Choosing Your Realtor
It is very important in our intense market that you find an excellent Realtor. She will be multifaceted and multi-talented. You are reading this because you are curious about working with me (and thank you!). There are so many reasons why we choose our doctors, lawyers, landscapers, designers, instructors and friends. Most are unconscious and that is where we get into trouble. There are thousands of Realtors in our area. Many are good, most are okay but enough are stellar that no one needs to go without. It bothers me when other Realtors working in my market are not excellent at their jobs and although I know that I am not the perfect Realtor for every client I would like that everyone finds their perfect match. When interviewing a realtor I recommend seeing what of the following she can illuminate for you.

Local knowledge
This includes relationships with the top producing agents in your market, knowledge of the geography, topography, geology etc as well as an awareness of local customs in the real estate market (who pays what, point of sale ordinances etc).

Confident and savvy in negotiation
There are so many ways in which your Realtor makes or saves you money and time - it is her negotiating skills that will turn 2 mediocre offers into one stellar sale price. For buyer's a good negotiator will know when and how to illuminate elements of an offer to increase the chances of acceptance.

Current knowledge of cultural, social and style trends
As a listing agent this knowledge is pivotal for marketing a home. As a buyer's agent this knowledge helps her connect more deeply with her client's needs.
Regardless of her age she must understand what clients of all ages want, need and like. This is just as important for buying as for selling a home.

Aware of the local and national economy
By keeping abreast of the economy she stays ahead of the curve - this is one of the most important skills an agent brings to bear and affects almost every element of listing and buying a home.

A keen understanding of construction
A great Realtor must know what she is selling, she should have an understanding of the various trades and have good contacts with tradespeople. Ideally a Realtor can help guide a client on what is feasible in future remodels, have a sense of costs and help her clients prioritize how to spend their money making repairs and improvements after the close of escrow. For listings she should know the wisest way to spend improvement money, what repairs matter the most, the length of time for various projects and who to call to do the work

Socially adroit
An excellent Realtor has the ability to read people, to know what is being said with an expression or a tone of voice. Ignoring a pregnant pause on the other end of the phone can mean the difference between winning or losing a property for buyers or missing an opportunity to obtain an increase in an offer for sellers. Your Realtor should have good relationships with her colleagues. She cannot let resentment get in the way of maintaining her reputation as someone other agents prefer to work with. Your Realtor should be comfortable in myriad social dynamics including surveying the landscape of her client's relationship, making sure that both parties are heard as well as intuiting what a listing agent is really saying when she talks about what her clients are looking for or when speaking about the offers she has in hand. Ultimately she must be in touch with her intuition, learn from her mistakes and not be afraid to admit when she is wrong.

Recognize patterns
As Realtors we live in the world of patterns. We cycle through the calendar year as we repeat the same processes over and over again therefore we witness 1000's of patterns emerging all the time. By transitioning from unconscious to conscious recognition of these patterns we can tap into infinite knowledge. We simply need to be aware that these patterns exist so that we can take advantage of them.

Detail oriented
This characteristic is often thrown out as a positive trait on resumes but it is critical for Realtors that we pay attention to the little details. Be it a check box on a report or one vague line in a preliminary title report, a cobweb on a light fixture or an error in pricing suggestion, every little thing we do right comes together for a greater outcome and the details really do matter.

Being of service
A great Realtor considers herself in a helping profession. I literally did not believe I was in sales for many years and I have a close colleague who tells the exact same story, she simply didn't know that is what real estate was considered. We are helping people in one of the most intimate and important life transitions and this is front and center in my consciousness.

A work ethic that doesn't quit
To quote (the oh so passé) Freud, "Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness". I couldn't agree more. A Realtor who wants a 9-5 job will not last long in the business. An ability to work hard for long hours without time off is critical. This means that your Realtor must absolutely adore the job. This love of the craft is how I have maintained my enthusiasm and prevented the dreaded burnout of so many top-agents. I work with clients, agents, tradespeople and adjacent colleagues who I love and enjoy spending time with and by doing so my work is not separate from my life. My work is my life and that is how I want it. I am proud of my work ethic, I know I have an exceptional ability to work hard but I do this with my husband, children, family and friends by my side. My husband, a 30+ year contractor and now home inspector (and genius in my opinion) is the inspiration for my becoming an agent and he is without a doubt my biggest support and ally. Without him I would be at a significant disadvantage. My children help me too. One of my sons does hauling for me, picks up supplies when needed, runs multiple errands and overall is a huge help. My daughter who works for Facebook is a style and copywriting superhero. She gives me insight into her generation and keeps me current on style and technology. My mother has remodeled and sold homes since before I was born and is such a visionary. She also ran a large, local business, The Body Shop, and is a keen business woman. I ask her feedback on most of my listings and she always shares one or two key pieces of insight with me. And best of all, I have been so fortunate to get to a place in my career where the vast majority of my clients come to me through direct referrals from former clients. Naturally this means that we have instant trust and connection. Oftentimes my clients will say, "We feel bad that we are keeping you from your family for so long." to which I always answer (and honestly) "I am enjoying spending time with you, this is fun for me!"