Susan SharpeExperience: 25 years Specializations: Buyers, first-time homebuyers, military personnel. Areas Served: Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, 30A, Crestview and Pensacola Q: What made you become interested in real estate? A: My kids were raised going to open houses. I have always loved the different styles of homes and how people choose to live in them. Having been interested in real estate for years, once I rehabbed and sold an investment property I felt I had found my purpose. The work on the investment property was done mainly by myself, work I still enjoy in my spare time. Working with the agent that sold the property was intriguing and very educational, I knew it was something at which I could be successful. Q: What is the most interesting thing that happened during an open house you hosted? A: I guess I must be fortunate because usually my open houses go pretty smoothly. What I find most interesting about an open house is talking to the individuals and couples who come in the door and finding out how they would see themselves in the home. I also like to create relationships by asking about their jobs, interests, hometowns and children. People are very interesting and I tend to learn something from everyone who walks through the door. Q: What was your favorite moment in your career so far? A: There would be a couple. Of course I love the feeling of helping people purchase their first home. The educational process is extensive in these purchases and I must be a teacher at heart because I always do my best to make sure there are no surprises. Also, whenever there is an instance where a deal falls through, reassuring my clients that it is not the end of the world and then getting an even better, more suitable deal is always heartwarming. Q: What do you wish you had known when you first got your real estate license? A: I wish I had known how intricate the transaction process is. The federal and state governments have greatly complicated the real estate transaction, sometimes even contradicting each other. There are a lot of things that need to happen in the correct order or simultaneously and organization is the key. Fortunately, I am a detail-oriented person; unfortunately, I have a hard time delegating some of the work to others. However, as I have been in the business longer I realize that great administrative help is the key to a successful real estate agent. Q: In what ways have you seen the real estate industry change since you started? A: The change I have noticed the most has mainly be the recovery of the market from the bust of 2006-2007. Prices have been climbing and people wants to sell their homes fast. A lot of homes are at the point of needing to be updated and I am seeing much more flipping activity during the past six months. There are a lot of opportunities for someone who is willing to purchase an older home and put in the work to make them a modern beauty. Q: What’s the most challenging part of your job? A: Dealing with unrealistic expectations is always difficult. Whether it is a buyer or a seller, often there are emotions involved or ideals being held that make it hard to convince them of reality. What a buyer or seller needs to know is that I am in the market daily, very much aware of the home selling process, often studying the MLS at different angles multiple times a day. I want to create a situation where there is a fair and reasonable transaction for all parties. Q: If you could sum up being a real estate agent in five words or less, what would you say? A: Education, patience, knowledge and integrity.
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