Advice

Advice From Real Estate Expert: Erik Hatch

Erik Hatch, of Hatch Brokered by Real, has always been a family man with drive.

Erik Hatch, Owner Hatch Brokered by Real

Erik Hatch, of Hatch Brokered by Real, has always been a family man with drive. He served as the director of youth ministries for First Lutheran Church, making a difference in people’s lives through his work within the church. Now, still having that deep passion for leadership and making a real difference in the community, Hatch uses real estate to make that change in people’s lives daily.

Here, we connected with Hatch to discuss advice for someone looking to sell their home, what a first-time home buyer should look for, home products and vendors that have changed his life, and much more.

Erik’s Resume

  • Has helped over 6,000 families buy and sell their homes.
  • Offers a multitude of methods for selling a home.
  • A true community servant, as be pursues his passion for developing relationships and impacting the area for the better.

“Play for the Person Next to You: A Guide to Servant Leadership”

Hatch’s debut book “Play for the Person Next to You” serves as inspiration for any reader to learn more about the occasionally rocky path to success. Published in 2019, Hatch recounts his journey to success through vulnerability and transparency with readers. A storyteller at heart, Hatch leaves an honest message with readers through his knowledge and advice in the published book.

Fargo has been Hatch’s home for his entire life, as it’s where he was born, raised, and met his wife Emily. Now, they’re raising their children, Finley and Simon, in the same beloved community.

Following his graduation from North Dakota State University, Hatch pursued work as a youth minister to make a difference in the lives of others. Through his work, he developed an even greater passion for cultivating meaningful relationships and inspiring others that he met on his journey.

In 2014, Hatch launched Hatch Realty with the intention of creating a platform where he could help others find the home of their dreams. While this driven entrepreneur serves as CEO of Hatch Realty, his energy is now spent casting vision, marketing the business, and leading and coaching people.

Hatch’s ambition and pursuit of developing healthy relationships is what led to the transition with Real Broker, LLC, in August of 2021. With Hatch Realty at the core, this partnership with a national brokerage allowed the team to continue taking care of their clients while offering the necessary tools to better communicate in today’s tech-driven world.

Hatch’s passion to make a difference and care for others is deeply engrained in his personal life. Hatch has helped build two unique nonprofit movements, “Homeless & Hungry” and “Sell a Home, Save a Child”, which have raised a combined $5 million to help serve children and families in need. These are yet another example of Hatch’s pursuit to make change in others’ lives.

As Hatch continues to move forward in the real estate industry, he has also made a name for himself as an author. His first book, “Play for the Person Next to You,” released in September 2019. Following the success of his first publishing, Hatch published a second book, titled “The Perfect Real Estate Agent Blueprint,” in July of 2022.

Through these book releases, Hatch is continuing to redefine how the real estate industry is serving its clients and agents at every level. Furthermore, Hatch has launched an inspirational venture titled Hatching Leaders, a motivational leadership coaching program in which Hatch can be hired for many forms of coaching, consulting, sales training, team-building retreats, keynote speaking, and much more.

While Hatch has already broken significant new ground in the FMWF area’s real estate landscape, we’re sure that he still has plenty of new ground to impact moving forward, both in the real estate industry and far beyond.

5 Tips for A First Time Home Buyer

1. The most important step is putting together your team.

“Alignment with the right Realtor can save you tens of thousands of dollars as well as avoid giant headaches in the process. A great strategy session with your Realtor will kick things off to set you up for the biggest of wins. (And did you know that traditionally the Realtor you work with is paid by the seller—so it’s a $0 cost out of your pocket!?!)”

2. Getting the right lending partner is imperative.

“You simply can’t buy a house without money (aww, bummer). And unless you have a giant pile of cash, you need to get a loan from a lending institution. Before you ever even start shopping for homes, you should work with your lender to see what you qualify for and even more importantly, what kind of home fits in your desired budget.”

3. Get a feel for what’s out there.

“This involves attending open houses, driving neighborhoods, looking at homes online, and more. Make sure you are locked into your Realtor (see step #1) before you begin this process so you don’t get stuck with the wrong agent at the right time.”

4. Plan months in advance.

“You may have a lease you need to exit or a basement you’re tired of living in, so your planning ahead will be to your advantage. The average home buyer looks for 10-12 weeks before they find ‘the one’ and get an accepted offer on their home. After that, the pending/escrow period takes 4-8 weeks. So if you’re looking to move by a certain date, you need to plan accordingly!”

5. Be careful whom you take advice from.

“Yes, your uncle in Sheboygan may have bought a home recently, but it doesn’t mean they know the market conditions locally. Real estate changes daily and is hyper-local. Make sure your team of trusted experts know these intimately.”

