Frequently Asked Questions

As a REALTIST ®  , I am a member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). NAREB was founded in 1947 when NAR did not allow Black real estate agents and brokers to join, so the founding members established NAREB to fulfill the principle of "Equal Housing Opportunity for All."

NAREB's purpose is to remediate disparate and discriminatory housing and property ownership policies and practices in the USA.

I serve on the local Delaware board, Realtist Association of Delaware (RADE), and we host educational events throughout the year within our communities.

Learn more at nareb.com and realtistofdelaware.com!

YES! There are real estate agents who believe that you need to find an agent first. I am not one of them. I only work with clients that are already pre-approved or ready to begin the pre-approval process. A pre-approval sets a realistic budget for your home search and it is only a soft credit pull. There is no change to your credit until you have found a home, submitted an offer that is accepted and the mortgage application is submitted. 

Fun fact - First-time home buyers are not the only type of buyer eligible for down-payment assistance! There are multiple programs in Delaware and Pennsylvania that offer DPA with varying eligibility requirements. My lender partners and I work together to find the best options available for you to use.

I help buyers and sellers in PA and Delaware with the following:

• Residential Homes 
• Condos & Townhomes
• Equestrian Properties 
• Hobby Farms 
• Homes with Acreage
• Investment Properties

The time frame for selling a property will vary depending on the market conditions and the property's price, location, and condition. 

The most effective strategy to selling is appropriately pricing the property utilizing recent comps within your area and aggressively marketing during the pre-listing phase.

Valuations are an estimate when performed by anyone other than a certified appraiser. Realtors use a combination of market research, comparable property analysis, and our extensive experience in the local real estate market to help you discover the value of a property. The reality is that the value of the property is what a buyer will pay for it at that time.

YES! 

I recommend the following lenders to all my clients:

PA & DE - Erin Mako with RATE

PA & DE - Kescha Vaughn with Meridian Bank

PA - DJ Sutera with Cross Country Mortgage 

Compensation is and always was negotiable. Sellers were not always disclosed that they are not required to pay the buyer agent commission; however, offering to pay the buyer agent commission will lead to a faster sale than a seller who is not open to that arrangement. 

This is a personal decision. I would always advise getting the property inspected, even if it is a new build, to fully protect yourself. Depending on the situation, you do have the option to waive inspections. As someone who has both waived & done inspections on properties I have purchased, It is extremely important  to understand the implications of waiving inspections before choosing to do so.

Listings expire for multiple reasons. Pricing and marketing strategy are generally the two top reasons a listing doesn't sell especially when located in a desirable area. During our seller consultation, we will discuss what was done prior and what changes will be made to get your property sold. Two added benefits working with me are that I will offer the buyer a 1 year home warranty through America's Preferred Home Warranty and I am able to market to an exclusive group of 41k+ agents in addition to my marketing efforts for increased exposure nationally. I also offer a sliding scale of listing services.

As a REALTOR ®  , I am bound by the NAR Code of Ethics and PA/DE legal requirements when working with clients. The following documents are required by my brokerage and national law for me to be able to show properties to clients. 

1. PA or DE Consumer Information Statement
2. PA or DE Buyer Representation Agency Agreement
3. Real Wire Fraud Notice
4. Real Affiliated Businesses Disclosure
5. Real Consumer Choice Disclosure
6. BrightMLS Buyer Disclosure
7. Referral Fee Disclosure (if needed)

These forms are all presented and reviewed with you prior to signing. 

An agent that does not require these forms prior to showing homes is not a member of NAR and is not a REALTOR only a real estate salesperson. Non-members of NAR are not bound by the Code of Ethics as REALTORs.

BrightMLS is the central hub where all listings that you see on Zillow, Homes.com, Realtor.com, etc in our area have generated from. Access to Bright is restricted to those in the real estate business, so an advantage to working with me is that you will receive your own portal access to Bright. You will be able to search for homes directly instead of using third-party services which may be showing outdated or inaccurate information.