Joe Garst
Owner/Managing Broker
We are a growing office of real estate professionals with room for a few more. If you have been considering a career change, give me a call. Our office number is 509-323-2323.
Gonzaga University
I graduated from Gonzaga University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance.
e-PRO
An e-PRO is a Realtor who has successfully completed the e-PRO training program for real estate professionals. Endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the e-PRO course teaches the nuts and bolts of working with real estate on-line: Web sites, email, and other on-line tools. In this fast-paced age, technology has become a necessity. An e-PRO is someone who has recognized and responded to the needs of the new customer.
Accredited Buyer Representative
Negotiations. Inspections. Surveys. Contracts. More goes into buying a home than you may think. More than one million people in the United States are licensed to sell real estate. Of those licensees, fewer than 2 percent are Accredited Buyer Representatives (ABR®) Until very recently, real estate agents almost always represented the seller, not the buyer. You can now have an agent specifically committed to representing your best interests when buying a home.
Internet Marketing Specialist
The internet has changed the way people search for their new home. In a recent poll, over 89% of those surveyed said they used the internet as an information source when searching for available properties. Make sure you're using a real estate professional that has been trained in internet marketing!
SFR Certified
Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource
City Group STAFF
Rachel Bogue
Front Desk/Processor
Rachel was in the customer service industry prior to joining Windermere in 2021. She assists with all the in and outs of the front desk and transactions. She's very approachable if you have questions, or if you just want to say hi! Her willingness to help is something to always look forward to. Rachel's favorite things outside of work are art, the outdoors, exploring local restaurants, and she loves finding a good movie to watch.
Linda Peters
Office Manager
Linda has been in the real estate industry since 1986, and has been with City Group since 2006. She loves helping people and seeing them succeed. If you have questions regarding the back end of your business or transactions, she has the answer! Or will find it for you 🙂 and she's really good at making people laugh. Besides being at the office, one of her favorite places to be is the beaches of Puerto Vallarta.
Aileen Kāne
Graphic Design & Advertising
Aileen has been in the graphic design industry since 2004 and with City Group since 2017. She takes care of the initial setup of your listings across different platforms and assists with technical questions. Helping agents creatively with design and solutions really puts a pep in her step. She loves wildlife and all things earthy. When she's not at work, you can find her doing art, exploring nature or writing.
What We DO for Our Agents
Marketing Assistance
- Maintain/create websites
- Windermere roster info
- Maintain realtor.com info
- Help with writing bios, ads or home descriptions
- Setup on inner office communication platform, Konverse
- Install printer drivers & print management system
- Help with Windermere Custom Xpress orders
- Business card orders
- Help with technical questions (Windermere tools -Moxie, Xpress, Present & social media, Konverse, applications, computer issues etc.)
- Design special items
- Canva – create designs or templates
- Help agent progress on new Windermere updates (Brand usage, email procedure, copywrites etc)
- Taking headshots & editing to look professional
- Website page creation & maintenance
- Constant Contact listings email
- Help understanding social media platforms
- Rotate property flyers in office window for street exposure
- Distribute Windermere Spokane Newsletter & other marketing material to agents to share with clients
- Ad & misc. design creations
Listing Assistance
- Review paperwork and make sure it’s complete
- MLS entry
- Editing listing photos if needed
- Skyslope entry (online transaction management software/filing system)
- Flyer and or perma flyer creation
- Create Tour Factory virtual tours
- Enhance Windermere gallery if applicable
- Create Mail Chimp emails upon request
- Add Open houses in MLS and Tour Factory
- Answer questions and guide agents regarding SAR and fair housing rules
- Process Sales
- Send documents to the closers
- Send documents to lenders for buyer transactions
- Upload docs into Skyslope and maintain sales documents as they come in
- Filing system Skyslope is accessible 24/7 access to all documents
- Update statuses in paragon
Assistance with Tasks
- Answer and direct phone calls
- Greet and direct clients
- Make sure conference rooms are ready
- Take care of mail and recording agent postage charges
- Receive and distribute packages from mail, Fed Ex, and UPS
- Receive and forward faxes via email to appropriate agents
- Maintain office cleanliness for you and your clients
- Make coffee/start dishwasher every night/empty dishwasher in the morning
- Create Tour list to expose your listings for sales meetings
- Send out Open House one-liners to the Spokesman each week
- Create & maintain Floor schedule each month which agents can sign up for
- Maintain copiers (ink, services, restock paper)
- Stock resource room and kitchen with supplies
- Lamination of materials
- Book Binding for presentations/CMAs
- Printing Labels
- Assist agents as needed
Financials
- Account kept for agent extras for easy billing: Newspaper Ads, Out of Office Printing, Business Cards, Sign Installation and other miscellaneous items. Monthly statements are printed and distributed on the last day of the month.
- Set up and keep up agent and employee personnel files
- Closings are processed daily as they are received from the Title Company & Attorneys. Every effort is made to get closing funds to the agent the same day
- E&O Insurance is done per transaction. Other fees deducted at closing.
- All PSA and counters offer forms, commission disbursement and documents along with a Sales Information input into accounting system.
- Listing file review in skyslope for signatures and completeness.
- Accounts Payable weekly
- All Monthly and Yearly bookkeeping
- Copy HUD Statements for you annually
