Brian Combs

How long have you worked in Real Estate?
I got licensed in September of 1992 and only worked part time my first year or so because I was a student-athlete at Clark College. When I got done playing ball, and my classes, after my sophomore year at Clark I started selling full time over the summer and SOLD 30 homes in 90 days! Needless to say I stuck with real estate.

What is your specialty?
Residential home sales and all aspects of assisting my seller clients with getting their home staged and ready for a top dollar sale. Many times I am coordinating carpeting cleaning/replacement, painting, countertops, yard clean up on their behalf. Almost everyone wants the MOST MONEY they can achieve from a sale and I take that seriously and do all of these things for my clients at no extra charge. My buyer clients call me years after working with them because they know I will get them hooked up with great deals for all types of contractors, etc. My buyer clients love that I’m always making sure they choose a home that not only they love, but is a good investment.

What is one tip you have for someone looking to buy or sell a home?
Ask your friends/family/co-workers for recommendations on who to hire as their Realtor. Choose an agent who REALLY knows the market and understands values and is willing to be honest with you and is successful enough they can’t ever be tempted to put a sale above the client’s best interest.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve encountered while working in real estate?
Many years ago I listed a home that was vacant and the owners had teenage kids who decided to use the home on a Friday night for a party. On Saturday morning an agent showed up with buyers to a “not so vacant” home to find some pretty interesting characters and adult beverages and other “goodies” all around the home.

What is the most challenging/gratifying aspect of what you do?
The most gratifying aspect of what I do is make a difference to people. I do a lot of work with buyers/sellers that find me after they had hired “just anybody” with less than desirable results. Having them see, feel and experience a different level of knowledge, experience and customer service makes me really happy.

What do you see in the future for real estate sales/prices?
I believe we are going to be back to more of a “normal” market in terms of appreciation. When I got started over 22 years ago, buying a home was more of a long term investment, appreciation averaged 3-5% year and a GREAT year maybe was 7-8%. Unfortunately many families suffered terrible financial and personal devastation because of the collapse in values with short sales & foreclosures, etc. People remember this, and I think will be more cautious moving forward if they again experience inflated values.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working? Hobbies, volunteering, family, fun?
My hobby is my two boys ages 15 and 13. I happily do anything and everything I can for them & with them. They both play a lot of basketball and I do NOT miss a game or tournament. My youngest son loves to hunt and play golf too, so we do an annual hunting trip and play golf together.

What do you like about living in this area?
I enjoy the calmness of Vancouver and the proximity to Portland or Seattle for a night or a weekend. I love our summers here and frankly am not someone who will say I enjoy the weather the other eight months.

Anything else you would like our readers to know about you and your company?
Keller Williams is the largest and highest producing company in SW Washington. I personally am a “get ‘er done” type of person. I am a customer service guru and after 22 years and thousands of transactions under my belt, have the knowledge and experience to best advise my clients.