Dani Blain Real Estate Team

What Every Agent Wishes You Knew

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Whether you’ve never bought or sold a house or have done both, there are a handful of things every Real Estate Agent wishes you knew. Today, we bring you our agents’ top four! It’s our insider’s info on the reality of being a Real Estate Agent. 

An Agent will rarely sit you down to tell you the things we are about to give you the scoop on. They will chug forward, working long, demanding hours with friendly smiles on their faces because they love what they do. However, we suspect if you knew these few important tidbits things would be ever more smooth for both you and your agent! So, with the hopes of shining light into the lesser known parts of our industry (and to help you, help us the next time we work together) here are the top four things Agents wish you knew: 


#1 Choose Your Agent Wisely

We’ve said it before and we will say it again… especially in today’s market, you need a Real Estate Agent. Ideally one of our DBRE Agents. Because now more than ever, we need you to truly consider who will represent you in this monumental life decision. Don’t just pick your aunt’s, neighbor’s, son’s, wife who just got her license and is eager for a client. Now is not the time to let Uncle Ned dust off his old Real Estate license. 

This current market is nothing like any of us have ever seen before. Working with a trusted DBRE Agent means that you are working with someone who has been navigating this market the whole time ‘this market’ has morphed into what we now know it to be. Our Agents will serve you with integrity and deliver their expertise and knowledge. They also have the support of our entire DBRE team behind them.


#2 Just Because “Zillow Says” – Doesn’t Mean It’s So…

Isn’t it fun to look on Zillow and see what your home is worth? Well… unfortunately, Zestimates are kind of just that – for fun. They are often completely off base and make it hard for us to convince our clients that our expertise and actual MLS listing comps are a lot more accurate than what you see on Zillow, Trullia, etc. Zillow is not a property valuation site. Period. It works off of algorithms and online data that may be out of date or inaccurate. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we do feel this is important for our clients to be in the know about.


#3 We Don’t Make as Much Money as You Think

This is not to say that Real Estate is not a lucrative industry, it absolutely has the potential to be, but there seems to be a bit of a misconception that all Real Estate Agents make great money. There are so many variables to what an Agents annual salary looks like, not to mention that in this industry, you’ve got to spend money to make money. 

In a 100% commission based field, Agents don’t get paid until every paper is signed, sealed, and delivered. It can be after months and months of working every weekend showing homes, writing multiple offers that don’t materialize, paying for marketing of your home upfront, and… so.much.gas. Each transaction could be 100s of hours of work that agents don’t get paid for unless, and until, the transaction is finally closed. 

Things fall through, people switch Agents (this is the ultimate heart breaker for most Agents), and people change their mind. A common mindset in real estate goes something like this: a client is like a bet the Agent makes, taking a risk on you. They work hard for you to ensure their gamble pays off in the end. At DBRE we are more than this. DBRE’s Agents our servant-leaders. While each new client involves risk we believe the risk is worth it since relationships and people are so important to us. Most times we are successful because we know that when the client succeeds we do, regardless of what that looks like in the end.


#4 Trust Us… We Got You! 

We feel confident in saying that all of the Agents at Dani Blain Real Estate are salt of the earth people who know that we value putting people over numbers and taking care of our clients is of utmost priority. Plus, all our agents are backed by our entire family of agents. 

Like all industries, Real Estate can have some bad apples in the bunch, but when you choose to work with a DBRE Agent, you can trust this person has your best interests in mind and will work hard to meet your needs. 

The process could be difficult (especially in today’s market…) and it could feel like a roller coaster ride. The good thing? Your agent knows this ride well. They will brace you for the twists and turns and help you when you need to pause the ride – or ask to move on to a new one. 

And there ya have it… what every Agent wishes you knew. We hope you learned a few things and we hope all your future transactions or current ones are just that much smoother!

This post is to “pull back the curtain” on parts of the Real Estate industry you may not have known about. All of our Agents have picked this profession because they love to serve others and they are good at what they do. They value and appreciate all of their clients and gladly do all of the fun and not so fun parts of their job.

