Raymond Runyan is a veteran of the residential real estate business. In January 2012, Runyon purchased Save Our Real Estate, a residential real estate company established in Woodland Park in 2006. Prior to the purchase, he had worked for RE/MAX for 15 years.Runyan lived in Falcon in 2008 and 2009, but moved to Woodland Park to pursue opportunities with Save Our Real Estate. After he purchased the company, he moved back to Falcon in 2012 for personal reasons and brought Save Our Real Estate to the area. Runyon still maintains a real estate presence in Woodland Park.Save Our Real Estate, which was established in Woodland Park in 2006, focuses on sellers with homes $250,000 and up. Although the original name remained, Runyon changed the branding and added some unique aspects to his business.ìWe are the only real estate firm in Colorado ñ the nation for all I know ñ that offers a three-tier compensation schedule for sellers,î Runyon said. The programs are based on the average 6 percent commission split between the buyerís agent and the sellerís agent ñ yet designed to save sellers big money.The three programs he offers sellers are also centered on marketing efforts. Forty percent of his clients opt for the following program.Performance based program: ìIf we donít sell your property for 95 percent of the listing within a certain amount of time (usually 90 days), we will cut our side of the commission by 1.5 percent,î Runyon said. Throughout the course of the 90 days sellers are obligated to drop their price by 3 percent if it doesnít sell. Runyon said he encourages sellers to drop the percent after 30 days and again after 60 days. If the seller hasnít dropped the price by the 90th day, the agreement goes back to 6 percent. But if the seller drops the price by the 89th day, the contract is renewed at the new price under the same terms. Of course, Runyon is quick to mention that the buyerís agent is not affected by the agreement. It only affects half of the 6 percent of the whole deal.Fifty percent of Runyonís clients participate in the next program.List for less: This a basic discount program ñ less money for the seller but fewer bells and whistles. Although Runyon said his marketing is still superior for this group.Because itís not as well-known, only 10 percent of his clients have opted for the next tier. Runyon believes that figure will change as the word spreads ñ and one can understand why it could become the most popular.The retainer program: ìIf the person is confident their house will sell quickly, they can pay us monthly,î Runyon said. ìThe savings run about 75 percent.î With this program, the seller pays a monthly marketing fee and a fee at closing. ìA seller with a half-million dollar property would pay $500 a month,î Runyon said. ìIf we sold that property within three months, the seller would have paid us $1,500 and another $1,000 at closing.î Again, Runyon stressed that the buyerís agent still gets 3 percent.Runyonís purpose for the three-tiered plan: ìI donít need to make a million dollars a year; I just want to be fairly compensated for my time.î
