13 Tips on Finding the Best Listing Agent to Sell Your House
Selling your home can be one of the biggest and most important events in your life. A home is most people’s largest investment, and it can be one of the most emotional attachments.
There are many things to take into consideration when selling your home. The price point and timing of sale are paramount, as is the condition of your home and making it attractive to potential buyers. Additionally, having your home properly exposed in the marketplace is important as well.
Another decision that will determine the best return on the sale of your home — from maximizing the profit to negotiating conditions to ensuring the legal complications of the contract are met — is finding the best real estate listing agent.
Your listing agent is crucial to your entire experience as a home seller. The listing agent will be involved in every step of the process, from preparing your home and determining the optimum asking price to marketing your property and negotiating the transaction. They’ll also ensure the contract is in order and the conveyancing is complete.
Like in any industry, real estate agents vary in abilities, personalities and motivations. It’s vitally important to find the “right fit” in a real estate agent, and choosing the right agent can be a challenging, stressful task. Finding the right agent to list and sell your home can make the home selling process a pleasant dream rather than a nightmare.
Here are tips from CENTURY 21 Core Partners in York PA on finding the best listing agent to sell your home.
- Get Referrals: Word-of-mouth is one of the most important ingredients in the real estate business, and this applies as strongly to choosing the best listing agent to sell your home as it does in purchasing a property. Real estate sales is a people business more so than a property business, and finding the right fit from a listing agent is likely to come as a result of referrals from other people.
Often referrals to real estate agents come from family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors or other acquaintances. Excellent referrals can come from professionals like your banker, lawyer, accountant, business associates or people in other parts of the real estate business like developers, builders and contractors.
Remember that the credibility of the referral to a real estate listing agent is only as good as the credibility of the source. Always keep an open mind and an open ear when assessing referrals.
- Interview Three Different Agents: Interviewing at least three different real estate agents before deciding on the right fit for you is common advice that you’ll find repeatedly given. As in getting multiple quotes for renovating your kitchen or bathroom, speaking with a number of potential listing agents will give you a feel of who’ll be the right fit and best work with you to list your home at the proper price point to give it the best exposure to buyers.
Be aware of an agent who is far off the mark in price point. A figure too low or too high may be a warning sign that the realtor is out of touch with your market or has an ulterior motive in representing you. Also, be aware that different REALTORS® have different agendas for taking on a contract for listing your home. Some may be desperate for income and some may be currently overloaded.
Pick your three candidates carefully before asking them for their time to interview them. High producers are busy people. They’ll be assessing you as a candidate to work with as well. It’s best not to exceed three potential REALTORS®. A professional realtor should be asking you how many other REALTORS® are competing for your listing. By exceeding three candidates, you’re significantly reducing their chances of getting your listing, and they may not want to put in the time and effort of giving you the attention you need to properly assess them.
Additionally, be careful of interviewing candidates within the same agency. Be fair to the REALTORS® who you’re interviewing and they’ll be fair to you.
- Examine Productivity: A sign of an effective real estate agent who will professionally list and market your home is the number of sales they’ve recently completed. Ensure you ask a potential agent about their performance record and take the time to look up their recorded sales at your local real estate board’s records of recent sales. They’re publicly available online as well.
The best listing agent for you will likely be someone who has moved property in your price range and in your neighborhood within recent months. Those agents will have a pulse on current market conditions and will be in the best position to accurately set the price of your home to get the best return on your sale in terms of maximum profit and minimal length of time on the market.
An agent who has five recorded sales in your price range and area within the past three months is more likely to give you the best service than someone with one or two sales, especially if the price bracket is much higher or lower than the value your home should be set at.
- Professional Accreditations and Education: All professional real estate agents must be licensed and in current good standing with their agency and local board. Agents who display a capital “R” in their Realtor designation are certified members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and have pledged to adhere to the NAR code of ethics.
Professional REALTORS® take ongoing education courses. They’ll be astute to the local real estate market trends and cycles. Take into account what a realtor’s commitment to their professional development is. The best agent to list and sell your home will have a track record of educating themselves on your market and the industry as a whole.