We look forward to connecting with you, working with you, and hopefully finding you the home or property of your dreams. If you have any questions about the process, about a property, or even about our brokerage, please reach out so we can help.

The Right Real Estate Team

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Real estate deals are tough, choosing your team shouldn’t be

Buying or selling a home has numerous steps and so many layers of things that need to be figured out – that it can seem like an overwhelming process to even know where to begin. The best way to determine what the next steps are for the position you are in, is to connect with a real estate professional. That step alone, can feel daunting – there are so many agents and brokerages out there, how do you make sure you end up with the right team? Well, we may be a little biased, but – we feel confident that Dani Blain Real Estate is the clear choice for all of your buying or selling needs. 

Dani Blain Real Estate opened its doors in September of 2019, but the group of professionals we opened with was already an established team. We were ready to venture into new territory so that we could expand our focus on giving back to the Central Valley Community we had all been serving for many years, as well as grow our agents to better help them achieve their goals. This brokerage was based on a straight forward vision of putting people and relationships over the numbers, serving our team and our clients well, and making sure we always do what we say we are going to do.

The process of buying or selling needs to not only be driven by someone who knows and understands real estate and the entire process, but also someone who knows and understands that this is a personal and emotional process for every single one of our clients. We pride ourselves on having a team of agents that understand that when we are meeting your specific needs and helping you succeed, that makes us succeed.

Our agents are the core of what we do. We bring agents on to our team that will fit well within our culture and they are all people who can get behind and truly embody our core values. We encourage you to meet our team and learn a bit more about our agents – you will see that they all have one thing in common: they all live in and care deeply about our Valley community. 

We believe we are blessed so that we can bless others. We built this brokerage on a foundation of finding ways to give back to this community in the specific ways it needs. We give monthly to align groups or individuals who help make our community a better place. Some of the causes we love and give support to are; Lighthouse Women’s Shelter, AMVETS, Visalia First, Young Life, and many more. You can read more about some of the causes we support here.  

Whether you are a first time buyer looking for the perfect starter home, an investor looking to grow, a newly retired couple looking to downsize, or somewhere in between, we have got you covered. Specializing in every county here in the Valley we can make your real estate dreams a reality. We want to connect with you and work hard for you. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Summer of 2020: How You Can Make the Most of It

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When we look back at 2020, years and years from now, what are the things you think we will remember? Good, bad or otherwise, there will be things that leave a lasting impression with us. Hopefully the things that will sink deep into our memories are things that made us feel good, things that made us feel connected, and things that made us feel like we were contributing to the greater good. In our last blog post, we talked about ways to help our Central Valley community through this time, but today we want to talk about ways you can create some intentional experiences for you and your family that will become a part of your forever memory bank. Things that you and your kids will be talking about decades from now with the next generations of your family when you recall these times.

As adults, it is easier for us to kind-of-know, while in the moment, the things that are going to be impactful and we have a pretty good gauge on what we will take away from an experience while we are in the midst of it. But what about our kids? Are they going to look back at this time with memories of toilet paper shortages, news briefings, and people wearing masks? Maybe… but hopefully that’s not all. Hopefully when they look back at this time they are going to remember some of the experiences you have already created for them. Maybe it’s playing board games as a family every night after dinner or putting on talent shows for their parents? Have you tried sleepovers in siblings bedrooms, having them mow a neighbor’s lawn, or leaving motivational quotes in sidewalk chalk on a local walking trail for all to see? As parents, we have the opportunity to create experiences for them that can steer their memories in a positive direction.

For the first few months of this Pandemic, most of us were in survival mode. Between adjusting to working from home or being faced with unemployment, kids transitioning to distance learning, and more Zoom calls and meetings than any of us want to think about – finding time to make these meaningful memories may have taken a back seat. But did you know that our brains are hardwired to prioritize memories with emotional content?

