Big Sky Sotheby’s Welcomes Bonnie DeFrancesco to the Team

February 4, 2016 by bigskysir

Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty welcomes Bonnie DeFrancesco to the Bozeman team. Bonnie has over 23 years of experience as a successful realtor specializing in residential, luxury, and second homes, as well as investment properties.

“I’m honored to work with Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty,” says Bonnie, “because of their impeccable reputation.”

As a long time resident of Montana, Bonnie knows first hand what her clients are looking for when buying or selling property in the region. In addition to her passion for Montana real estate, Bonnie loves to ski, golf, fly fish, and camp with her family.

Combined with the reputation of Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty, Bonnie says that her “expertise in the real estate business for over twenty years will bring integrity, professional, personal attention and proven results” to all clients.

Welcome to the team, Bonnie!

Buying or selling property in southwest Montana? Contact Bonnie at 406-581-9881 or email bonnie@bigskysir.com.

Read more about our NEW Big Sky Sotheby’s office located in Bozeman, Montana

Big Sky Sotheby’s Welcomes Callie Pecunies to the Team

October 21, 2015 by bigskysir

Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty is excited to welcome Callie Pecunies to their real estate sales team. Callie is a Broker with ten years’ resort real estate experience and will assume a full time role within the main office in Town Center.

Callie is a recent arrival to the Big Sky area, but has spent half of her life working within the ski resort industry, the last decade of which was selling resort real estate at one of the largest eastern ski resorts. Since 1996, Callie worked at Sunday River Ski Resort in Maine, a company operated by Boyne Resorts, the company that owns Big Sky Resort.

In her lengthy tenure at Sunday River, where she managed the Human Resources department, presided over marketing events and national ski and snowboard competitions, hosted a live TV show on the resort’s Outside Television station, and sold real estate for Sunday River Real Estate, she gained the skills that made her a powerhouse broker at the resort with a fiercely loyal client base. Those are the skills she is looking forward to putting into action at Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty.

Callie’s extensive experience has given her a realistic perspective of what it takes to be successful. “An effective resort real estate broker needs to be familiar with not only the properties they are selling, but how to determine his or her Buyer client’s priorities so they are delighted with their home. There are so many things for Buyers to consider – whether or not to be slopeside, be in a condo or a home, be on the Mountain or in the Meadow – it’s different for everyone depending on their planned use for the property.” The same experience that makes her popular with Buyers, also allows her to assist her Seller clients to effectively prepare and market their property for sale.

Her move to Big Sky, with her husband, Dave, and their two sons, was prompted by their sense of adventure, but also their desire for better education opportunities for their kids. “Maine is a beautiful place to live, but we wanted a better school for the boys, while maintaining the same active life we enjoyed back east.” They enjoy mountain biking, hiking, telemark and alpine skiing, and camping in their free time.

In addition to being a Broker at Sotheby’s International Realty, Callie and her husband are also sole proprietors of Dave Pecunies Media, a full-service photography and video production company. Callie is an active volunteer at Ophir Elementary School, and looks forward to engaging in other volunteer community activities in Big Sky.

Callie lives in Big Sky, Montana, with her husband, two sons, and their two dogs.

Why Our Brokers Live and Work in Big Sky, Montana

August 12, 2015 by bigskysir

Many Big Sky Sotheby’s brokers live right here in Big Sky, at a great advantage to our clients. Read on to meet three of our local brokers and find out how living in Big Sky helps them to better serve both buyers and sellers.

Lisa Knorr
After coming to Big Sky for a ski vacation as a teenager, Lisa Knorr decided it would be a great place to spend some time “after college, before getting into the real world.” Thirty years later, Lisa is still a proud resident of Big Sky and has been a successful real estate agent for much of that time.

What do you love most about Big Sky?
“The thing I like about Big Sky, in general, is the variety of fun and interesting people you meet, from all over the place as well as all of the fabulous outdoor activities”.

What are your strengths and specialties as a broker?
Lisa is an Accredited Buyer Representative, a Certified Residential Specialist, Seniors Real Estate Specialist and has completed the Graduate Realtor Institute. Lisa says she believes knowledge is power, and her continuing education and advanced training help her to be a better problem solver in a wide variety of situations. “I’ve been doing this for how long now? And there is always something new that comes up.”

