Jim Singleton, Broker/Owner
16575 Moneta Road, Suite 200
Moneta, VA 24121
540-493-7253
info@LakeAway.com
Real estate firms in the United States can represent both buyers and sellers in the same transaction, and when representing both, derive profit from both the seller and buyer side of the transaction. In the opinion of many buyers’ agents, it is very hard to faithfully represent clients with opposing interests simultaneously. In the opinion of many buyers, dual agents forget to listen to what the buyer is looking for and instead try to push their own listings or listings of their company.
Buyers’ agency firms have chosen to try to eliminate the conflict of interest that exists when one firm attempts to represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction. This movement started in the late 1980s and by the early 1990s was on the rise across the US. It is still increasing in popularity today with concerned knowledgeable buyers who want to be properly represented.
My values mirror those who pioneered this movement and I chose to follow those beliefs with the creation of this company in 2008. So choose wisely and use a Buyers’ Agent when purchasing Real Estate.
Jim worked for over 30 years in the heavy highway construction and surface mining business and was in charge of the field operations. Within his business experience he wrote contracts, worked with engineers and surveyors designing elements of various projects, worked with assorted contractors and solved problems. Sounds like a natural transition to selling real estate! He purchased his first home here at Smith Mountain Lake in 2002 as an investment opportunity and immediately in love with the lake and moved here full time the following year. He immediately started buying and selling properties for himself utilizing the skills he had learned over the years. He got his real estate license in 2004 and started his own company in 2008. He is service oriented and listens to what your needs are.
Jim is simply the best. From the first phone call, we realized he is not your typical realtor…he is a million times better. Sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s not. Jim started by listening. He asked questions about what we valued in a property, paid attention to what we were looking for and made suggestions as we searched for potential properties. He gave us great information about the lake, the advantages and disadvantages of different parts of the lake, and educated us about all the rules and regulations that effect docks, houses, and the lake itself. He checked out properties in person that we thought were “great” on line and gave us excellent, objective advice as to whether the property lived up to its advertisement so we did not waste time looking at things that would not suit us.
He held our hand though the negotiations with the seller and throughout the settlement process which was critical as we were not local to SML. We know more about the lake and places to eat and shop because of Jim. Jim’s relationship with his customers does not end when the ink on the check is dry. He is there for you to answer questions and help however he can to make your experience at SML great. There are not many realtors who would offer to draw up and get a dock plan submitted, start doing a lot survey to calculate various setbacks, offer to meet a furniture delivery or check on your house to make sure you closed it up correctly! He knows the local community and easily recommended qualified contractors, painters, yard people, and the rest. We worked with a realtor before Jim and talked to several others before going with Jim…he is absolutely heads above the rest.
Carol and Joe
Jim Singleton was our 3rd realtor in our search for a home on the Lake. Third time is a charm, because he really listened, stayed in touch, and was driven to find us our dream home. He was objective, honest, experienced with all the details of the infrastructure of a house… and didn’t sugar-coat anything. We ended up with a point property and an undiscovered gem. We are, needless to say, pleased home owners on Smith Mountain Lake— thanks to Jim.
Jake and Regina
Jim is a special kind of realtor. He not only understands real estate at the lake but he is also expert in construction related issues. He artfully negotiated our purchase and introduced us to contractors in the area. He also walked us through the process of dealing with AEP which was no small matter. Jim is a student of issues at the lake and also a teacher. I have learned a lot from him and respect his advice. I would not hesitate in recommending Jim to anyone wanting a home in the Smith Mountain Lake area.
Barry and Barbara
Jim: Just wanted to drop you a note and thank you for all your efforts in helping Carol and I find and purchase the right house for us at the lake. There is a lot that you did for us and, while you may say you were just doing your job, the way you went about it was very professional, yet friendly. As I said to you before, you did a lot for us including educating us about the area, life on the lake and what to look for in lake property. If it was not for you we may not have found the place we did, and we are very happy with our property. For those of you who don’t know Jim Singleton, here is what you can expect;
It was just by luck that we found Jim by doing some on-line property searches from NY – he is friendly, very knowledgeable about most anything associated with land/home condition, upkeep, renovation and area regulations – flexible, hard working and very patient. It took over two years for us to find our piece of heaven in SML – going back and forth between built homes and land – but it was all worth it. And we still count on his expertise on things that have come up with our home building and pond management. You can’t go wrong with The Buyers Agency.
Steve and Debbie
Jim Singleton has exceeded our expectations as a Realtor. Jim went the extra mile to make sure we found the perfect Smith Mountain Lake building site for our future getaway. From beginning to end Jim guided us through all the crucial and important steps. Even after the sale, Jim continues to go beyond the call of duty by assisting us with various tasks that need to be completed. We would strongly recommend Jim to anyone looking for a great Realtor!
Gail and Kevin
Jim is a buyer’s agent and helped us find just the right house. Not only did he research the kind of properties we would be interested in but he was very knowledgeable about the various communities surrounding the lake. He listened to our desires/needs and helped us find our dream home.
Leighton and Peggy
Our experience finding and purchasing a home at Smith Mountain Lake could not have gone better. Jim’s patience and ability to hear and understand our needs and desires led us to the perfect home for us. When we found out there were complications with the existing dock, Jim’s expertise and persistence brought us to a very reasonable solution with AEP. I’m certain that with any another agent, we would not have been able to come to such a successful conclusion.
Don and Pam
Jim Singleton is absolutely the best realtor you could ever hope to find and we highly recommend Jim to anyone looking to buy property in the Smith Mountain Lake area. When we first met Jim, he spent time getting to know us and learning what we were/are looking for and then showed us property which met our needs. Over the years, he found two pieces of property at SML which we purchased and we cannot image looking for property (much less buying property) at or near the lake without Jim’s assistance. Jim knows real estate, but beyond that he knows the lake, he knows the market, and he knows and has great relationships with other professionals in the area (lenders, soil experts, dock builders, craftsmen, AEP representatives, you name it). He is an outstanding negotiator and will tell you when to change an offer and when to walk away. His sole motivation is the buyer’s satisfaction. Beyond his real estate expertise, Jim is just a wonderful person and has become a valued friend and trusted consultant on many issues beyond buying real estate, such as boat repair and the best local restaurants. We can never repay all that Jim has done for us, but as long as we have a place at the lake, he will have a place to come and relax.
Steve & Diana
We met Jim two years ago while beginning our search for a property on Smith Mountain Lake. Over the two years it took us to narrow down our search, Jim was a consistent resource to send along new listings and provide advice. We purchased our home with Jim’s support in late fall 2016. Throughout the process he was the epitome of a true professional and always looked out for our best interests. Jim has a diverse background and brings an enormous depth of knowledge to share with anyone working with him. Jim became a confidant of ours and has continued to be someone we can rely on even after our home search ended. He is always willing to lend a hand and we are immensely grateful to have gotten to know him over the past few years.
Lisa and Neil