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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“Eva was exceptional to work with. I worked with her for nearly 2 years looking at properties until finally closing on the perfect house. Her service with me as a her client was the same from day one until( and even after) settlement. I would highly recommend Eva to anyone looking for a friendly and professional experience.”
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“We were extremely impressed with Susan Spahrs knowledge and availability to show as many properties to us as needed. Extremely pleasant and easy to work with. We would not hesitate to use her again and would refer Susan to all our friends!! Fantastic and knowledgeable realtor who is at the top of her game!! Never had to deal with anyone but Susan. She was amazing!”
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“Stacey took 3 years to help us find our farm. She is AMAZING to work with. If we ever have to buy anything again in the entire state of Pennsylvania she is who we will work with. The only agent we will work with. She became my friend during this incredibly lengthy process. She is a true credit to her profession and you guys are lucky as heck to have her on your team!”
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“Ed was very help I highly recommend him to all if my family and friends”
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“It was never a question of who I was going to go with when choosing the right person for the job. Eva is incredibly knowledgeable and always takes the time to answer any questions that I have. She is a joy to work with and whenever anyone I know is thinking of buying or selling I always suggest contacting Eva. Everyone that I’ve encountered at Century 21 have been extremely nice and it’s just an environment that immediately puts you at ease. The team works together and you can just tell that they all have a great relationship with each other.”
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“Eva Kelly's professionalism and due diligence was highly appreciated. This made the sale of my home a breeze!”
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“Always keep great communication Always answered all questions if she didn't know the answer she will find it. Fast working. Hard work. Flexible. Honest .great people and communication skilled. She's great. Knowledgeable. Honest Becomes one of the family. Out going friendly. Would refer her to family and friends.”
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“We were referred by my daughters friend, I had a previous realtor and was not satisfied with her, we were in South Carolina looking to relocate, we have family here. Susan Spahr worked with us and my daughter who lives in York, we had to do a virtual tour and she made it easy. She sent us listings and took my daughter on the tour. She was very hands on thru text, emails and phone calls, anytime I had a question she was there with an answer. She took care of the inspection and kept us informed because we we in South Carolina and our dog had surgery so we could not travel. She was a pleasure to work with and I absolutely would recommend her to anyone, she is an asset to Century 21.”
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“Susan is absolutely wonderful. I had worked with her previously and wished to work with her again. Susan does such a fantastic job, that I recommend her to my friends and coworkers. I look forward to working with Susan in the future. Susan was not only professional but put me at ease with selling my house. I have a very hectic work schedule and Susan made sure she was available for questions at all times of the day. Susan is a spectacular realtor and person.”
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“They listened to what we were looking for and the price range we wanted to stay in. We're available to show us houses quickly”
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“Incredibly helpful”
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“Eva Kelly is very knowledgeable and very easy to work wilth. I would recommend her to all my friends and family. When our son sold his home we made sure he was working with Eva. Eva is very easy to work with. Eva always remembers follow up. Which was very important in this particular purchase.”
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“We moved from TX to PA - not an easy task. Sue Spahr went above and beyond for us - even showed us homes via facetime! We love Sue and would recommend her again and again!”
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“Stacey is as good as they come. Easy going, no pressure, and sharp as a tack. I asked a million questions and she never hesitated to answer every single one of them. She’s patient, personable, kind, and extremely knowledgeable. Everytime we saw stacey for a showing, it was like hanging out with a good friend. I’d recommend her to anyone.”
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“Eva was a pleasure to work with and went the extra mile to help us through the process. From the first time I met Eva, I felt comfortable talking to her and it was evident that she understood the market. She helped when we wanted advice but also knew when to step back and let us discuss privately. Eva was responsive to all of my questions, even after closing. She clearly wanted to help us and was not just trying to earn a quick commission. I am truly thankful that we chose her and would recommend Eva to others looking for a Realtor.”
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“Okwy is the best real estate agent in the DMV area. She prayed along with us throughout the entire process and was extremely supportive and helpful. We could not have asked for a better agent. We would definitely recommend.”
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“Eva Kelly will work hard for you. She is always able to be contacted and is very knowledgeable. She makes buying and selling a home very easy!”