- Measure Their Experience: There’s a saying in the real estate industry that anyone with under five years of experience is learning off of you. This may or may not be true and it’ll depend on the individual realtor. Some junior REALTORS® may be very astute and eager for success whereas senior REALTORS® might be satisfied with what comes their way and not go the extra mile to serve you.
As in many other professions, gauge the ability of a realtor on many things, not just the length of time they’ve been working in the real estate industry. Experience is just one factor to consider when finding the best listing agent to sell your home.
- Ensure They Are Detail Oriented: Real estate contracts can be complicated documents, and the successful sale of your home can depend on whether the documentation is properly completed. Professional real estate agents are trained in the legal requirements necessary to list and close the sale of your home. Details include addendums of disclosures, terms, conditions, subject-to’s, inspection reports, lien clearances, easements and rights of subsurface claims. The right agent to list your home must be analytical and detail orientated. There’s no place for sloppy or casual approaches to the legal requirements of real estate contracts and conveyance.
- Research Their Reputation: A real estate agent’s reputation is the most valuable asset they have. The industry depends on networking. It’s not just the interaction between other real estate agents or agencies — it’s between all the professionals like financial providers and investors, insurance brokers and public officials. It’s also the word-of-mouth passed through satisfied clients and their sphere of influence.
- Test Their Market Knowledge: Knowing the market in which your home is situated is crucial. Your listing real estate agent must be aware of current conditions, competing listings, pros and cons of locations and above all, the proper listing price.
The right listing agent will provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that will show you what properties have recently sold in your area and in your price bracket. A thorough and realistic CMA is necessary to set your price and give you the confidence in competitively placing your home on the market.
A fundamental principle in the residential real estate business is that a home is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. A home priced too low may result in a snap sale while one priced above the fair market value may sit stagnant on the listing pages.
Pay close attention to what a real estate agent advises you when presenting a CMA. The right listing agent will have done their homework and be able to confidently stand behind their recommendations.
- Ensure They Specialize in Your Market: The right listing agent for you must know and be active in the market your home is set in. You may have a single-family property in a rural location, a townhouse in the suburbs or a condo in a dense urban high rise.
Many REALTORS® specialize in these types of properties and are competent in knowing how your listing fits into the competition for sale.
Someone who sells nothing but high-end luxury homes or vacation properties likely won’t serve well to sell your detached bungalow in the suburbs. Conversely, a real estate agent who mainly moves speculation properties for developers likely won’t be the best fit to sell your condominium.
- Place Value on Honesty: Balancing optimism with realism, diplomacy and brutal honesty is a quality to look for when finding the best listing agent to sell your house. Be aware of the nuances in the real estate business where an agent can experience a conflict of interest between getting you the fairest price while maximizing their commission.
REALTORS® often experience multiple offers, and an unethical agent may not be open to presenting offers which conflict with the agent’s maximum return on commission. As with reputation, take into account your impression of an agent’s ethical performance.
- Consider First Impressions: First impressions do matter when it comes to selecting the right listing agent. We all have an inner sense that speaks to us when we first meet someone new, and it’s important to listen to yours.
The realtor’s dress and deportment, the vehicle they drive, their punctuality, communication skills, handshake, eye contact, preparation for your meeting and especially the agency they represent, are all part of an overall assessment of who will be your best listing agent.
The realtor’s website is another leading indicator of their ability. Websites must always be current, informative and easily navigated.
- Determine Their Level of Dedication: Many REALTORS® do not work full time in the industry. Some hold their license as a convenience and pick up listings when they can without putting in the real effort it takes to properly list and sell your home.
Full-time REALTORS® are professionals and make their entire income from the listing and sales of homes. You should expect nothing less than a full commitment that your listing agent will properly present your home and get you the fairest price in the most reasonable time.
- Follow the 90 / 10 Rule: It’s a fact in the real estate industry that 90% of the sales are made by 10% of the REALTORS®. When choosing the right listing agent, take into account where they rank in sales productivity.
