Bob Richards & Associates has a simple mantra: “Consider It Done!” “It’s more than a slogan.  It is our standard, our value, our way of life.” says Bob. “Crossing every ‘t’ and dotting every ‘i’ are crucial in the business of detail, timing, and customer service.  In real estate, one of our greatest passions and challenges is anticipating and exceeding our client’s expectations. We work hard at that. We want to provide them with a “Ritz Carlton” experience – not the typical low Budget 8 experience.   The polish and professionalism of their TEAM exemplifies this standard.  Each person on the TEAM helps to foster a healthy environment of fun and productivity while assisting in the demanding requirements unique to this industry. 

    “Our administrative duties have not become overwhelming. When a team member makes a decision, we back them up.  Every team member has our full confidence. This allows Shauna Jo and I more time to be one on one with customers, clients and other professionals,” Bob explains. “We enjoy the broader base of customer service and attention that our TEAM can offer.  By nature, this single event of buying or selling a home can be one of life’s most stressful, but rewarding activities. If not handled properly, it can also be one of life’s greatest nightmares.  Our goal is to assure that our client’s real estate experiences will be smooth, seamless and worry-free.”

    Bob first learned the value of true customer service in hotel management and that amazing “concierge” level of service has carried through hand-in-hand with his real estate practice.  He will not rest until his clients are happy. 

 
A LEAP OF FAITH

    A Salt Lake native, Bob says getting into the real estate business in Southern Utah was not a part of his plans, but a leap of faith.  Bob is an honors graduate in Marketing from Westminster College with a minor in law. He once worked at The Inn at Temple Square and is a former Bountiful bookstore owner. Early on he also owned rental properties – this inspired his interest in real estate.  Then, in the early 90’s he made a daring move to St. George. He lived modestly in college housing.  His upstairs neighbors were “party animals” who kept him awake most nights. So, Bob took his incredible drive and went for a drive - learning the neighborhoods, subdivisions and street names. He also used this time to begin his study of prices in various areas and market trends.  This process helped him feel more at home here in Southern Utah and gave him a great knowledge base he still uses today in his career as a REALTOR^®.  His associates call him the walking encyclopedia. He has truly amassed a great body of knowledge that – again – he uses to serve their clients.

    Since then, Bob’s business has thrived. He started off with a BANG; earning ERA’s National Rookie of the Year award in 1992 and has consistently been ranked one of the top five REALTORS in Utah. “Those are an indication of hard work, but the true measure of success is in the relationships we’ve built. We don’t participate in the ‘Turn and Burn’, ‘In Your Face’ attitude practiced and espoused by other agents. Our philosophy is that each client becomes a friend, not just a former customer. The happy result of this attitude is the volume of repeat and referral business my TEAM and I enjoy.  We are really helping people and that is what this business should be about.”

TESTIMONIALS

• Bob Richards & Associates has no shortage of happy customers.  Out of the hundreds of letters from satisfied customers here are a few that best describe Bob from their own experiences:

• “Bob and his excellent staff have gone above and beyond any expectations we had of a REALTOR^® relationship. We are incapable of finding words that suitably commend them for their excellence in all areas. We could not be more pleased in all you have done to make our buying experience special.”

• “Not only do we appreciate your hard work and professionalism, we also appreciate your concern and kindness. You treated us as friends rather than clients. We always received straight answers from you. We never felt like a mere paycheck and simply never had a better experience with a REALTOR^®.”

• “It is not often one can experience complete satisfaction in one’s dealing in the business world. We continue to be impressed by the level of professionalism exhibited by you and your associates. We look forward to working with you in the future.”

• Our experience was pleasant & professional from start to finish.  I would recommend Bob & Shauna Jo to everyone I know that is in need of professional real estate services.  We were very impressed with the marketing efforts on our home and appreciative of the feedback we received.  Rebecca was extremely polite, helpful and informed every time I called. I repeat that comment for Angie as well – she also always had the most up to date info for us.  Both Angie and Rebecca are a definite asset to your team, and I very much appreciated everything they did for us.  Shauna Jo I found to be amazing. She was polite, professional, well informed on the market, accessible and great to work with.  She really listened to our needs and helped us find a house that was right for us.  What can I say about Bob? Bob Rocks!! I knew if anyone could get our home sold in a “down” market if would be Bob.  I just can’t say enough about Bob and his team.  I knew in the beginning that I would be well taken care of in our real estate transaction but I was just floored by the level of care and professionalism we received. My most heartfelt thanks and appreciation to you all.

