(After All, Aren’t All Agents The Same?)
You can throw a rock and hit a real estate broker in Shoreline, WA. (But please don’t – I bruise easily. :))
Yes, I’m joking, but it seems like everyone knows a realtor or two. According to one article from a few years back, in King County alone there are there are over seventeen thousand real estate agents. It’s easy for home buyers to think every real estate agent is basically the same – desperate, clingy, fake and too salesly. After all – we use the same MLS service, the same yard-sign services… what does one really do different than another?
Where there are all different type of real estate agents in Shoreline, WA. Here are some different categories of real estate brokers I have observed.
Bad Agents: Every Business Has A Few Folks That Are Unqualified, Irresponsible, or Unpleasant
Well, some are out-and-out bad agents – unhelpful, irresponsible, or annoying. And there are bad people in every industry, but these are relatively few and far between.
High Pressure Agents: Is Your Realtor Selling YOU, Instead Of Your House
Others come across as high-pressure sales people following the ABC advice of “Always Be Closing.” Sometimes it can seem that they’re more interested in getting you to close a deal as fast as possible (so THEY can get paid), rather than giving you the time, information and education you need to make your own good decisions.
“Country Club Agents: ” Their Focus On Schmoozing and Glad-Handing, When Do They Have Time To Work?
Then there are the “schmoozing” agents as I call them. “It’s all about relationships!” they will say. “Really?” I want people to work with me because I’m the most qualified choice, not because I went to their mom’s brother’s niece’s wedding and I’ve been following-up them ever since.
Discount Real Estate Brokers And Firms
Finally, there are the discount agents – and I used to be one of them – these folks focus on cutting their fees and cut their services to make up for it. I thought people would LOVE saving money in this way! What I found was that they did NOT LOVE the reduction in service that came along with it, and many clients ended up asking for the full-service experience instead. In fact, I have clients who have “shopped” with these low-cost brokers, but come to me when they want full service advice and are ready to buy.
How About An Agent Who Provides Real Value, Service, Help And Information (Without The Pressure)?
So, when I decided to build my own team here in the Seattle real estate market, I had to ask myself what we could do to be the BEST and offer more value than other realtors in the area.
Although doing the basics like hosting open house and passing out flyers can be useful, I wanted to go beyond the minimum standard to offer something superlative.
Going Beyond Real Estate Basics
I wanted to meet people where they were already spending time – ONLINE – and offer them exactly what they were looking for – INFORMATION. Many times people in the early stages of considering buying or selling a home don’t WANT to hassle around talking to a salesperson, they just want the INFORMATION in a clear, easy-to-access format, without a lot of ads or a high-pressure agenda.
I knew if I could provide a lot of VALUE months or even YEARS before people were ready to complete a transaction, I could help improve home buyers and sellers overall experience, and build trust and relationships along the way.
Now, I write my own content, record my own videos, and pay out of my own pocket for the privilege of communicating with you like this.
If you are starting to research buying or selling a home, the educational resources I provide allow you to inform yourself on your own time and get a taste for my overall philosophy on approaching the market in a strategic way.
If you are selling you home, the huge advantage to you is that I can get your property in front of a huge audience and promote it directly to would-be home-buyers I’ve already built a relationship with. When you list your home with me, we will get it in front of more people than just those actively looking on the MLS that week. Increasing your chance of getting a fast sale and the highest price!
So, whether you are buying or selling your home, as a professional, full-time real estate broker in Shoreline, WA, I would love the opportunity to show you what I believe makes my strategy so special and unique. And why I truly feel I can provide the best service. This is Emily Cressey with HomePro Associates at HomeSmart in Seattle. I am a Real Estate Broker in Shoreline, WA, and we are here to serve!