If the agent you’re assessing has very few sales recorded, especially in your price range, take that as a warning sign that the agent may not be for you. Also, take into account that a highly productive realtor in a heated market may not want or be able to give you the attention your listing deserves.
Take the 90/ 10 rule as a guideline in selecting a real estate agent. It’s just one of the overall factors to consider.
The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid
Making the right choice in finding the best listing agent for your home is more than just assessing the right qualities. It also involves knowing the pitfalls that can happen in not finding the right fit:
- Highest Price: A realtor who suggests an unreasonably high listing price may be ignorant of the market or trying to maximize the return on their commission. Too high of a price will almost always prevent a timely sale and give the property a black eye when forced price reductions take effect.
- Lowest Commission: You get what you pay for. A realtor who entices you with a commission rate below the industry standard may tarnish the listing and prevent other REALTORS® from showing it.
- “Mister Lister”: Some REALTORS® focus on getting as many listings as they can and then depend on the buyer’s agents to move the property for them, without putting in the proper time and money investment in promoting the property.
Ask the Right Questions
Ensure that you ask questions of a real estate agent who you’re considering giving your listing to. Here are some helpful tips and examples.
- What is your sales commission rate?
- What and where are your recent sales?
- What is your list price to sales price ratio? (It should be above 95%)
- Will you present me with a CMA before I commit to giving you my listing?
- What is your marketing plan for my property?
- What is your current listing load?
- What length of contract do you want?
- Is yours an exclusive listing or an MLS?
- Are you co-listing with another realtor?
- Are you part of a shared real estate team?
- Do you have an assistant?
- What differs you from other REALTORS®?
- How long have you been a realtor?
- Are you a full-time realtor?
- Do you have satisfied client testimonials?
- What communication form do you prefer?
- Will you have my property professionally photographed?
- What is my ability to cancel your listing if I’m not satisfied?
- What other questions should I be asking you?
All CENTURY 21 Core Partners in York, PA are professional, dedicated real estate agents. We know the local market and are the best listing agents in York, PA.
CENTURY 21 York PA agents represent the CENTURY 21 national real estate brand that exemplifies customer service with:
- Dedication: CENTURY 21 Core Partners work endlessly to ensure the home selling process is as easy as possible for you.
- Insider Knowledge: CENTURY 21 Core Partners know the York, PA area and give you insider recommendations.
- Top Skills: CENTURY 21 Core Partners have excellent negotiation skills. We’re at the forefront of the latest real estate trends and have extensive and regular training sessions.
- Convenience: CENTURY 21 Core Partners pledge to make your listing and selling process smooth. We schedule meetings and showings within your schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays.
CENTURY 21 Core Partners of York, PA, is proud to say that for three years in a row the J.D. Powers Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study has ranked us as the highest service provider in the real estate industry.
These prestigious J.D. Power awards prove that CENTURY 21 Core Partners of York, PA is your preferred real estate partner.
Recent Company Testimonials
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“I am a hairstylist and John is one of my customers. I mentioned to him that my wife and I were interested in moving soon. He explained that he was a real estate agent and gave me his card. Later that day my wife and I called him and we never lost communication with him. He became almost like a friend. He felt our pain when offers fell, but he never got discouraged and kept us positive and moving on. He kept saying there is a home for you, and we will find it. It seemed like it took forever, but we found our forever home. John was ecstatic right along side of us. I will be referring him to other customers of mine that need an agent. John went above and beyond. Both my wife and I will miss working and talking to him daily. LOL”
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“Michael was wonderful to work with. He listened to our needs for both buying a new home as well as selling our existing home, and worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth sale and purchase. We recommend him wholeheartedly.”
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“When I met Stacey for the first time she made me feel like she was really interested and help me to understand the process what to expect about looking and buying a home. at the first showing I knew that I was going to stay with her, I was previous that I should try other Brokers not just one, but I was very much satisfied with her knowledge time and patient with me to the end. She really did help me alot.”