Does living in Big Sky benefit your professional practice?
“Oh, absolutely,” says Lisa. Lisa believes it is important to be a part of the community where she works, and has spent a lot of time giving back over the years as a board member of the Arts Council of Big Sky, the Big Sky Tennis Association, the BSOA, the Big Sky Chapel Board, among other things. Lisa says she enjoys running into her clients on the ski hill and joining them for a run or two or when she’s out to dinner or at a summer concert. “I just think [being involved] is so important – and how do you do that if you are working in a different town?”

Read more about Lisa or contact her at (406) 580-8488 or lisa@bigskysir.com

Anne Staudt
Originally from Pennsylvania, Anne Staudt has been a full-time broker since 2003 and is an Accredited Buyer Representative as well as a member of the National Association of Realtors and the Gallatin Association of Realtors. Anne says she enjoys developing strong relationships with clients, and guiding them through the often emotional process of buying or selling a property.

What do you love most about Big Sky?
“It’s a great place to raise a family,” says Anne, adding that she loves having access to the outdoors and countless recreational activities. “It’s all right here,” she says.

What are your strengths and specialties as a broker?
Anne has recently been working in collaboration with another Sotheby’s broker, Jeff Helms, and says that the two of them make an excellent team. “He’s more big picture, I’m more detail-oriented,” Anne says.

Does living in Big Sky benefit your professional practice?
Anne says that living in Big Sky gives her an insider’s knowledge and understanding of the community, which is a definite asset to her clients. She knows which areas are family-friendly versus those that might better suit second-homeowners; has a grasp on the “feel” of certain neighborhoods, and generally understands the dynamics of the small and vibrant Big Sky community.

Read more about Anne or contact her at (406) 539-1552 or anne@bigskysir.com

Carrie Radtke
After working for a while in the Big Sky tourist industry, Carrie Radtke and her husband built and ran a successful property management company for 10 years. Carrie earned her real estate license with the idea that she could continue to help families and those who love Big Sky find affordable properties that meet their needs.

What do you love most about Big Sky?
“Oh gosh, everything – what’s not to love?” says Carrie, who particularly likes the fact that skiing, biking, hiking and the mountains are all right out her back door – literally.

What are your strengths and specialties as a broker?
“I definitely try to keep open communication and work with my clients to make sure they’re happy,” says Carrie, who adds that she will “drop everything” to take care of something for a client. “While I’m on the ski slopes, I’m answering my phone,” she says.

Does living in Big Sky benefit your professional practice?
Definitely, says Carrie, who explains that she always has an intimate knowledge of what’s going on in and around Big Sky – which means that she is better able to connect both buyers and sellers with the best properties on the market. Plus, if an opportunity to view a property comes up, there’s no need to schedule an appointment: “I can drop anything and be there in five minutes,” Carrie says.

Read more about Carrie or contact her at (406) 599-3574

Big Sky Sotheby’s Montana Featured Agent : Allison Gilley

May 17, 2015 by bigskysir

To say Allison Gilley is a people person would be an understatement. A highly experienced Broker with a love of the outdoors, Allison brings her enthusiasm, positive attitude, and a passion for personal connection to her work at Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty.

As an owner of a Century, 21 Inc. franchise, she has had experience working with sellers, buyers, and investors in residential, farm, ranch, commercial and vacant land sales. She also has expertise with property development, property care taking, and property management.

Allison began working with Sotheby’s after selling her own Century 21 franchise in 2008.“I met (owners) Tim and Cathy and just totally liked them right away,” says Allison, who explains that she felt they shared a similar philosophy. “And the Sotheby’s name, you can’t really beat that,” she adds.

Allison says she also appreciates that Sotheby’s reputation is consistent around the world. “I know that [a Sotheby’s] office is going to have the best listings and the best agents. It’s that name brand that just says “high quality.”

As an agent, Allison is a go-getter who believes that being active in the community and building relationships is a big part of what makes her successful. Among her favorite aphorisms are: “Work hard, play hard. Love where you live.” “Don’t sit in the office and wait for the phone to ring,” she adds.

