as
their Realtor
1.
Experience. Barry
sold his first church properties in 1982, when he saw the potential of this
"niche" market. The fit was a
natural for him as a former pastor himself and professor of Biblical
studies. Over the years he
has developed strong working relationships with various church executives,
pastors of many denominations, and leaders of faiths other than Christian. Of particular pride is his work
with The
Salvation Army in
buying or selling properties in three different Counties. His experience has included
selling church properties, church land, church-owned homes, and even unusual
properties like a former mortuary, an office building, a former bank, and a
storefront used by a church.
The properties he has sold, listed, and/or evaluated are scattered all
over the Bay Area.
What
does this mean to you? You probably wouldn’t hire a podiatrist
if you needed eye
surgery. So why hire a Realtor whose
experience is primarily houses, condos, investment or commercial
properties. Experience
counts. Barry has over twenty years
in residential sales and church sales.
The first provides bread and butter; the second feeds the soul as
well.
2.
Resources. As
a professional, Barry has sought to incorporate resources that enhance his
ability to serve his clients.
a.
Coldwell
Banker is
probably northern California’s largest broker. With
the
largest market share, Coldwell Banker provides credibility,
networked
offices,
software resources, managerial oversight, and web
connections,
etc. Together these resources enhance
Barry’s ability to develop his
specialty
as a Church Property Realtor.
c.
Internet. Barry maintains a
web page (www.churches4sale.com), uses Loopnet (www.loopnet.com), Coldwell Banker (www.californiamoves.com, www.coldwellbanker.com, www.coldwellbankercommercial.com), etc. He also maintains a personal web page
(www.barrywillbanks.com). Listings may be posted on other web
pages common in the industry.
d.
Direct
Mail. Barry
subscribes to many Yellow Page directories that cover the counties of the
greater Bay Area. He has
obtained the denominational directories of several denominations. He regularly scans various Bay
Area newspapers for updates about churches (pastoral changes, property needs,
contacts, etc.) for database revisions. At
present Barry has well over 5000 churches and/or religious organizations in his
database. Barry
subscribes to a software service that updates the Zip
Codes and
Barcodes
in
his databases to make his mailing accurate and efficient.
e.
Records. Barry
maintains a file on each church he talks to about property needs. These records provide a long-term
memory resource for matching church needs with available properties. For example, from these records,
Barry called a church three years after the original contact, to tell them a
property had come on the market that would fit their needs. They obtained the
property in spite of six other offers.
f.
Referrals. Barry
gets referrals from other brokers and pastors regularly. Most brokers have little or no
experience in estimating church values, working with church boards, connecting
with specialized church lenders, etc. Good brokers know their
limitations and respect a specialist outside their own expertise. Barry keeps a record of other
brokers who are looking for a church property, have church listings,
etc.
g.
Advertising. Media advertising is usually not
needed, but is used selectively when other connections are not fruitful. Barry has advertised in papers
(i.e., Wall Street Journal, The
Oakland Post) as
well as used direct mail and various Multiple Listing
Services.
h.
Email
Network with Commercial Brokers.
Barry
has developed a bulk email directory of commercial Realtors in the Bay
Area. He can send them
information about listings as well as solicit information about their listings.
i.
Subscription
to Property Promotion & Distribution. Weekly flyers are received from
various commercial brokers with properties available for sale or lease. These flyers are reviewed and
filed for use with churches.
j.
Subscription
to Marshall Valuation.
This
valuable resource provides detailed information about construction costs of
various kinds of buildings & uses, which is updated monthly for each
County. This information is
useful in estimating the value of properties by adding in the land value after
depreciating the improvements consistent with their age and
condition.
k.
Technology. Barry
stays in touch with email, cell phone, business cards, digital camera (for web
listings), Internet connection through high-speed digital
cable
modems. Through the Coldwell
Banker network, Barry can look up the County records on individual properties
(parcel numbers, maps, use, ownership, cost etc).
l.
COSTAR COMPS. Barry
uses the services of this company to do specialized research regarding land
prices and church sales in California. This valuable information is
useful for estimating church values with verified comparative data. Similar information is sometimes
gleaned from other public and professional sources.
m.
Lenders. Loans
for churches are not like home loans or commercial loans. Most lenders refrain from serving
non-profit voluntary associations such as churches. Those that do serve them are often
not well known, are out of state, etc. Barry maintains a list of dozens
of possible church lenders.
Knowledge of the underwriting requirements of church lenders can save you
time, money, and frustration.
n.
Church
Executives. Barry
has developed a database of church executives. These persons not only have
influence among the churches, but often know about church needs and plans before
they are public. They can be
a useful resource for discovering properties that may come on the market or for
discovering congregations wanting to purchase.
o.