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“Susan is a true professional. She’ll fight tooth and nail for her clients and always go the extra mile...she was truly a pleasure to work with. She always made me feel like I was top priority and her only client. She will certainly get any and all my recommendations and/or referrals. Top notch agent in every way. Again, can’t say enough positive things about Susan.”
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“Stacey knows the business well. I would definitely recommend her.”
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“Scott Wilburn was extremely knowledgeable about the sale and purchase process including property values in the area, location information and most importantly, helping me find a home that included all of my requirements. He made himself available to discuss any questions that I had and made the process as easy as possible. I would recommend Scott and Century 21 Core Partners to anyone looking to sell or purchase a home!”
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“I knew I had to have Heather Bradley as my agent. I trusted her to look out for my best interest and to find the right home for me. I had a very specific list for my home search and Heather worked relentlessly to find the perfect fit. She is detail oriented, professional, and so pleasant to work with. Heather went above and beyond to ensure the entire process went smoothly. I can’t thank her enough! I highly recommend Heather Bradley!”
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“We live 250 miles from where we were buying a home. Heather made it easy for us by keeping lines of communication open, until we narrowed in on what we wanted in our pric range. She offered insight and expertise that was invaluable.”
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“We had a difficult case (certain area, certain school, certain price and wants) and Eva was always supportive and understanding in our search. She was always there to help answer questions at any time, day or night. Eva did a fantastic job! We will use her in the future and recommend her to all our friends!!”
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“Scott Wilburn was a great resource as a first time buyer with a timeline. His communication was prompt and his knowledge of subject matter was extensive. Ensured that I understood what was going on and handled any questions that I had. From start to finish this process went smoother then I could of ever imagined. Highly recommend Scott to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.”
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“We had to have many conversations during this sale, we never had an issues communicating with Stacey is very attentive. If we needed an answer to a question or something like that it didn't matter where Stacey was we always got a timely response. Because of the issues to get the house to close, we are not sure we would of been able to work with just any agent. Stacey kept us calm and is a great leader.”
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“My house was a difficult property to sell due to the location, but Eva Kelly did not give up. From the beginning she put up a huge yard sign, placed adds and had great up to date pictures of my house. The last agent used pictures from when I purchased the house! Eva got people to walk thru the house, she had Open House's and did whatever she needed to do to sell this house! I am very pleased and very satisfied with the sale of this house. Eva went out of her way for me. I was already down in Florida with my fiance' who just recently contracted the flesh eating bacteria and he was in the hospital for over 2 months. Eva was my voice for me. She kept me in the loop and made me not really have to make any choices..she was wonderful an was on top of everything. I did not feel like I was just another seller to her. (Other agents had gotten me mixed up with other homes) Would use her again and would highly recommend.”
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“Michael is a hard worker and is very dedicated to his clients. He had a good understanding of our needs and was very flexible. He went above and beyond to meet us at times that were convenient for our family. Michael knows a lot about the area and was able to help us to find our dream home! I would highly recommend using him as your agent!”
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“Que us un ser humano excelente ecantodo que eya aiga.sido mi representante muchas gracias por sus servicios”
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“I couldn’t have asked for a better guy to work with. He listened to what I was looking for and answered questions I had along the way. Scott was a solid advocate for me throughout the process and it made my first home purchase less stressful knowing I had him to answer the inevitable questions that arose. I have and will continue to recommend Scott to others I know who are looking for a home.”
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“Jennifer was a great listener to the unique circumstances of this purchase and the unique situation I had. While we look at several properties they didn’t quite fit or just wasn’t what we were looking for inside. When I went further out of the price range I was looking when I found a house I thought might be the one, she was the first one to make sure that the price wouldn’t be an issue. Turns out that was the house and everything fell together nicely like it was meant to be. She is a great realtor with a great personality and makes home buying way and fun. Thanks Jennifer!!!”
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“John is simply AWESOME!!!! We could not have asked for a better guy to help us find a new home. John was always available to answer our questions and was very responsive to our needs. We would HIGHLY RECOMMEND John to anyone looking to buy/sell a home. I truly believe that you would be hard pressed to find anyone better.”
