One of the most surprising things to me since starting my real estate career, is the “ what will you charge for me?” mentality. I suppose I should have expected it. After all, we all want something for nothing right? Trust me, we really don't want something for nothing. The old saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. Real estate, my friends, is no different.
I pay my hairstylist full price even though she is my dear friend. Another dear friend, a physician, I paid full price to stitch up my thumb a few years back when I slashed it with a box cutter(different story. Different day). Why? Because they offer me a full service. They do a wonderful job and I am well pleased with the skill and expertise they extend. I pay because I cannot balayage my hair nor can I stitch my own finger. I pay because I cannot do what they do as well as they do it. And with all due respect, I do not believe you can sell/buy your home as well as we can do it. How do I know this? Sit down with us over a cup of coffee and let us explain.
My industry is ever competitive and threatened daily. You will find agents that will slash their fees to try and get business. We have a different approach: we go above and beyond. We offer premium service ensuring that our clients are well pleased with the job and expertise that we provide. And while I could spend hours, days even, explaining the finer details of how my commission is not what you think. After the split, then split again because I am in a partnership and then taxed. I take home significantly less than you might expect. But that is neither here nor there. My point: I cannot, in good consciousness, discount my services, so I choose not to discount my fee.
When we list your home, we are not only advertising it. We are vetting your potential buyers, holding open houses, contacting any potential buyers in our pipeline, answering any and all questions via phone, email, text about your property to other agents and prospects until the midnight hours, and making sure that every line and word in your contract is for your best interest. I am emailing your title company making sure that they are on top of it and the buyers agent doing the same. I am making sure utilities are being transferred and any and all documents are where they need to be when they need to be there to ensure a smooth and timely closing. Now, is it our job to make sure that the buyers agent is on top of it? Maybe not, but if they overlook something and the paperwork was not sent in a timely manner and it delays closing, who suffers? Our sellers. We do not want that for them so we go above and beyond our scope of duties and do everything in our power to ensure a smooth transaction.
My work is wonderful. I get to help my dear clients navigate from seller to sold and from home buyer to homeowner. It truly is rewarding and I love my job. With that being said, real estate is no different from any other rewarding work. It is exhausting work. It is demanding if you do it well. The days are long and the nights sometimes even longer. April and I provide a 5 star service. I truly think you would have a challenge on your hands to find a better team( maybe biased). Do they exist? Certainly, I have met them and worked alongside them. And when you encounter them, please pay them what they're worth.
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