six state area. Segmenting our markets and the customers to be called on by our Premise (face-to-face) reps; telephone reps and direct mail. 

Now third career, real estate. In addition to be a licensed real estate agent since 2014, I also spent about nine years selling new build homes in Central Ohio. So it was the full cycle of seeing a farm get cleared. Streets added as well as the needed utilities. Selling a new home on a selected lot and helping client select EVERYTHING. It was a huge learning experience and the things I had done (or watched my father do) helped me understand a lot more about everything that goes into building a home.

New is not perfect. One of the biggest lessons from that experience was learning: new, does not mean perfect. People are building them - and who is perfect? No one! Truth be told, when in the building business, I hated realtors. Or at least most of them. New homes and the sales process is far different than the existing home sale process - which most did not know. Understand. Or even try to understand. 

So if you've read this boring history - this is how I become a real estate agent. It is all tied together in how I try to help clients know more and become a more knowledgeable buyer or seller.

Knowledge = Power

When it comes to buying or selling existing homes. I rely heavily on sales data. Numbers. Facts. Stats. Closed transactions. 

Now is that all there is to home buying/selling? Absolutely not. But it is factual information. And my way of thinking is the more my clients know. The greater their confidence will be regarding their decisions. 

For nearly ALL AMERICANS. Their home will be their largest single financial decision and commitment. I have a goal of wanting all clients to know they are making these big decisions with more information. More facts. More data. More confidence.

We look forward to providing you with a real estate experience that exceeds your expectations.

The end purpose: Know more. Be more confident. Make better choices. Make better decisions.

Buy Sell Have Fun & Know the Numbers!

Michael Bishop 614-600-4554

The Cooler Real Estate Agent

* the 'cooler' part is tied to the typical gift I give to my clients!