No doubt, this season we are in right now has created plenty of emotion filled moments. We will all remember the first time we went to the grocery store and were met with empty shelves and grief stricken looks on shopper’s faces, but we really want to focus on ways to help create positive emotion based memories so we can fondly look back at this time as well. (To read more about the way our brain may process this time, read this article.) Especially now that the kids are out of school for the summer.  We are all ready to add some “real life” fun on top of the virtual world we have been somewhat trapped in since March.

Below, check out our list of things you can add to your adventure ‘to-do’ list and join us in committing to finding ways to keep ourselves busy with a good mix of things to do at home. If you see anything missing from our ideas below, please share with us on social media!

Go Rafting!

Sunshine Rafting Adventures runs trips along the Stanislaus river and began their season on June 6th. They have outlined new procedures to ensure safe physical distancing and sanitization. Or you can try out Fresno Rafting to take a trip down the San Joaquin River. If you want to check out the Kings River, there are a number of Rafting Outfitters you can view here.

Cool Off at Wild Water Adventure Park in Clovis

With a scheduled opening of June 20th and great Season Pass deals, you may be able to make this a regular part of your 2020 adventures. Be sure to check out the new COVID-19 considerations that include required reservations and assigned picnic sites for each group to maintain safe physical distancing. For season pass info, click here.

Visit the Incredible Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno

In the early 1900s Balsassare Forestiere settled in Fresno with dreams of becoming a citrus farmer. He spent 40 years of his life excavating and over 10 acres of citrus trees all underground. This summer be sure to make a reservation for a guided tour (and bring a face mask) to see this incredible historical landmark.

Take a Float Trip Down St. John’s River

Some Visalia locals have been doing this for years… but others may have no idea how to prepare for a float down St. John’s. Read this article for some tips from a pro to plan an afternoon adventure right here in our backyard!

Buy a House!

Hahaha! No… but really, you should buy a new house and make it a home this summer! We have a ton of great homes on the market and we know the right one is waiting for you. If you decide to make 2020 the year you not only survived a Global Pandemic, but also buy a new home, our team of agents at Dani Blain Real Estate is ready to work with you. Contact us today!

7 Ways to Help Our Community Right Now

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“The times we live in bring a greater sense of uncertainty, but also an overwhelming need to help each other out.” -Joe Pacovsky

During unprecedented times like these, things can feel overwhelming and maybe even a bit scary. Here at Dani Blain Real Estate we want to encourage our clients and future clients to use a bit of time right now to lean in to what grounds you. Lean in to what makes you feel good. That may be something as simple as taking a break from social media, baking cookies, or taking a walk through your neighborhood. For some it may be doing something to give back to the community or to our friends and neighbors. Our brokerage takes great pride in doing what we can to serve and lift others up in times of need. Here is a list you can pull from – or not. Maybe you are already knocking the ‘Quarantine Game’ outta the park. If you are, please add to our list in the comments below. But if you find yourself looking for a little nudge in the right direction, here you go:

1. Help a neighbor

This seems pretty simple, but for the last two and half months we may have been operating in fight or flight mode and not looking past the moment we were getting through. But now, as things are settling in and we are all getting ready to venture into what will become normal, we can take a step back and see that there may be someone a house or two away we can help. Reach out (especially to an elderly neighbor) and see if there is anything they need. It might be a cup of sugar or a box of tissue you have on hand. Or maybe you can show them how to do an online shopping order? You could save them the delivery fee and go pick the order up for them. It can be simple, it doesn’t have to be something like committing to mow a lawn every week, it could be bringing their trash cans out for them. It could be leaving them a quick note to tell them their roses are looking great. Anyway you can connect to the people around you will be great for both you and them. Give it a try and see what happens

2. Donate Blood

Blood banks always need blood, but they need it now more than ever. Blood drives across the country have been cancelled, less people can be allowed in donation centers with COVID-19 protocols, and less people are healthy enough or willing to donate. The American Red Cross released a statement saying, “…Donating blood is a safe process and people should not hesitate to give or receive blood. The need for blood is constant, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need of transfusions.”

