Sam Mikel

How long have you worked in Real Estate?
I became a real estate agent on April 1, 1977. That’s April Fool’s day for those who are keeping track. As with all agents when they first start out, I made plenty of mistakes and there are lots to be made in this business, in fact 37 years has given me the opportunity to make most of them.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy hiking, helping at church, long country drives and camping. Last year, Scott built a teardrop trailer to pull behind “Skwish” (one of our mini coopers). We can be on the road in minutes.

Why should someone select you as their real estate agent?
Experience, Honesty, Sense of Humor! In any real estate transaction there are a number of people doing different things at different times. Title issues, appraisal, financing and much more all have to be dealt with in the proper order and in very specific ways. Much like a football game, you need a good quarterback. Do you want Russell Wilson or the new guy “what’s his name” on your side?

What is one tip you have for someone looking to buy or sell a house?
Find a full-time seasoned agent with local experience and a good reputation, then take their advice. This is not rocket science but I’m not sure you would hire a rocket scientist to sell your home anyway. There are however dozens of moving parts to the process and first steps must come first. Looking at houses is exciting. Getting qualified with a lender can sometimes upstage a root canal on the fun meter, but it must happen first. Real estate reality shows are more about entertaining than reality.

Anything else you would want our readers to know about you and your company?
Real estate brokers are not created equal; there are more than 1300 in Clark County. If you are going to entrust life’s most important financial decision to someone, you want to be sure your agent has your back. Scott Mikel & Associates is a small brokerage, there are three of us: Scott, myself and Laura, our licensed assistant. We are small for a reason. We started this company eight years ago after leaving a very large firm. We have intentionally stayed small to be able to control the consistency of the product we provide. We have been voted among the winners of the Columbian’s Readers Choice awards every year since the contest was started.

What are the top three things that separate you from the competition?

1. Customer service is the most important. I know this claim sounds a bit haggard but we do strive to provide the same high standards of service to each client.
2. We don’t focus on distressed properties or house flipping. Scott is, however, a licensed contractor and handles the remodeling side of our company, which helps us to be more objective when we are asked questions about return on investment for home improvements.
3. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. The real estate transaction is about the customer’s current situation and goals, not about a commission check, million dollar clubs, company awards, or national recognition. (Oh by the way, I was the top producer in our company last year.)