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“Dwayne Piper is excellent at his job. He’s knowledgeable and personable and I’d recommend him to anyone in need of a real estate agent.”
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“Excelente todo gracias por siempre estar pendiente de todo y ayudarme mil gracias excelente trabajo en equipo”
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“Awesome Job. Our home buying dreams came true”
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“With the difficulty of closing this sale, Heather was extremely patient. Her diligence was greatly appreciated by all parties brokering the sale of the property. Any issues during the sale were immediately communicated, with possible solutions, so the best resolution could be obtained.”
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“I Trust him and his devotion to his clients Many of these do not apply as the perspective buyers came to me however from that moment on the Piper's killed it with very little effort on my part. Love that team !!! Always there to answer a late evening question on the process I would more than recommend the Piper's. I would insist that friends and family use them if they want a great buying/ selling experience.”
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“We had what we thought would be a difficult piece of property to sell. I spoke with Heather Bradley and, in one phone call, she knew what our plans were and how to best execute them. Thanks to her research and hard work we were able to have the property sell within just a few weeks.”
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“Susan Spahr was knowledgeable and professional. She was very patient and understanding working my son while we lived in Pittsburgh. She E-mailed us with all the info we need to make our purchase transition smoothly. We would recommend Susan Spahr to anyone looking for a house in the York, PA area!”
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“Heather went above and beyond to not only help us find the house of our dreams, but also walk us through the process of buying our first home. We are so grateful for all her experience and help through the process! Heather was so kind and knowledge through the entire process! I feel like the word excellent does not do justice to the grates listed above. It always seemed like she went above and beyond to help us at any time of day!”
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“Heather is the #1 agent in South Central, PA!!!!!”
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“Scott is an amazing agent! He always had our back and accommodated us every step of the way. By far the best agent we’ve ever worked with. The best agent out there!”
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“Heather was amazing, she had my house sell within a week. I did not have any problems at all everything was fast and easy Thank you Heather, It still means a lot to us”
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“His knowledge and years of experience helped guide us through this process successfully. He has a great personality and is very approachable, the other thing that means a lot to us is his and his wife's participation in the Homes for Heroes program. A program that gives back to veterans, nurses, and teaching professionals.”
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“Great job, so patient and understanding. Dwayne and Gina Piper have an awesome.personality and were so helpful and informative. I would highly recommend them.”
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“Brian Kocsi has everything, without his accomodation I won’t be able to relocate here in York PA to be with my sister.He worked with my sister to checked the property.It’s tooled a while to find my home now I’m happy we’re I’m with my sister, brother in law and my two dogs they love running in the park.Thank You Brian Your a Family now.”
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“I know Ragaa and i trust her Ragaa was professional with everything, friendly, nice, kindand helpful She worked with us as one of our family I’m only worked with Ragaa and she did great Ragaa did great job, helped us with everything”
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“Heather is an amazing realtor! Her knowledge, patience and expertise are second to none. She made our homebuying experience truly delightful!”
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“Okwy is soft spoke and has a lot of patience. She understood my needs and guided me accordingly. She was kind and considerate. I recommend her to anyone in need of a home.”
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“Michael was very easy to work with , he was very knowledgeable years of experience which is what I needed due to my circumstances with my home. He sold my home within less than 24hours and got me out of a hardship situation. Grateful.”
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“Susan makes the process enjoyable!! I have sold/purchased homes with Susan in the past and I never ever worry about missed details, forgotten paperwork or miscommunication. She explains the process with patience and professionalism, then follows up with detailed correspondence and time lines. Susan is kind, understanding, thorough, transparent and keeps the process painless and stress free for everyone !!! I would recommend Susan 100%!!! I am extremely grateful for her professionalism and compassion!!!”
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“I heard of it’s friendly and professional people from another person She was just a text or a call away”
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“Dwayne was able to get the seller to take care of a few things that most wont consider doing. Very easy going and calm personalities makes them awesome negotiators. Its always a pleasure working with Dwayne and Gina! Very knowledgeable but always open to learn and brainstorm my ideas and thoughts. Thanks for all you do!”