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“I would definitely recommend Jennifer Behr, she was very personable and knowledgeable of the area!!! She was great to work with, and I would work with her again!!! Frank Chalk”
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“Eva was outstanding! We were in a tight budget situation and she told us from the start she was willing to work with us. She came through on her promise which was amazing. She made it happen!”
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“Thanks Christian for all the help, and for always answer ours phone calls and email at moment, days and nights. You being bilingual was a plus. We already completed 3 deals with Christian since we meet him. Keep the good work.”
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“Eva was incredibly helpful throughout our entire homebuying experience. Her knowledge and efficiency really helped us to be able to trust her in knowing she will do whatever is best for us and our future home. I would recommend her to anyone.”
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“Eva Kelly was extreamly professional and willing to go the extra mile for my family. Eva responded to every question and or concern instantly. If I had to do it all over again Eva Kelly would be the first contact I would make. If you are in the market for a new home I would strongly recommend Eva Kelly and her team to help you through the experience of purchasing a new home or property.”
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“Stacey sold my parents their house. She came highly recommended. She was amazing with my house deal. She went over and above always to work out any issues. I'm so happy to have worked with Stacey. Stacey was always there for me and ran the extra mile to make sure everything not only got completed but on time. She was very attentive and made things as smooth as possible for me during the transaction. Stacey was perfect with her communication throughout the whole process of me purchasing my home. She was also very knowledgeable when I would ask a million questions because some things I did not understand or would become stressed about and she would always calm my fears and answer me quickly and concisely. I'm just so grateful that I had Stacey during the purchase of my home representing me and walking me through everything. She was very helpful, very attentive. She's very down-to-earth and very approachable and always made me feel very comfortable. I would highly recommend Stacey. She even made home baked cookies to bring to my Settlement. She is awesome!”
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“Personable, knowledgeable, professional - Dwayne's a topnotch agent!”
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“Stacey is the best! Always had time to answer questions and meet with us when needed. She knew what we wanted and helped to get us to our end goal.”
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“Michael was a phenomenal agent to represent us in selling our home. Michael provided excellent insight and used his years of experience to help us get our home sold for maximum dollar. He guided us from the initial tour of our home, through photos and showings. His excellent negation skills though home inspections made it a stress free experience for us and we breezed through closing. Michael was able ti iron out any bumps along the way for us and we were thrilled with the results. Onto of all of that Michael is a great person and an absolute joy to work with.”
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“Edward Gonzales was an absolute gentleman and professional. I felt supported just as much as the seller did. I would strongly recommend Edward to friends and family in the future. I love my new home and have no regrets whatsoever! P.S. LIz at the title company was top notch as well. Really appreciated them both being with me through the process. Felt like I knew them both forever. Smiles for Miles! Meredith Gerecht, York, PA”
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“My family and friends had used Christian's services before for the purchase of their homes and always recommended him to my wife and me, they told us that Christian was always trying and looking the best for them. Now in the purchase of our home, we saw the way Christian was always working to get us the best loan for us and get help with down payment & closing cost from the seller and the State. He was always trying to find us the perfect house to call home. We would recommend Christian to our family and my friends without hesitation. Freddy A. Castillo y Michel Almonte De Castillo, York PA Mi familia y amigos habían usado los servicios de Christian antes para la compra de sus casas y siempre lo recomendaron a mi esposa y a mí, nos dijeron que Christian siempre estaba intentando y buscando lo mejor para ellos. Ahora, en la compra de nuestra casa, vimos la forma en que Christian siempre estaba trabajando para obtener el mejor préstamo para nosotros y obtener ayuda con el pago inicial y el costo de cierre de parte del vendedor y del Estado. Siempre intentaba encontrarnos la casa perfecta para llamar hogar. Recomendaríamos a Christian con nuestra familia y amigos sin dudarlo. Freddy A. Castillo y Michel Almonte De Castillo, York PA”
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“Eva Kelly was always able to answer our questions and explain things we were unsure of. I would definitely use her again.”
