I’ve admittedly not done a great job sharing my Before + After moments from my listings over the past few years, but finally, I have a whopper of an example for you. And honestly, it’s a story I should have told long ago, because by not sharing these things with you (dear friends, clients, and neighbors) I feel like many people I care about could be at risk. So these Before + After pics tie in what I’m about to share. Just quickly, I also need to remind you that shit happens, and I will ALWAYS be here to help, no matter what. But by letting me help you right from the very start, we can prevent so much heartache and stress, and that’s the true moral of this story. With my lovely clients’ permission, I’m sharing this cautionary tale.
Long, long ago I met a dear soul-sister, fellow animal lover, and all around badass at an open house. We connected immediately, and I helped her buy and sell her first home! She then met a wonderful man and partnered up. And because he hadn’t experienced the authentic connection that should be expected between a realtor and client, they ended up going the “money saving” route when they went to sell a home they had purchased, using one of those discount companies (think Redfin’s deceptively false 1% listing fee), and shocker, it ended up not going so well.
Let me be clear: the financial side of real estate is always very important, and it matters, but when it comes to one of the biggest financial transactions of a lifetime, you truly want (and need) an expert on your side who cares about what happens to you, personally, and makes sure that things go smoothly. You also want an experienced listing agent who knows the market, and knows how to set your home apart from all the others when it’s up for sale.
So, after forking out the mortgage for months on an empty house that just wouldn’t sell, they finally reached out. I was contacted on a Friday, and in literally ONE WEEK was able to help my clients get their home completely refreshed and ready to go back on the market the following Friday. This means I was able to assist my clients in facilitating a professional interior paint touch-up, get the house and carpets squeaky clean, and arrange some light staging to highlight the home’s best features. Nothing too serious, but whoa, what a difference. And ahem – one week. That’s it. And the reason this all happened so quickly is because, after over a decade in this cut-throat industry, I’ve collected some amazing professional resources (affordable, reliable licensed contractors ready to JUMP when called upon by someone I’ve referred to them), and I know what I’m doing when it comes to marketing a home. Through and through.
The house was re-listed, and approximately one week later, my clients were Sale Pending for over their list price! They successfully Closed without any more hitches, and were able to put this traumatic experience behind them. A situation like this should never happen, and honestly, I’ve long wanted to highlight the dangers of the lure of the “discount listing” offerings, because it’s really putting folks at risk – especially those who are extra vulnerable due to financial inflexibility (protip: it’s actually way more expensive to have your listing sit on the market for months on end). Paying for a full service agent means you’re getting a market expert who’ll lift the stress, put in the work, and guide you to the finish line. My value as a realtor, by comparison, was pretty clear, and my clients told me that once I arrived on the scene they felt that they could finally relax. That they were being cared for. And I DO care about my clients! Every single home I sell matters.
I feel it’s important to share these stories and learn hard lessons from the missteps of others. I get it – it can be scary selling your home. It feels like a gamble, especially in such a frenetic market as Portland’s. But I promise you, I’m here to make that process as easy as pie. No judgment. No pressure. Just support, resources, experience, and a professional who genuinely cares about how you get from this house to the next.
Enjoy these Before + After pics from 1324 N Russet St. Listed for $465,000, closed in 30 days with a final sale price of $466,600! Happy clients, happy realtor, happy life!
