David Simkins Understands the Power of Tech-Driven Real Estate

Before venturing into the real estate industry 28 years ago, David Simkins worked as a software designer. Though he eventually made the jump out of the tech space, he credits this work for giving him an analytical perspective as an agent. “I’ll talk people out of a sale just as often as I’ll talk them into one,” says David, who is devoted to finding the best possible scenario for his clients.

His early involvement in software engineering gave him a useful knowledge of technological tools, particularly as they relate to real estate, which is how David discovered Curbio. But he’s aware that technological advances can only take you so far: “Computers are great. I worked with them for many years before they ever had the power that they have these days. But no matter how prevalent their existence in the world, there’s just no replacement for a human.” And we happen to agree.

Capsule of ’05

David, whose client list reflects how important human relationships are to him, frequently sells properties he helped buy decades before. Working with clients’ sons or daughters, he is the trusted and steadfast presence through the housing market’s ups and downs.

In one such instance, David was the listing agent for a client’s daughter, assisting in the sale of her late father’s condo, which David himself helped him buy. The fact that he fostered their meaningful connection all those years meant it was an easy decision for the daughter to reach out to him once he passed.

After nearly two decades, David returned to the condo to find it virtually unchanged. Since 2005, when the condo was purchased, it was clear very little, if any work, had been done in the way of repairs or updates. David knew immediately that the condo was far from market-ready.

So, he did what all experienced realtors do: he presented the options to his client. She could bring it to market as-is – which was unadvisable, because David knew it could be worth a lot more. Or, she could do the updates and repairs the property so desperately needed. She expressed concern over the cost of the updates, an understandable position for an inheritor – she was not planning on fronting the financial burden of selling a home. David had heard of Curbio even before his brokerage, Realty Executives, shared about the turnkey service. For David, the pay-at-closing option was a game-changer. He told his client about it and she decided to move forward with a small project including fresh paint, a kitchen refresh, and updates to the two bathrooms.

Expedited Results

Once the project kicked off, the team hit the ground running. Led by our experienced Phoenix project manager Samantha Van Wagenen, the certified subcontractors moved through the home improvements swiftly without sacrificing quality. “I was exceptionally impressed with the quality of work and the expediency of it. I mean… it just got done so fast that it kind of blew my mind.”

Curbio’s painters “did the entire house,” David explained. “The doors, the ceilings, the walls, in less than a week!” Accelerating the process of bringing a listing to market provides a distinct advantage for both agents and sellers in the competitive real estate landscape. This streamlined approach enhances the potential for smooth and efficient closings, contributing the listings’ overall success.

Not Your Typical Contractor  

David, like most realtors, isn’t just an agent, he’s also a homeowner. That’s one of the reasons he was so impressed by working with Curbio, he had lots of personal experience to compare it to.

“My wife and I joke that our renovation started out with a kitchen faucet – and ended up with the entire house being remodeled.” David’s experience is unfortunately a pretty universal one: you call a contractor for a very limited, very specific job (i.e. fixing the kitchen faucet). Before you know it, they’ve recommended if you fix the faucet you may as well swap with an updated one, and if you get a new faucet you should have all the fixtures in the kitchen match it, and if you’re updating fixtures you may as well update the cabinets as well… and so it goes. Before you know it, your ‘small project’ turns out to cost you tens, sometimes hundreds, of thousands of dollars!

Curbio isn’t like your typical general contractor. 10 times out of 10, we’d rather suggest the fewest number of updates that will deliver the highest impact for the seller because we look good if the real estate agent looks good — and everyone wants to keep real estate moving.

The Details Paid Off  

Once the condo was market-ready and listed, multiple offers flooded in. “It sold very quickly,” David recalls. With the sale successfully closed, David’s client found herself with extra cash due to the increased market value. Looking ahead, David is eager to join forces with Curbio again, because we help solve one of the sellers’ key hangups on pre-sale updates. “The biggest problem that people have is, you know, parting with their money prior to selling. And because you guys bill after the fact, when the listing sells, that’s absolutely the selling point for me and my clients.”

Curbio is the agent’s go-to pay-at-closing contractor for a reason. We deliver reliable, quality work and we don’t charge the sellers until the house sells. It makes pre-sale updates affordable and accessible to all homeowners, and it makes agents look really good (plus, happy clients mean lots of referrals). At the end of the day, it’s simple: we know that every listing needs something, and we want to do the work. Or as David says: “It looked significantly better after you guys came in and did the job than it did prior.” And that’s all that really matters.