    To their credit, Bob and Shauna Jo have put together and modeled a perfect office situation with a full complement of professionals. Although it is often a source for good-natured jokes…Bob is quite content to be surrounded by an amiable group of women, each of whom has great strengths, talents and energy.  Collectively, this TEAM is unbeatable.  The secret – SYNERGY, TRUST and RESPECT. “Any person may be leading during any day of the week. We support each other in our personal and professional lives,” he exclaims.  This attitude is echoed by Shauna Jo, “I could not have hand-picked a better group of people to work with. We get to work together help people achieve the American dreams of owning a home and increasing their investments.  We all see that and understand that and we all enjoy doing what we’re doing.” 

   “We are very much a family,” says Larkin.  With four to five individuals sharing the office, they are not only teammates, but friends. “We enjoy a commonality of language and sense of cooperation that is unique.  The real estate industry can be fiercely competitive. We don’t play the ego games or get involved in office politics. We just work together. (Emphasis on “work”) 

    Productive and proactive, Shauna Jo joined forces with Bob in 2003 after spending 3 years working with other real estate organizations in the area.  She quickly realized that she had found her professional home and adds her powerful background and education to the already outstanding formula Bob had built.  She explains their shared dedication to staying “on top of the game”.  “Bob and I are both focused on increasing our knowledge and skills and finding more thorough, effective and efficient ways to provide service for our clients.” This quest for excellence is evidenced by the advanced designations Bob and Shauna Jo have earned. She rapid fires an impressive list, including, ABR (Accredited Buyers Agent), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), GRI (Graduate Realtor’s Institute), SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), and ePRO (an advanced technology designation.) Less than 5% of all REALTORS nationwide hold even ONE of these designations. Once again, Bob and Shauna Jo separate themselves from the crowd.

    Shauna Jo, a well-read (reading is a favorite hobby), happily married wife and mother of four, is the sole bread winner for her family. She mentions the sometimes difficult job of balancing family and career.  “We are good at protecting our family time.  Every team member is encouraged to take time for our families.  Bob isn’t all business either. He has a beautiful wife and 2 outstanding children. When he’s not working you can find him spending time with his family and enjoying boating, golf, and reading. He even finds time to play bass guitar in a local band.   When it comes to time away from work Bob and Shauna Jo recognize the trickle down effect…good things for our TEAM members trickle down to good things for our clients. “We understand that if we have a good balance of career and home- then our clients will receive the finest service.   Bob and Shauna Jo go out of their way to organize and provide TEAM  retreats –  whether it is a cruise to Mexico or a weekend at the cabin in Pine Valley – we go places and play together,”  shares Larkin, “Who could ask for more!”

    Bob and Shauna Jo have a shared vision for the future of Bob Richards & Associates… it is to continue the pattern of controlled, yet significant levels of growth.  “Our primary focus is to increase the level of service we provide,” asserts Bob, “The rest of our business goals will naturally follow.”

    To sum it up…Bob Richards & Associates has found the perfect blend of personalities, professionalism, empowerment and service. Next time you find yourself in the need for real estate services or information Bob and Shauna Jo would invite you to call on Bob Richards & Associates and

“CONSIDER IT DONE!”

This time of year we always do our annual review and planning for the next year. Our whole team, Bob, Angie, Rebecca, and Shauna Jo, just spent the day in Springdale, near Zion National Park. We held our annual retreat there this year at the Zion Park Inn.   www.zionparkinn.com    The accommodations were perfect and we accomplished a ton of work.  We reviewed the successes and trials of 2007 and set the stage for 2008 to be a very productive year.  The market we practice in certainly has it’s challenges, but we seem to find the most remarkable people to work with and serve. It is the people who make all of our blood, sweat, and tears worth it.  We left the retreat with a fresh committment to our Mission Statment and a set of goals that will keep us focused and sharp in 2008.

We thought you would enjoy reading our Mission Statement. For those of you who know us and have worked with us we would like your feedback. Is the service we are providing living up to our Mission Statement? In what way can we improve our service to better reflect our Mission? 

You know, we love what we do! We feel blessed to have a profession that allows us to bless the lives of so many wonderful people.  If you have any questions or comments don’t hesiate to visit our website - www.BuyUtah.com OR call us at 800-Buy-Utah OR e-mail us anytime at ShaunaJo@BuyUtah.com.

