Author: Studio Four8

Realtor® To The Rescue!

A few years ago my neighbor, a newly-divorced mom to whom I had recently sold a house down the street, called in a panic. 

“There’s water running everywhere! What do I do??”

“Where are you?”

“In the bathroom! The plunger isn’t working!”

“Turn the little silver oblong knob at the back of the toilet and shut it off”

“Oh! Ok, that stopped it. HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS?”

Well, I am not a plumber nor a handy person, but at this point in my career I have attended over 500 home inspections and one tends to pick up on things. If that solution hadn’t worked, I knew enough to have told her to run down to the basement and turn the main shutoff valve. A few plumber recommendations later, and her toilet was back and running again. (The culprit: a 3 year old and a Lego “boat”).

Why did she call me? 

I’m so glad she did. I always leave a closing reminding my clients to please call me for anything I might be able to help with related to their new house, and I mean it!

Property taxes seem like they are off base? Call me to review the assessment.

Thinking of refinancing to drop the PMI? Call me to run an analysis of value before you pay an appraiser. 

A good Realtor® has a real-time understanding of what is on trend for home buyers. Call me to get an opinion on paint color, backsplash options, flooring, and for that matter, a referral to a great contractor.

An active Realtor® reviews appraisals and knows what improvements are going to realistically increase value in the future, and which improvements are primarily for your family’s enjoyment. Call me if you need a tie-breaker vote on whether to purchase a hot tub or remodel the powder room (Hint: I will always vote for the hot tub, but that’s not the best return on investment).

You’ve heard us say that you should seek expert opinions on any legal, structural, environmental, and accounting matters. Of course. But I’ve seen enough roofing quotes to raise an eyebrow when a client runs a rip-off scam by me. 

I’ve been asked by clients for advice on a piano teacher, on childcare facilities, and the best place for a good car wash in town. All questions that if I don’t have an answer to, I can run by an actual, living and breathing Social Network, above and beyond Facebook. 

That’s the difference between a ‘relational’ Agent for Life, and a ‘transactional’ agent in the moment. Relational agents rely on word-of-mouth referral business that stems from our relationships in the community and within our client base. Transactional agents may be fully capable during the transaction, but tend to spend money, rather than time and attention, to attract new business.

The Studio was built on a business philosophy that reflects a desire to be Agents for Life – whether or not you plan to buy or sell a property ever again! We value you as our friends, neighbors, and clients. 

Please – let us help you! Call on us for all things related to your house happiness. If we don’t know, we can find out. It’s part of what makes this career so rewarding.

About the Author

Sara Maddock has experience being a Realtor® on a rescue mission.

Send her an email at sara@saramaddock.com