What continues to excite you about working in real estate?
“I’ve always enjoyed helping people find their dream home in Montana,” says Allison, who has experience with first-time home buyers and “people who thought they could never afford a house.” She continues to see her work as helping others make their dreams come true.

Tell us about one of your areas of expertise?
“Negotiating, keeping everybody positive and marketing,” says Allison. “Making connections is probably my best quality.”

What community activities do you participate in?
Allison has been advocate for domestic and sexual violence, worked with American Cancer Society, volunteered with the food bank and the Boys & Girls Club as well as countless other organizations and events, and has served on numerous nonprofit boards. She is experienced with fundraising. “Cause I love people,” says Allison, adding, “My whole thing when I wake up every day, is just “make people smile.”

How did you get into teaching Zumba?
After she stopped touring with a belly dancing group in the Montana, Allison says she began to miss dance. True to her style, she did something about it – right away. “I took a Zumba class. By the end of the week I was teaching a class. I got certified the following week,” says Allison. “Zumba is all about giving back to the community.”

What advice would you give to today’s buyers?
“Find a realtor that you like working with and stick with them,” says Allison. “I still believe that the realtor has a place.” Allison explains that she sees buyers and sellers going about purchasing properties themselves, without the understanding that a minor oversight could have major consequences down the line. She says that working with a realtor gives a buyer access to exclusive properties, expertise, and an understanding of the process, plus the peace of mind that comes from having somebody who knows “how to ask the right questions” in your corner.

What does it mean that you’re a “proven negotiator?”
“I’m really good at figuring out how to make the deal work.”

What’s your favorite recreational activity?
“The reason I’m here is for skiing, that’s number one. Everything else is icing on the cake.”

How has your outlook on the profession changed?
“I still believe in the old-school method of writing a handwritten note, making the phone call,” says Allison, who places a high value on making personal connections and going the extra mile. “I still believe there’s a place for human interaction in this crazy world.”

Click to view Allison Gilley’s contact information.

Bozeman Montana Real Estate Agent : Michael Morgner

April 23, 2015 by bigskysir

Featured Big Sky Montana Real Estate Agent
Michael Morgner has been fishing the Gallatin River since he was 5-years-old; but it took him a few more years than that to make Montana his home. An accomplished agent who specializes in high-end properties, Michael and his family moved to the area in 2011 because of the quality of Bozeman’s schools and because they knew it would be “a wonderful place to live and raise a family.”

Michael got into real estate in 1998, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was something he enjoyed doing and the market was strong, he says. He is no stranger to Sotheby’s, having worked with Sotheby’s International Reality in Santa Fe on and off for several years.

When he and his family decided to relocate to Montana, it was a natural fit for Michael to transition to Sotheby’s International Realty in Big Sky. He continues to maintain his licensure in Santa Fe and work with clients in New Mexico on a limited basis.

Michel says he enjoys working with Sotheby’s in part due to “the respect that the brand commands.” “I do have a few specialty high-end clients. I thought this brand would serve them well,” he adds.

What type of buyer do you most enjoy working with?
“I love meeting people, so…they’re all different. We always end up having a good time.”

What does it mean to be a Certified Residential Specialist?
“It’s kind of like the PhD of real estate,” says Morgner, who explains that the designation has to do with production and continuing education. This prestigious credential is only held by 3 percent of realtors in the nation.

Does working in several regions enhance what you do in any way?
“Absolutely,” says Michael. “There are a lot of similarities.” Michael adds that continuing to maintain his New Mexico licensure and practice have allowed him to provide unique referrals and connections to clients in both areas.

What excites you most about working in the Bozeman/Big Sky area?
“This region in general is just seeing a lot of progress,” says Michael, who sees more people moving to the area, booming construction, and the increase in airport traffic as signs that the Gallatin Valley will continue to grow and thrive. “And the market in general is very strong.”

What’s unique about Sotheby’s International Realty Big Sky?
“It offers a great team environment: working together to sell a property. It’s a strong support group, not a competitive one,” Michael says.

Michael works with buyers in both Bozeman and Big Sky; he lives in Bozeman with his wife and six children.

Click to view Michael’s current real estate listings and contact information.