The rankings, compiled by database experts at www.bestplaces.net, took into consideration crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorism threats and job loss numbers in 379 U.S. municipalities. The study divided the communities into three groups: large metropolitan areas, mid-size cities and small towns.

The Provo-Orem, Utah, area was ranked first in the 2004 Farmers Insurance study, while the Richland-Kennewick-Pasco area in southeast Washington was tops in 2005.

"Everyone looks for a safe, secure place to live," said Jeff Beyer, senior vice-president and chief communications officer for Farmers. "Whether you are single or raising a family, a secure environment is important. It offers the well-being so necessary to succeed in today’s fast paced world."

Top-ranked St. George, whose population of 110,515 places it among the small towns, offers a climate that features mild winters, low annual precipitation and clean air. St. George had the lowest crime rate of all 379 communities in the Farmers study and the lowest unemployment rate among the 138 small towns.

The Boise City-Nampa, Idaho, area topped all large metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or greater. Nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the area is shielded from severe weather and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Farmers study. The Most Secure Mid-Size city with a population between 150,000 and 500,000 is Las Cruces, New Mexico. Las Cruces scored well in the extreme weather and unemployment categories.

Here are the lists of the top 20, in order, of Farmers Insurance Group’s Most Secure Places to Live in the United States:

Most Secure Places to Live - Large Metro Areas (500,000 or more residents)
1. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho
2. Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine
3. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, Calif.
6. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazelton, Pa.
7. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
8. Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, Md.
9. Syracuse, N.Y.
10. Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Calif.
11. El Paso, Texas
12. Albany-Troy-Schenectady, N.Y.
13. Rochester, N.Y.
14. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.
15. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks- Ventura, Calif.
16. Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, N.Y.
17. Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y.
18. Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pa.
19. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn.
20. New Haven-Milford, Conn.

Most Secure Places to Live - Mid-Size Cities (150,000 - 500,000 residents)
1. Las Cruces, N.M.
2. Rockingham County-Strafford County, N.H.
3. Huntington, W.Va.-Ashland, Ky.
4. Bellingham, Wash.
5. Burlington-South Burlington, Vt.
6. Lynchburg, Va.
7. Medford, Ore.
8. Prescott, Ariz.
9. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.
10. Binghamton, N.Y.
11. Provo-Orem, Utah
12. St. Cloud, Minn.
13. Fargo, N.D.
14. Hagerstown, Md.-Martinsburg, W.Va.
15. Olympia, Wash.
16. Charlottesville, Va.
17. Chico, Calif.
18. Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Wash.
19. Manchester-Nashua, N.H.
20. Duluth, Minn.

Most Secure Places to Live - Small Towns (Fewer than 150,000 residents)

1. St. George, Utah
2. Bend, Ore.
3. Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Va.
4. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
5. Ithaca, N.Y.
6. Morgantown, W. Va.
7. Logan, Utah
8. Winchester, Va.
9. Harrisonburg, Va.
10. Idaho Falls, Idaho
11. Madera, Calif.
12. Glens Falls, N.Y.
13. Wenatchee, Wash.
14. Bangor, Maine
15. Lewiston-Auburn, Maine
16. State College, Pa.
17. Billings, Mont.
18. Cumberland, Md.
19. Lewiston, Idaho
20. Pocatello, Idaho

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is a personal lines property and casualty insurance group headquartered in Los Angeles.

Source: Farmers Insurance Group of Companies

U.S. foreclosure activity increased more than 93 percent from July 2006 to July 2007, but at the same time, foreclosure activity in Utah actually dropped more than 58 percent, according to July 2007 data from RealtyTrac. In fact, this is the six month in a row that Utah has seen double-digit decreases in its foreclosure activity. Since January, Utah has also dropped from being the state with the 13th-highest number of foreclosures to being No. 23 in foreclosures. RealtyTrac reported that Utah was only one of seven states that had year-over-year declines in foreclosure activity. Of those seven states, Utah posted the largest decrease.

“States like Texas, South Carolina and Utah have seen slow but steady price appreciation over the past five years, making them much more attractive and affordable,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, in a prepared statement.

In Utah, Weber County had the highest foreclosure rate in July, with Salt Lake County and Wasatch coming in at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. Many smaller counties — Box Elder, Carbon, Garfield, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Rich, Sanpete and Sevier — actually had zero foreclosure filings for the month.