Mimi Foster - Realtor^®, Colorado Springs

As a fifth generation Real Estate Professional, helping Clients buy and sell homes is something that I know well and continue to be passionate about. In the early 1970s I left my native Florida (sixth generation Floridian) and came to Colorado to attend college at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I was so enamored with the dry climate, mountains, and people that I decided to stay. When not involved in the profession that I love, I keep myself busy as the mother of five grown daughters, grandmother to four precious grandchildren, and daughter to a sweet and alert 90-year-old mother.

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Because buying and selling homes is often a stressful and intimidating process, my goal is to be the best Realtor^® possible, to make every transaction enjoyable, and to make the process as fun as possible, while still representing my Clients with honesty and integrity. I strive to keep ahead with the most up-to-date information and technology available. I continue my Realtor^® education at every opportunity so that I can stay current with laws, trends, and cutting-edge ideas. I love what I do, and take pride in doing it well.

For five years in a row, I have been chosen Colorado Springs Best Realtor^® (silver, gold, silver, bronze, silver) in the annual contest held by the Independent and voted on by the general public. I am truly honored.

My husband David and I have been involved for the past two decades in the renovation and restoration of Victorian homes in Downtown Colorado Springs. For many years we owned and managed a number of Colorado College rental properties - a daunting pastime, to say the least. We now work with two of my daughters, both Realtors, to help and assist people in making what could be a complicated process of buying and selling homes seem effortless and fun.

We have detailed systems in place to make sure that, as much as is in our control, each transaction runs smoothly. We have enough knowledge and experience to tackle any situation that might arise, and enough enthusiasm to build long-lasting relationships based on trust and a genuine concern for the best interests of our Clients. We have a reputable network of professional service providers with whom we work and refer to ensure that every transaction runs efficiently. We pride ourselves on the fact that so many of our Buyers and Sellers come to us as referrals from satisfied Clients.

Contact me with any questions or ideas concerning buying or selling real estate, foreclosures, renovations, investment properties, or any other areas that might be of concern to you. We're here to help.

Mimi Foster's Qualifications

CRS - The Certified Residential Specialist is the highest Designation awarded to real estate professionals who meet its stringent requirements in the residential real estate sales field. Less than 4% of all licensed Realtors^® are Certified Residential Specialists. The prestigious CRS Designation recognizes professional accomplishments in both experience and education. To receive this award, each Realtor^® must have significant experience and demonstrate a certain volume of real estate transactions, as well as complete rigorous educational requirements. It is considered the Ph.D. of real estate. Every CRS designee is required to maintain membership in the National Association of Realtors^® and to abide by its strict Code of Ethics. The training available to CRS designees includes a strong focus on technology and its applications in the real estate business. The typical CRS designee earns an average income nearly three times that of a non-designated Realtor^®.

GRI - Graduate REALTOR^® Institute is the mark of a highly trained real estate professional who has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation to better serve and protect their Clients. It is nationally recognized, and is considered the nation's number one professional real estate designation. This designation may only be earned after successfully completing a rigorous educational program that requires 92 hours of live course instruction on topics ranging from marketing and servicing listed properties to real estate law. It is one of the most comprehensive training programs available to Realtors^® today. GRI is recognized nationwide as the standard for real estate professionalism. A GRI has superior knowledge of real estate marketing, and has acquired skills that will set them apart from other REALTORS^®.

ABR - The Accredited Buyer Representative Designation is the benchmark of excellence in Buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate practitioners who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria. The ABR^® designation is designed for real estate Buyer Agents who focus on working directly with Buyer-clients. By attaining the ABR^®, you receive valuable real estate education that elevates your skills and knowledge in the eyes of home Buyers. There is also ongoing specialized information, programs, and updates that help you stay on top of the issues and trends in successfully representing Buyers.

ALHS - The prestigious Accredited Luxury Home Specialist Certification. This intensive course explores national luxury housing trends, specialized luxury Buyer and Seller needs, development and delivery of unique high level services, representation issues, liability and risk management, builder services, personal marketing, and much more. Inclusion into the Luxury Home Council requires all members to meet or exceed minimum standards of achievement demonstrating their expertise in the Luxury Home segment of the real estate industry.

AHS - Accredited Home-Staging Specialist. Before a Seller puts their house up for sale, it is imperative in this market that the home be the best it can be. There are too many houses listed in any particular price range to not put the best face forward on a property - to make it a "Shiny Penny." Because how you live in a home and how you market a home are completely different, the process of getting a home ready for sale is called 'Staging.' It is important that you have a Realtor^® with a keen eye to know what will help sell a home, what will appeal, and where a Seller would be best served in various areas of pre-sale home preparation. Home Staging is the process of glamorizing the look of a home by presenting it in an optimal light to maximize the selling price. It is about turning the house into a marketable home; it is the vehicle that transforms a lived-in house into a home that is ready to sell. These are two completely different things, and the subtle differences translate directly into higher sales prices. You are going to be moving, so start packing now. Not only do staged homes sell in almost half the time of non-staged houses, but Sellers get substantially more money for a staged home. We are not necessarily talking about home improvements that you have put off for the ten years that you have owned the home. We are talking about de-cluttering, rearranging, doing a polish and shine, and packing up non-essential items prior to showing the property so that it may be presented in its best light.

SFR - Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource is a new Designation that is available through the National Association of Realtors^®. Unfortunately, it is a sad fact of life that short sales and foreclosures comprise a large amount of today's standard real estate transactions. These deals are not at all like the traditional transaction with which we were so familiar. It is important that the Realtor^® knows how to help Sellers understand the complexities and repercussions of a short sale. It also takes special knowledge to help a Buyer pursue these opportunities knowledgeably. These are not just good skills to have in this market, they are critical to making sure that you are representing your Client professionally. Short sales (where a home is sold to a Buyer for less than what the Seller owes to the Mortgage Company) are not for the Realtor^® who is faint of heart. Agents who have received the SFR Designation will have much more confidence to see the transaction through to the end, and are much more likely to have the proper tools and training to navigate the rough waters of a short sale or foreclosure for their Client.

ePRO - is a Realtor^® who has been Certified by completing training endorsed by the National Association of Realtors^® in the specialized area of using the internet to better assist their Clients. If you use the internet, and you are looking to buy or sell a home, it is important that you work with an ePRO. You can trust doing business with them online, knowing that you will receive the information you need, but that you won't be spammed. They respond quickly to your questions, but know enough not to send you unwanted communications. Your personal information is protected, knowing that an ePRO will guard your privacy. You will receive the most up-to-date information available from a professional who knows the intricacies of online navigation. If you are relocating, an ePRO is an absolute must. With the tools to do your research electronically, the entire buying decision can be made online with a competent ePRO who can show you houses online, can share videos, electronic contracts and signatures, email, and any number of other resources that are at your disposal to make your transaction smooth and streamlined from showing to closing.