And right here in the Valley, Central California Blood Center (CCBC) says, “Blood is very much an essential for our Valley people. There’s a reason why we say, “Valley people need valley blood.” As a health care operation and essential infrastructure to our community, we are open and accepting blood donors, with blood needed now more than ever.” If you are healthy and willing, making a donation now can make a big difference. Make an appointment with CCBC today right here on their website.

3. Volunteer

During this time volunteers are needed more than ever. When Shelter in Place orders were mandated, a number of industries that relied on volunteers, lost a great deal of them due to the populations that were volunteering – older adults in the high risk category. If you find yourself with time on your hands that you didn’t previously have, now is a great time to start volunteering. Right here in the Valley, our food banks have a huge need for volunteers. By visiting this link you will see a number of events that they need hundreds of volunteers for. Additionally, with so many things shifting to virtual modes these days, you can even volunteer remotely, from the safety and comfort of your own home. Check out this link where you will see a number of digital volunteer opportunities. 

4. Make a Donation

Non-profits across the country need your donations now more than ever. If you have the resources available to you, consider making a monetary donation to FoodLink of Tulare County or your local church so they can put your funds towards the greatest needs. CASA of Tulare County is also another great place here, locally that could really benefit from your support. Additionally, you could create The Valley’s very own Mutual Aid Group – almost like a virtual classified ad specifically for people who may have fallen upon hard times can list their needs (groceries, translation services, a prescription pick-up, etc…) and others can choose to answer the call. Currently the closest ones to us are in LA County and San Joaquin County. One of us could start one right here for our community in the Central Valley. 

5. Remember those working on the front lines

Think of the number of times we have gone to the grocery store, stopped in to pick up a to-go food order at a local restaurant, had a package delivered to our front door… how many times have we done those things in the last two and half months? The essential workers that have kept us going in these times have been called to the front lines in a way they certainly couldn’t have predicted. In addition to these Pandemic Heros, there are of course our healthcare workers, and first responders risking exposure every shift. What can we do to show all of them our gratitude? It depends on the resources you have available to you, but it could be calling the police station and asking if you can have pizzas delivered, or dropping off donuts at the fire station. It could also be having a little box of pre-packaged goodies and waters by your door for the people enabling your online shopping addiction. You could take an extra moment or two at the grocery store to give eye contact to the people that are ringing you up and bagging your groceries and delivering a heartfelt thank you. There are many ways to express our appreciation to all on the front lines and we think anything you do to recognize them will go a long way. Take that kindness and sprinkle it around like confetti!

6. Create Community

We keep hearing, “we are all in this together,” right? It’s true – we are all, collectively, experiencing life in a pandemic at the same time time, together – but we are also somewhat still physically apart. As humans, we all crave connection, we need it like we do food and water. It’s in our DNA – we are wired to connect. It’s no wonder some of us may be feeling a bit off kilter being socially distant from the people in our communities. Our kids aren’t seeing their friends everyday at school, we aren’t seeing the other parents we always do at pick ups and drop offs or soccer and basketball practices. This can leave us with a deficit in our “human connections bank.” So what can we do to fill them back up? We can connect virtually with Zoom, Facetime, Skype, etc… or the old fashioned way – a regular phone call, a postcard, a letter to connect with those that we normally see. 

We can also do little things in our neighborhood to create a sense of community with the people close in proximity, but that we maybe wouldn’t normally spend time with. There are a few simple things we can do to let our neighbors know we are with them in this, and uplift them in this challenging time. You could leave a little note to everyone at the mailbox. You could leave positive and uplifting notes on the sidewalk (not just in front of your house – all around the ‘hood) for people to see along their walks. You could paint, color, or print out a rainbow to display in your front window. Families in Italy started doing this when COVID-19 forced the entire country into lockdown. This simple rainbow that kids were drawing began to unite them and symbolized hope and served as a reminder that, “andrà tutto bene” (everything will be alright). People around the world have been inspired by this and you can see rainbows in windows to help remind us all that it will be good again. 

