Laurie Westheimer

A lot of information is available to you online; however, interviewing and choosing an exclusive buyer's agent is the smartest thing you can do at the beginning of your home search. A local realtor knows the market and can get you in the best position when you are ready. It costs nothing to have a trusted professional guide you through the process step-by-step!

Interview agents and choose one that you feel confident knows the market and has proven results. Many people believe that they should look for an agent that is willing to work for a discount. Instead of looking to make more money with an agent who offers the lowest rates, you should look for one that will help you get the best price and terms for your home. At the end of the day, sellers should be worried about how much they can expect in their bottom line at the end of the sale, not how much of a discount they can get from a given agent. Who you work with truly matters and as they say, you get what you pay for!

I have worked with clients with all types of backgrounds. I have had a very diverse background and so I am able to connect with a lot of different people. Most of my clients become friends and I am privileged to work with several clients over and over again. In a nutshell, these have included professionals and laborers, experienced investors to first-time homebuyers. I truly love people and like the opportunity to help!

I have had quite a few. It is really hard to narrow it down to one. My favorite thing is helping to solve the puzzle of how to go about getting from point A to point B. Many clients have to sell before they can buy and I get the opportunity to spend a lot of time working on both their sale and their purchase. It can be overwhelming to figure it all out and get the timing right, but I am extremely organized and able to think outside of the box. Solving the puzzles that come in each transaction is truly my favorite thing. I really love helping my clients relieve the stress of having to figure things out on their own.

Funny story -- My mom always told me that I should be a Realtor. I was always so in love with homes...from touring historic homes or just one that caught my fancy and I obsessed about in my neighborhood to decorating not only my own house but the homes of friends and family -- I love it all! However, as most of us do, I ignored my mother's advise and decided to be a Paralegal. When I quit to stay at home with my kids when they were little, my obsession with houses continued. I scoured new listings and went to open houses -- and I wasn't moving. Again, everyone said, "you should be a Realtor!" I said that I didn't want to work evenings and weekends. Then, my kids went to school and I went back to work. I eventually bought a retail boutique to experience being my own boss. I also got asked to help market a professional soccer team during that period. And, guess what? Both of those things involved a lot of evenings and weekend hours! So one day, as I was standing in my shop, I decided to enroll in Real Estate classes. In my first year, I was Rookie of the Year and every year since then my business has grown. I kick myself for not starting sooner because this is what I was meant to do!

A lot of real estate involves contracts, negotiations and communicating effectively with people who are dealing with stressful situations. I was a paralegal for 20 years. For perspective, I have counseled accused inmates in jail and corporate executives facing civil and criminal fines and jail time. While certainly not as extreme, they say moving is one of the top stressors on anyone's life. My communication with my clients, ability to keep things organized and moving along through the contractual process are skills I honed before even becoming an agent. Not to mention, I learned from the best on how to negotiate! In addition, I have received the designation of Certified Residential Specialist which is one of the highest designation credentials a Realtor can receive. This is a designation that only the top 3% of agents in the country receive because of the extensive time and training involved. Finally, I am coached by the number one real estate coach in the world. I learn from and mastermind with an extensive network of agents from around the globe on best practices.