REO in the Missouri Ozarks

      My name is Amber Bourland, and I sell real estate in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of south-central Missouri. I know, lots of other people do, too. So what's so special about what I do? Well, for one thing, I belong to an independent brokerage. That means we aren't franchised or owned by a big corporation somewhere that doesn't understand our area and our people. We choose to be independent because that allows us to work with each client individually and in the manner that best benefits the client. We take pride in finding solutions to tricky marketing or financing issues, and have become very effective at what we do. I'm really not bragging, just trying to point out what is different about us/me....

     Unlike most real estate companies, we are not one that takes every listing offered. It doesn't help anyone to list a property that we don't think we can sell. While the average days a property sits on the market (from list to close) in this area is over 180, our average is 84! We accomplish this, in part, through aggressive marketing and by cooperating with all area brokerages, whether they are on the MLS or not.

     Unlike some Realtors, we honor the law and Code of Ethics. We simply will not be involved in a deal that violates the laws under which we were licensed. Real estate agents in general are not trusted by the public. That isn't because most are dishonest or unethical, but because a few are. We want to reverse the perception that all Realtors will lie, cheat and steal to make a commission. It isn't true and we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard so the public will come to see that, and gradually the "bad apples" will be eliminated from the industry.

     I specialize in REO/BPO work. REO stands for Real Estate Owned by banks, usually through foreclosure. BPOs are Brokers Price Opinions, performed much like a CMA, to help determine the likely sales price of a property. When banks take back properties, they usually have an appraisal and at least 2 BPOs done to arrive at a listing price. Because my broker is also an appraiser, I have learned how to value properties accurately (though what I do is by no means as thorough as an appraisal). When the properties are priced right, they sell faster. As an REO specialist, I often know months ahead when a property will be on the market, and I keep an eye on that end of the business to benefit the investors and buyers I work with.

     And last, but absolutely not least, we are all Christians and run our business accordingly. We feel blessed to live in the Ozarks and to be in a position to help others own their own homes and transition to a new neighborhood...