7. Take care of yourself

Just as they say in pre-flight reminders, you need to put the oxygen mask on yourself before you place it on those dependent on you. If we don’t make self-care a priority, there is no way we can help our fellow neighbors and our Valley community. Practicing good self-care doesn’t have to mean a spa day (although.. How nice does that sound?!) It really can be something as simple as taking a break from your day and stepping outside. Just being amongst nature (literally in your own backyard, or work parking lot with some trees) has been proven to lower blood pressure and help fight anxiety. You can kick it up a notch and practice guided meditation using a free app on your phone (we love Calm and Pray.com) and feel the stresses of our everyday melt away. You can journal, draw, color, take a nap, take a bath, or anything that would bring you a little joy that you carve time out for to prioritize yourself for just a small portion of your day. Give it a try and see that self care really does help set the tone for you to be your best self for others. 

The bottom line is this… all of us, collectively, are going through something that has never happened in our lifetime. None of us know how to do this “right” and there really isn’t a one size fits all right way to do life in the midst of a global pandemic. We just want you to know that we are here for you, we are with you in this together, and we are rooting for everyone as we all create our own paths through this challenging time. We would also love to hear from you… if you tried some of the things in our list, if you have ideas to add, or if you just want to give us a virtual fist bump in the name of solidarity, we will take it! Share this article on social media for us or email it to a friend and thank you for being a part of our community.

Real Estate is “Essential”

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…and we are here for you

As we all navigate the uncharted waters of life in the midst of a Global Pandemic, everyone is on the hunt for information, answers, a sense of normalcy, and maybe even a hug. It is a surreal time to be residing on the planet Earth. Over the course of the last couple of months we have all been forced to really evaluate where we were and where we want to be headed. The State of California has been under Shelter in Place orders for over two months. Reopening is now being tried, discussed, and argued, but overall it’s still far from normal. Regardless, what is the most important part of sheltering in place? Having a place to shelter, right? Which is why residential and commercial real estate were listed as part of the country’s “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce,” in a statement by the Department of Homeland Security. Does this mean it’s business as usual for our team here at Dani Blain Real Estate? No, definitely not. Does it mean we are finding new ways to buy and sell homes, while keeping people safe, and still making connections with people to help them grow – one property at a time, well… yes, yes it does. 

Our agents have quickly learned to adjust to new and changing best practices when it comes to buying and selling homes. Instead of Open Houses, we are hosting IGTV and Facebook Live tours of homes. We have upped our virtual tour game, as well as shifted the majority of our client interactions from in person, to virtual. If we have a serious potential buyer that has decided after virtual tours that they need to see a home in person before signing on the dotted line, we are following the regulations set forth by the California Association of Realtors; only one agent and two visitors from the same household are allowed in the house at a time. We are also wearing gloves and disinfecting door knobs, keys and locks, and we are of course urging clients to touch as few surfaces as possible, maintaining a minimum of 6’ of distance, and going over specifics of the home and questions before and after the showing over the phone or on a conferencing app in order to minimize time in the home. It is much different than the way we did business three months ago, but then again, we are all going about life in this new COVID-19 era in a completely different way than we did three months ago. 

Despite the challenges we are all facing, we still have people that are ready to sell and we have highly motivated buyers. With many employers shifting the way their teams are going to operate throughout the course of this Pandemic, we will see many employees remain in a work from home situation. If our homes are now also going to double as our offices, now more than ever, we need to be in a home that we love. A home that fits our needs and provides us respite during this period of unknowns and uncertainties. A home that we can make memories in, and that will serve as a backdrop to the milestones of life.  We are confident that we can match our clients with their dream homes, even in a less than dream-like situation.

At Dani Blain Real Estate, above all else, we have always put people first. During times like these, we are reminded by the hard work we have seen in our agents that this team is committed to their clients and our community. We know that we are collectively experiencing a very challenging time. We want our clients and potential clients to know that our agents are ready to help you buy or sell your new home today. We know that every real estate transaction is always something that comes with a great deal of emotion – and everyone’s emotions are a little raw these days, so our agents are here to meet with compassion and give everyone a solid dose of grace throughout the process. We will do everything in our power to keep our clients and our agents safe and healthy (both physically and emotionally,) to help make your real estate dreams come true.