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“Dwayne is knowledgeable about the market and a good problem solver. He is a good listener and is willing and able to adjust to my needs. I would highly recommend Dwayne to anyone interested in buying or selling a property.”
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“Stacey Sechler was a pleasure to work with. Besides being very knowledgeable of her craft, she was also very kind and honest. This was my first time buying a house and I felt she was looking out for me and not just trying to get a sale. She accommodated to my schedule and worked quickly to line up the houses I wanted to see. Once a house was chosen, the paper work process was prompt and easy and all negotiations were handled by Stacey and handled very well. I would recommend her to anyone who is currently looking to purchase a home. I cannot thank her enough and very much hope she’s still involved in the real estate profession when I go to buy my next home!”
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“More than professional.”
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“Edward was our agent in the past (he helped us sell 2 homes, which both homes sold within 5 days and now he has helped us purchase a home. He is an excellent agent.”
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“Was a very nice experience to meet with Larry and Jen, they are very professionals, the really help us a lot. Thank you”
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“Stacey was great! She did whatever it took to find and get us into a new home. Always available for questions and anything else we needed.”
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“Christian Maldonado was very trustworthy, helpful, knowledgeable and professional. I felt that he was always looking out for the best interest of all parties.He was always very courteous and prompt. I was extremely grateful for his help and would highly recommend him in the future.”
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“I enjoyed working with Dwayne; he never made me feel uncomfortable. He was friendly, helpful and always respectful. I would recommend him to anyone who expressed the need of a real estate professional. If I had the need in the future, I would not hesitate to call him. Thanks, Dwayne!”
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“I would recommend Megan Bell to anyone. She was very responsive at all times of the day. She helped any way that she could. She was very nice and she was so accommodating. I had a great experience with her and if I still lived in the area I would use her again. You can’t go wrong with her service.”
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“She helped my mom buy her house and was extremely helpful and attentive throughout the entire process. I knew that she would be awesome helping me with buying my first home. She was honest, timely, and extremely helpful with helping me choose my new home. Anytime I had a question she would answer back almost immediately. Eva is amazing.”
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“I would recommend Jenn to anyone looking for a home. She was kind and understanding, persistent but not a pest. Jenn is amazing! She got us a home perfect for our family and our needs.”
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“We had the pleasure of working with Stacey Sechler for our recent home sale. From start to finish Stacey was very responsive, kind, knowledgeable and a constant professional. She is top notch and can’t be beat! We had a great experience!”
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“She sold our house in 48 hours. I couldn’t ask for more :) Very quick to respond to emails.”
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“Muchas gracias Christian por tu ayuda para compar mi casa. Dios te bendiga.”
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“We have used many real-estate persons over the pass three decades and Michael Segarra is the best hands down.”
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“John really stuck in with us and did what ever was necessary to help.us get a deal done. Thanks so much John. John is a very upstanding person. He works.hard and is honest. He never gave up and was always had the answers we had.”
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“Edward did an excellent job finding houses that fit my needs. He understood exactly what I wanted and did everything in his power to find the right house for me. He was very professional yet laid back at the same time. He did not exhibit a pushy salesman demeanor and was very patient with me as I was a bit picky with my house search. I feel like we worked very well together as a team and we found the right house for me.”
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“Dwayne was excellent. He knew what we were looking for and moved at our pace. At no point did we feel pressured or rushed. Great job Dwayne, thanks again!”
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“Susan was/is excellent. She works very hard and always gets the job done. Her approach is a breath of fresh air because she does not employ an over the top sales pitch and presentation loaded with false promises and unrealistic expectations. Instead she gives you honest answers and well thought out market research to achieve the best result possible. I will only contact her in the future when buying and selling properties.”
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“From start to finish, Heather was there for every question or concern I had. I would never think about using or recommending anyone else. Absolutely a great experience working with Heather.”
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“Eva is a great realtor! She really puts forth the effort to understand her customer and their needs. Would recommend her over and over.”