Denominational
Headquarters. Barry
maintains a database of denominational offices. These offices may know of church
needs and wants even before regional church executives are aware. Barry seeks to multiply his
contacts to amplify the possibilities of making matches that serve his
clients.
p.
Forms. Yes,
that dreaded paper work needs careful attention. There are legally required
disclosures that need to be made.
This area needs careful attention for your own protection. These disclosures include
professionally prepared disclosures regarding registered toxic sites, earthquake
zones, Mello-Roos zones, state fire hazard zones, flood zones, lead based paint,
liquefaction potential, etc.
Other disclosures are mandated to come from the seller’s own
knowledge. You would want
these as a Buyer. You must
give them as a Seller. I can
help you fulfill your legal obligation.
q.
Professional
Standing. Barry
has served on the Board of Directors of his local Association of Realtors, been
a representative to the California Association of Realtors, worked on various
professional Association committees, assisted in the training of new agents, and
served as an expert witness in two Superior Court cases. In addition to his Broker’s
license, Barry has earned the CRS designation from the National Marketing
Institute. He has qualified
for Coldwell Banker’s Senior Commercial
Broker. Like other
professionals, he maintains membership in the local, California, and National
Association of Realtors.
3.
Integrity. When
all is said and done, you want to rely on someone who values integrity above all
else. A broker is a fiduciary. He must put the interest of his
client above his own. With
years of past experience as a pastor, Bible college professor, Salvation Army
advisory board member, community college instructor, church elder/teacher,
husband, and father, Barry wants to maintain his reputation as a man of
integrity.
4.
Comments by
Others.
“Our
entire Church Council was impressed by you, as someone who is professional and
who was there by our side from the beginning to the end. The sale of our church
and parsonage could not have been done as smoothly and efficiently except for
your honesty, dedication, and commitment.
We knew from the beginning that we could trust you.” Pastor
Ron
Geikow, St.
Mary & St. Martha Lutheran Church
“After
an extended search that included personal interviews with the finalists, our
Board voted unanimously and enthusiastically to select Barry Willbanks to
represent us. We were impressed with his extensive experience in working with
local churches, with his pastoral ministry background, and with his apparent
personal integrity and honesty. We have never regretted this choice. . . . We
are confident that others will have the same experience with Barry that we have
had.” Pastor Raymond
H. Trembath,
Pilgrim Congregational Church
“I want
you to know how much we appreciate the assistance beyond the call of duty that
Barry Willbanks rendered to us . . . I was especially impressed by the way he
handled the writing of a non-traditional lease agreement. Never once did we have
to wonder what to do next . . . I came to know Barry as a man of utter integrity
. . ., ability and business expertise. I am confident he will be an asset
wherever he goes and I recommend him to you without reservation.” Bishop
Nelson
Jones,
Ph.D., Sr. Pastor, Apostolic Faith Temple, Oakland
“I have
worked with Barry Willbanks on three sales over the past 5 years or so. In all
of our transactions, Barry has demonstrated a very high degree of integrity and
professionalism. He has been patient in answering my questions, thorough in
assessing our needs and the values of our properties, and creative in
structuring the sales so that both parties are well served. Not only is his
knowledgeable, but more importantly, he loves the church and loves the Lord.”
Chuck
Ruthroff,
Assistant to the Bishop, Sierra Pacific Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church of
America
“I have
worked with Barry Willbanks the last 15 years as his regional manager and as
President. He is highly
professional, knowledgeable, and experienced in the sale of churches and
religious properties.” Avram
Goldman,
President, Coldwell Banker Northern California
“Just a
note to let you know how much I appreciate the work that you do in facilitating
the purchase and resale of church buildings throughout the Bay Area. I know
dealing with church properties, parishioners, church leadership, pastors and the
many other interested parties can not only be taxing but can consume a lot of
your time. However, you have demonstrated the patience of Job during my
acquaintance. In addition, I am well pleased in how you assist sellers and
buyers with not only the natural benefits but also the spiritual. Although I
dabble in the field of church selling, I frequently refer individuals to you and
your web site, “tell them if they truly want to purchase or sell, then Barry
Willbanks is the best person for the job.” L.J.
Jennings,
President, JetStream Mortgage
"It is
my pleasure to recommend Barry Willbanks as a Realtor. Not only is Barry completely competent
and highly qualified to work with churches, he understands the intricate issues
around the selling and buying of churches.
Our Church Board, Steering Committee, and pastoral staff were very
impressed with his knowledge and market savvy, as well as, his attention to
details. I highly recommend Barry
Willbanks to your church -- he will help you and save you from mistakes other
churches have made." David
Curtiss, Pastor, Vineyard Community Church of the Nazarene, Livermore,
California