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“Absolutely incredible experience. Heather has an awesome personality, is extremely knowledgeable, and has great attention to detail. This was my first time buying a home and she (and the loan officer, Mike Cersei), were nothing shy of amazing. They made all of my financial options crystal clear, as well as Heather’s experience and attention to detail with even the smallest aspects of the home I purchased. She has the ability to be the friendliest person you’ve ever met, and flip a switch when it comes to negotiation with other agents and getting you exactly what you want at the price you want it. That cannot be taught. Overall fantastic experience and I thank her and her team for my first home.”
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“Susan was very understanding and very patient with me. She wasn’t rushing me to buy a house. She stay in touch when I wanted to give up, she didn’t give up on me. If she didn’t stay in touch I think I would have gave up. I like that she communicated back-and-forth regarding any changes she stayed on top of everything and kept me informed. Everyone I came in contact atCentury 21 are very kind.”
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“Shanna was very approachable and easy to work with. I was always able to reach her no matter the time of day. The market is moving very quickly, but she was able to show us just what we were looking for!”
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“She made it happen, aggressive and highly knowledgeable about the entire process. She was absolutely awesome. I will use her again. Awesome agent Crazy market, yet she made it happen within a short period of time. Overall experience was awesome.”
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“Brian did an amazing job right from the start. He was very professional and was always available to us to answer any questions. He was always on top of whatever needed done. The advertising, sale and closing on our property could not have gone more smoothly. Brian did an excellent job.”
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“We called, and Eva answered. We are so happy she did. She took the time to understand our needs and exceeded all of our expectations. She exceeded ones we didn't even know we had! Eva knew our needs and was available anytime for showings and to answer questions. She did facetime calls to show those of us who were not local to the properties and was patient and explained every detail. Eva handled this long distance relocation so well. Always happy to make video calls, send photos, described what she saw in detail and was beyond patient with the process. She is a GREAT agent for those relocating from far away! Eva is extremely friendly to our LGBTQ Community and sensitive to hesitations with neighborhoods and privacy.”
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“Heather tirelessly helped me search for a great home for my family in a difficult market when we were often up against multiple offers. She was professional and dedicated. She helped me get the house I wanted even when I was starting to get discouraged!”
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“I met Susan in 2016 while working for AT&T. Who would’ve known that a simple sale / upgrade of a cell phone would turn out like this. Through the years following, she made 2 trips to our home and gave us her honest unbiased opinion about what we should do to get our property ready for market. Thanks to Susan, our home sold in 4 days!! I feel like not only did I have an agent, but a good friend in the end. Thank you Susan for being there and helping us achieve our goal. David and Roberta Sponseller”
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“Stacey was amazing from our first meeting with her. She is helpful and knowledgeable in the York area. She quickly responded to my hundreds of questions and never made us feel like an inconvenience. Enjoyed working with Stacey and will again, if needed!”
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“I am in the business of purchasing investment properties. Elle is the only agent I would use. She is knowledgeable about real estate, passionate about doing what's best for her clients, and studies the market to get the best possible property for the best price. Here, she provided me with critical information on the market value of the property. She negotiated a good price given the market status right now (being a seller's market). She made sure the settlement was on track at all times and communicated with me often to ensure that I knew the status. Settlement went on schedule with no complications. That is what is most important to me (and I think this should be added to your survey) - communication. Often buyers/sellers do not know how this process works. Agents should be guiding them through the process as it unfolds. This is what sets Elle apart from others. She was there with me throughout the entire process. I was not "just another sale." I was and always will be her client. Thank you, Elle, for making this deal go so smoothly.”
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“Susan is a very knowledgeable and friendly agent. She is extremely efficient and organized, in addition to being very patient and flexible. Susan makes her clients feel comfortable with the entire home selling process and she treats everyone with respect and dignity. She works very hard at making sure her clients are informed, satisfied and encouraged. We would highly recommend Susan and will most definitely use her services in the future!”
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“I am very grateful to Rocio Palacios, she is the best sales agent I have ever met and I would undoubtedly work with her again and will recommend her.”