Erik’s 5 Recommended Vendors

1. Carpet Garage

“Carpet Garage “For all of your carpet, flooring, and tile needs, and much more! Founded here in North Dakota, they offer a variety of materials at affordable prices. According to their website, they are currently in the top 100 largest flooring retailers in the nation.”

Contact Carpet Garage – West Fargo, ND
Website: carpetgarage.com
Phone: (701) 281-9631
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: /CarpetGarageWestFargo

2. Painting by Chaz Bombenger

“Chaz Bombenger of Painting by Chaz Bombenger offers long-lasting, high-quality interior and exterior painting. Painting by Chaz Bombenger specializes in painting interior, exterior, kitchen cabinets, windows, doors, and trim. For those interested in a new bathroom, but unsure of where to start, Painting by Chaz Bombenger also specializes in remodels, as they help get your dream bathroom off the ground.”

Contact Painting by Chaz
Website: paintingbychaz.com
Phone: (701) 491-2739
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: /PaintingByChaz

3. Giddings Painting Company

“Giddings Painting Company specializes in interior and cabinet painting for any and all home projects. Brent Giddings of Giddings Painting Company has more than 18 years of professional painting experience that he’s ready to put to use in your home.”

Contact Giddings Painting Company
Website: giddingspaintingcompany.com
Phone: (701) 306-5383
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: /GiddingsPaintingCompany

4. Eco Chic Home

“Eco Chic Home is a home decor, furniture, gifts, and lifestyle boutique located right here in Fargo, North Dakota. While they specialize in interior design, house staging, and retail sales for their customers, they truly offer something for everyone, ranging from counter stools and sofas to succulent spray and stoneware canisters.”

Contact Eco Chic Home
Website: shopecochichome.com
Phone: (701) 356-6600
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: /EcoChicHome

5. Bear’s Home Solutions

“Bear’s Home Solutions offers a solution to all of your home heating, cooling, and plumbing needs. As they provide installation, service, maintenance, and 24/7 solutions to emergencies, Bear’s Home Solutions offers everything from duct sealing to energy-efficient fireplaces.”

Contact Bear’s Home Solutions
Website: bearshomesolutions.com
Phone: (701) 365-0365
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: /BearsHSFargo

7 Life-Changing Home Products

Double Islands
“This, of course, requires the rightsized kitchen. Yet, when possible, avoid the giant singular island and instead do a double island. One is for people to gather around, pour drinks, and enjoy appetizers, and the other is for preparing and serving food. It’s the ultimate flex.”

A 3-stall Garage
“Most families have two (or more) cars. And between snow blowers, lawnmowers, bikes, yard games, grills, patio furniture, etc.—an abundance of space is needed. The garage serves as an extension of your storage as well as a place to escape the chaos of the inside of the home.”

A Four-Season Sunroom
“There seems to be a trend here— that we, in the upper Midwest, crave sunshine and warmth. There’s no better way to take advantage of this than through a four-season sunroom. Windows are one of the ultimate luxury items, so why not have a room full of them!?!”

A Home Security System
“Unfortunately, this is a must nowadays. Protecting your home and the loved ones in it is non-negotiable. Cameras aren’t nearly as expensive as they once were and help keep the bad guys out and your teenage kids in!”

A Griddle
“This griddle can be outdoors (Blackstone) or indoors (connected to your gas range). It’s the greatest way to cook. From pancakes and omelets to quesadillas and burgers—there’s no greater way to cook with ease.”

A Sauna
“Finding a good cleanse through deep heat is not only good for your health but it’s good for your soul. You can find a two-person sauna for a reasonable price and it doesn’t take up a ton of space. Sweat away the long winter days by adding this feature to your home. The Sauna we use is BOTARO Maxxus Saunas MX-J206-01.”

Upgraded Outdoor Furniture
“Long gone are the days of a plastic folding chair that’s designed to humiliate anybody five pounds overweight. Instead, your outdoor space should be embraced mightily during our glorious summer days. If you’re looking to soak up all the sunshine and warmth outdoors, then make sure you have something comfortable to sit on and around.”

Our favorite spot to shop for outdoor furniture is SCHEELS Home & Hardware.

5 Tips for Someone Looking to Sell Their Home

1. Don’t trust a zestimate.

“A Zestimate is Zillow’s tool that gives you an estimate of your home’s value based on a computer algorithm. It may get you in the ballpark, yet I’ve seen the Zestimate as much as 40% off of the actual value of the home. Use a trusted realtor (gets paid a commission when the property sells) or appraiser (charges for the work they do upfront) to establish an accurate value of your home in today’s market.”

