At Goosmann Law Firm, we believe in a team-first approach. Without strong teamwork and collaboration, our team cannot succeed. The Goosmann Law Firm Real Estate Team works hard every day to process your title work, balance your file, and close your transaction.

I sat down with the four members of the GLF Real Estate Team: Shea Hartmann, Becky Mulheron, Kelli Jones, and Hope Feiner, to talk with them about real estate, and give you a chance to learn something new about each of them.

Q & A

Becky Mulheron – Real Estate Closings Agent

Alex – What can you tell people about what you do on the Goosmann Law Firm Real Estate Team?

Becky – I usually say that my part falls in the middle of what’s going on. After our office receives all the important information, it gets organized and passed along to me to create the Closing Disclosure or ALTA Statement. I always try to prioritize our files by closing date, since we close so many transactions and have new ones coming in every single day. The Team calendar is super important to keep everything moving towards our goal. I have to make sure your file is balanced, that the funds are there, and that all invoices are paid.

Alex – What is the most challenging aspect of your job? What part of your job makes you proud?

Becky – The most challenging part of my job is definitely juggling all of the files at once. I’m trying my best to make everyone happy – and there’s a lot of people involved in a real estate transaction! We want every client and vendor to know that their transaction is important, so we give it the time and attention it deserves. I’m most proud when I am able to manage multiple files at once, or when a transaction gets balanced early and we can move the process forward.

Shea – Real Estate Closings Supervisor

Alex – If you could buy any piece of real estate in the world, what would it be?

Shea – Anywhere? Maybe somewhere in Scotland or Amsterdam? No. My dream would be to buy 30 acres of land somewhere in the Loess Hills. It’s so beautiful. What I really want is a barn. A massive barn for my art studio with giant canvas everywhere. The Hills are a quiet and serene place shut out from the rest of the world where you can really disappear and get creative. Sometimes I just drive around looking for my piece of land and barn.  

Alex – What are your thoughts on the future of the GLF Real Estate Team?

Shea – Our team is located in what we call the “Buffalo Building” thanks to the beautiful mural on the side of the building. I love that, because the buffalo is a symbol of great strength, loyalty, and self-sacrifice, all of which are characteristics of our team. Now, I’ve also got a wasp nest outside my window. The wasp is a symbol of articulation and development, foundation and structure, and productivity and progress. We can see how this translate to our team here, as we work together and constantly adapt to the demands of this industry. Our experienced staff has seen some amazing growth these last two years. We want our clients to know we are flexible, reliable, and dedicated to getting their closing done and done on time.

Hope – Real Estate Closings Agent

Alex – You’ve been in this industry a long time, what advice to you have for someone who is involved in a real estate for the first time or first time in awhile?

Hope – My advice for buyers would be to do your homework and to ask questions. When you’re working with a professional in the industry – ask them questions! If you’re not getting answers, you may need to consider finding someone else that can help you. I also recommend that you get pre-qualified for your loan before you start looking at homes. Don’t let the reality of your pocketbook crush your dreams. My advice for sellers is to take care of items that need fixing before you go to market, or expect lower offers coming in. Nobody wants your DIY-project-gone-bad as their welcoming present to their new home!

Alex – Do you have funny real estate story you’d like to share?

Hope – I will just say – if you’re doing something that you normally keep private – make sure it isn’t on full display when you’re showing your home to new potential buyers... I’ll let you use your imagination.

Kelli Jones – Real Estate Paralegal

Alex –What are some challenges have you faced or things that have caught you by surprise do to not having a real estate background prior to joining this team?

Kelli – When I first started, I only knew from when I bought my own house. You have no idea of everything that goes on behind the scenes. Even something like property abstracts – once you’re in it, you start to understand, but the average homebuyer probably doesn’t think twice about it. One thing that surprised is that even some of the things I already knew as a paralegal had to be tweaked to be successful in the real estate industry.

Alex – Your duties are pretty widespread; what is your usual day like, and what do you like the most about your job?

Kelli – First and foremost for me is our title opinions. Opinions require a lot of time and attention to detail. The title opinion is fundamental to the transaction, and I like being a part of that. In addition to title opinions, I also assist in our Iowa Title Guaranty field issuing and deed drafting. A good chunk of my day is also spent on post-closing work. Post-closing can often present its own set of challenges, and can be very rewarding.

Want to know more about Goosmann Law Firm’s Real Estate Team? Just ask! We are here to assist in your real estate transaction any way that we can. Give us a call in our Sioux City office to learn more about what we do and how we can help you have a smooth real estate transaction.