Calder Properties

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About Calder Properties

June 30, 2017

Full-service real estate agency owners Dan Sundberg and Linda DeZeeuw of Calder Properties are known for doing more for their clients. But that’s not what’s different. It is, however, a big part of the reason for their recent expansion and name change. Calder Properties is not just a real estate agency anymore. It is also a comprehensive property management company. But that’s not what’s different either. So, what’s different about Calder Properties? It’s the way they do business. As both real estate agents and property managers, Calder Properties partners with buyers, sellers, investors, and renters. Maybe you’ve heard that real estate agents all work for the seller. While it’s true that sellers pay agents their commissions, Dan and Linda understand that renters will someday be buyers, and buyers will someday be sellers. Instead of just banking sales commissions, they are committed to providing the best service to ALL of their clients and creating customers for life. A Full-Service Agency Serving Buyers and Sellers in the Greater Grand Rapids Area When acting as buyer’s agents to help you purchase a home, Dan and Linda will give you an honest professional opinion concerning every property you see. They will also make recommendations concerning: What to offer on a house How to best structure the offer Helpful negotiation strategies When listing your home for sale, some areas where Dan and Linda go above and beyond include: Providing a comprehensive overview of up-to-date market conditions and projections Researching current and recent comparable properties both for sale and sold Suggesting a pricing strategy based on experience and professional interpretation of current market conditions Offering advice on ways to improve presentation, staging and curb appeal Dan and Linda will put you first and do everything they can to make your real estate transaction as positive as possible. That said, there are a few things they can’t do. But, with years of experience in the local real estate industry, they’re bound to have just the right person in their extensive profession network. They will happily refer you to: Attorneys and Notaries Appraisers and Inspectors Mortgage and Financial Institutions Home Insurance Companies Title Companies A Property Management Company Helping Both Owners and Tenants With his years of rental property ownership and management, Dan Sundberg’s philosophy about property management is also different. And it has made Calder Properties very popular with both owners and tenants. “I don’t think of myself as much a manager as I do a partner,” Dan explains. By helping property owners to keep their properties updated and in good condition, the tenants are happy. And happy tenants take better care of their homes and stay put longer which is good for the property owners. Dan’s unique fair-pricing strategy for rent and property management fees is also well-liked. “I believe in keeping unit rents priced close to the market but at a point where you can eliminate vacancy as much as possible.” We’ll post more about Calder Properties’ property management fees and pricing your rental unit in coming weeks. In the meantime, if you’re looking for something different, choose experience, integrity, and reliability – choose Calder Properties.

Meet Dan Sundberg

June 9, 2017

It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to buy or sell, you want an experienced agent who puts your needs first and knows the market. Likewise, as a real estate investor, you need a manager who is pro-active when it comes to finding tenants and taking care of your properties. Meet Dan Sundberg, president and co-owner of one of West Michigan’s newest real estate firms, Calder Properties. Growing up in the local real estate and building industry has its advantages. Work experience is one, and long-term relationships are another. Dan has made the most of both. “When I was a kid, everything revolved around the family business. After school, I’d go to the job site and help out by cleaning up and acting as a gofer for the different contractors. I learned a lot about the building side of things, and when I was old enough to get a job, I went to work for my dad.” After graduating from South Christian High School, Dan went to work for a custom carpenter. The woodworking and carpentry skills he learned in that position have served him well over the years, especially when he first became a landlord. Sundberg purchased his first rental unit, a duplex, before he turned twenty and while he was still living at home with his parents. Dan Sundberg earned his real estate license and joined the family real estate business after losing a bet to his father in the fall of 2003. “I remember it was June, and I had twenty or thirty thousand dollars’ worth of carpentry work scheduled. My dad said if I could make more money than he could by Thanksgiving, he would give me $5000. But if he earned more than I did, I would agree to go to work for him.” Dan’s father won the bet with commissions he earned by selling just a handful of houses and rental properties. “I learned a lot about the building industry and real estate business from my dad – both what to do and what not to do.” Those lessons, learned while growing up in the family business, were the foundation of Dan’s first business, Crystal Springs Real Estate. And they continue to serve him as he and business partner Linda Dezeeuw expand and become Calder Properties. Advantage two – Long-term Relationships with Seasoned Investors In addition to the lessons learned from his dad, Dan Sundberg was greatly inspired by two real estate investors he came to know early on in his career. He believes their influence was instrumental in his decision to become a property manager. The first was an older gentleman named Ignacio who funded his retirement with real estate. Ignacio and his wife had purchased their first house as newlyweds. When they were ready to start their family, they purchased a second house and rented out the first. Each time the family outgrew their home, they rented it out and purchased a new one to live in. In the course of 40 years, Ignacio purchased seven homes while starting and running a business in Grand Rapids. After renting from Ignacio for 40 years, his original tenant purchased their home. “I learned the value of both long-term tenants and long-term real-estate holdings from Ignacio,” Dan explains when telling the story. When asked about the second influential relationship, Sundberg points to his first property management client. A former West Michigan resident now living in California, he began investing in real estate here because it was so affordable. They built up a rapport while touring houses, and acting in his capacity as a real estate agent, Dan offered to help the investor find a property manager. To this, the investor replied, “No thank you. If you’re going to sell them to me, you’re going to manage them for me.” “It was his way of making sure that we weren’t going to sell him junk,” Sundberg explains. And while that original client has since passed on, his wife still owns the houses Dan helped him purchase and several more. She is one of Dan’s best clients to this day. When the time comes… And you’re ready to hire a real estate agent, property manager, or maybe both, choose experience, integrity, and reliability – choose Dan Sundberg.