FORT WALTON BEACH REAL ESTATE AGENT

If you've had a bad experience, it often comes down to the numbers: costs you didn't see coming, a closing figure that changed at the last minute, or never really knowing what the final amount would be. Those concerns shouldn't be ignored when you start over with someone new.

One of the first things I ask is what you liked, and what you didn't, about your last real estate experience.

Then I make sure you know where your numbers stand at every step. They're always estimates, but an estimate that gets updated along the way is far better than one at the beginning and another at the closing table. For example:

• If you're buying, you'll know what to bring to closing, what the upfront costs will be, and where I can negotiate help with some of them.
• If you're selling, you'll see what your bottom line looks like at every point, as offers, repairs and negotiations change it.
• When the inspection report comes back, I comb through it with you so you know what matters and what to ask for.
• Before an appraisal, I put together a packet with your invoices and the work you've had done on the house, and it stays at the home for the appraiser.

Numbers can move, and no transaction is perfect. You should just never be surprised by them.

My approach is to listen first, communicate honestly, stay present through the whole process, and handle problems with a steady, solution-focused mindset, adjusting to you rather than expecting you to adjust to me.