2. First impression matter.

“Just like people, outside appearances can be deceiving— and we know it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Yet if the outside doesn’t seem inviting, rarely will people even bother to schedule a showing. So make sure you have a clean and bright exterior. Consider adding mulch, some fresh flowers (real or fake), paint your front door, and have things pressure washed (that is if the snow is ever gone).”

3. Inexpensive upgrades can go a long way.’

“Without breaking the bank, you’ll be blown away at how much some new flooring can change the aesthetic and smell of your home. All of the old dirt and grime can disappear and your home’s value will feel so much greater in the eyes of a home buyer if your flooring isn’t worn or faded.”

4. Less is more.

“There’s a rule of 50% when it comes to getting your home on the market. All shelves, walls, and closets should have 50% less stuff than it currently has. If the buyer sees clutter, then they don’t see the beauty of your home. So do yourself a favor and do some pre-packing (decluttering) and rid yourself of 50% of your stuff.”

5. Find your superstar.

“Aligning with the right Realtor can be the difference between literally tens of thousands of dollars, a plethora of headaches, and weeks (if not months) on the market. Selling your home is riddled with uncertainties, and a great Realtor should be able to help you navigate these with much more ease and far fewer gray hairs.”

How Erik Hatch Does Real Estate Differently

Hatch offers “a sea of options to sellers” when most real estate agents offer one route for selling a home. First, they offer the “traditional” route of real estate that most follow.

“Most realtors only have one club in their bag, where they list the house and sell it the traditional way through MLS with showings, offers, home inspections, and appraisals. When it’s all said and done, the homeowner should be able to maximize their money and get their house sold within 45 to 60 days. However, things rarely go according to plan, leading to stress,” Hatch said. “Zillow did a study years ago to see what the biggest stressors are that home sellers face, and they said that selling a home was more stressful than divorce for a number of people. They went on to say that the biggest things that riddle home sellers are uncertainty, interruptions, and the money that they’re going to make. If uncertainty is paralyzing for people, we need to, as realtors, have options and opportunities for them to understand what that looks like. We need more than one club in the bag.”

The next option that Hatch offers is their snap offer program, in which homeowners can contact Hatch to get an onsite valuation of their property. Within a matter of days, they will offer the homeowner two prices.

“The first price that we offer is the traditional list price, and the other is a price that we give you, but you get to pick the closing date, there are no fees associated with it, and you can leave whenever you want, without any uncertainty or interruptions, Of course, it’s on the other side of the investors, taking that calculated risk of buying the house, holding, and reselling the house, so it’s not a price that everybody’s going to say yes to. [There are] a lot of folks in trying times that are wondering what other options are out there,” Hatch said.

The third option involves Hatch offering a loan directed towards home repairs for the homeowner. “I can loan $10,000 of my money, and we’ll guide the homeowner on which home repairs need to be done by an outside professional. When we loan $10,000 to the home seller, that $10,000 can turn into $40,000 or $50,000 because their property becomes that much more appealing and they were able to take care of those eyesores that were there,” Hatch said.

Lastly, Hatch Realty offers a “Buy Before You Sell” option to homeowners. If a homeowner is in the midst of a tough market and looking to make an offer on their next home, but need to sell their current home in order to buy, their current home offer will be considered next to any other cash offers, despite not having sold their home yet.

“What happens is I’ll give them an offer of my own cash to buy the property, and they can take that money to buy their next property without that contingency. They can still try to sell their house to somebody else if they can make more money, and I’ll cancel my purchase agreement once they’re able to do so. If they’re unable to sell, then they have to sell to me if their other options fall through. Most people in the area aren’t doing that. In fact, I know nobody can offer what we offer,” Hatch said.

“The Perfect Real Estate Agent Blueprint”

In Erik Hatch’s second book, co-written by Robby Trefethren, Hatch and Trefethren take a deep look into ever ything you need to find your calling in the real estate industr y. Published in 2022, the book offers a variet y of tips and wise advice from industr y experts to solidify their position at any level in the real estate market.

Hatch Brokered by Real

Phone | Office: (701) 212-1572
Agent: (701) 369-4839
Website | hatchrealty.com
Email | [email protected]
Facebook | /HatchRealtyFM
Address | 4215 31st Ave S, Fargo, ND 58104

Hatch Coaching

Website | hatchcoaching.com
Email | [email protected]
Instagram | @HatchCoaching
Facebook | /HatchCoaching
Youtube | /HatchCoaching

 

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