



Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My wife and I had the good fortune of being referred to Mike Shimkonis by another realtor. We have bought and sold a number of properties over the years and have used maybe ten different brokers. My experience has been that most of those brokers did not add enough value to justify their fees. Finding a competent realtor should be easy, but in reality it's pretty hard. What a difference then, and how refreshing, to deal with such a qualified professional.
Background: We were looking for a single-family home or condo/townhome that would work well as a rental. We looked in Ski Ranches, Aldasoro, and Mountain Village. We ended up buying a condo near the gondola in Mountain Village.
Here is what made our experience with Mike different than with other brokers we have used:
1. Experience. He's been doing this a long time at a high volume. His clients have an advantage, because he's done every kind of transaction, everywhere in the county. He knows the land and he knows the neighborhoods. He pointed out a house in one neighborhood that he'd sold three times.
2. Local knowledge. Mike knows everyone in town. He knows the brokers and the title companies. The bankers and the insurance agents. The builders, contractors, and tradesmen. He knows everyone that you need to know when you buy a property in an unfamiliar town.
3. Professionalism. You know how with some businesses it can seem impossible to get someone to respond to an email or a phone call in a timely fashion? It's almost like they don't want to make money. It's frustrating, and it happens all the time. Mike is the opposite of that. He is super organized, always on top of things and, most importantly, he is constantly communicating with you to let you know what he is working on and where you are in the process. This was true both while we were looking and once we were under contract. Especially given how busy the real estate market is right now in San Miguel County, Mike's responsiveness and availability was a total A+.
4. Personality. Mike is just a super nice guy, which is key with someone you're probably going to be spending a lot of time with, whether remotely or in person. He also has a great attitude. I'm kind of cynical by nature, so Mike's positive energy was a real benefit. He was never unrealistic, but he kept my head in the game even when it didn't seem like we were going to find the right deal. Finally, you can tell Mike has a genuine passion for the natural environment he lives in, and his knowledge of local hiking trails, skiing and other outdoor attractions--and related recommendations--is a fringe benefit for his clients.
What else can I say? Mike provides the kind of service and expertise that's absolutely critical to have when considering such a significant personal and financial transaction.