Susie WertjesExperience: 27 years Specializations: Equestrian Properties, Senior Real Estate Specialist, Staging Expert. I work in any type of residential real estate. Areas Served: All of Northern Virginia, plus Fauquier, Loudoun, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Culpeper, and Rappahannock Counties. Q: What made you become interested in real estate? A: I love being creative. I needed a job that allowed me to be “outside the box” and real estate opens the door to many things. I can help people find a good home for themselves, which I love, I can use my creativity in staging homes for my listings to help them sell for more, I have carved up some large parcels of land into lots and sold them so being creative by investing, and I love design and building (I have a Class A Contractor’s License as well) so seeing homes and figuring out how to improve them is also exciting. Q: What is the most interesting thing that happened during an open house you hosted? A: Nothing amazingly unusual at an open house. I just have met some very nice people that ultimately became clients. Q: What was your favorite moment in your career so far? A: Seeing families that had nothing achieve home ownership, particularly those that lost homes in the recession. Helping them get back into the game at a time where the market is not at the top and feeling confident that this time the odds are not against them. Q: What do you wish you had known when you first got your real estate license? A: All the ins and outs of how to actually do the business. You learn laws and basics, but there is so much we are not taught. I think all real estate classes should have a 6 month mentorship period where you learn the “ropes” of the business and have live training. Q: In what ways have you seen the real estate industry change since you started? A: I’ve seen two recessions, really witnessed and experienced the ups and downs. It appears that like all other businesses, larger companies are taking over and it is more and more difficult for smaller businesses and individual agents to compete. The loan process is much more detailed and housing prices are rising, making it harder for the average person to own a home. Fortunately, there are some good loan programs and grants that allow some people to put little money down on their home. Q: What’s the most challenging part of your job? A: Not being able to help people that are hard working and have good credit. But the cost of housing is so high that many cannot afford. Q: If you could sum up being a real estate agent in five words or less, what would you say? A: Benefiting others through home ownership.
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