Guerry Clegg

Preapproval benefits YOU as much as or even more than it benefits agents and sellers. You get the jump on non-approved buyers. You find out early if you need to clear up something, whether it's an old debt or even a mistake. Make sure your agent (hopefully me) truly understands the process and the costs.

Let a professional objectively determine the correct asking price. Do all of the little things that you can -- replacing AC filters and cleaning vents, replacing the cracked doorbell, etc. -- so that buyers don't walk away. Declutter as much as possible. Make sure the pictures are clear, bright and inviting.

My slogan is Your Realtor For Life because life brings so many changes. Helping buyers and sellers through exciting times is joyful, while helping others through challenging times is rewarding. If you have a small business and have a basic commercial need, I can help you with that. If you are better off working with a commercial specialist, I will help align you with one.

I received a call from a woman who had been referred to me. The value of her house had plummeted due to a major flooding problem. She felt -- and sounded -- hopeless. This short sale was especially complicated. But I assured her that we'd get it done. And we did! She was so relieved to have this burden off her back.

My experience selling my first home showed me the value of a Realtor. I tried to sell it myself but could not because I could not get the exposure that Realtors did. I had always had an interest in real estate, and I started researching it more. The nights and weekends didn't bother me because I had been a sports writer for 20 years and worked almost every weekend and many holidays. Believe it or not, there are better ways to spend Christmas Day than covering an NBA game.

While I've done just about everything in residential real estate, one specialty that I've developed is short sales. Even many experienced agents do not know how to navigate a short sale. I have closed more than 70 short sales.