Michael Sanders

Q: 1. What advice would you give a buyer trying to purchase a home?

First, educate yourself before you start looking. Most buyers negotiate blind. Understand the market cycle, builder incentives, and what comparable homes actually sold for—not just what they listed for.If you're buying new construction, learn the quarterly framework. Builders drop prices at predictable times based on their sales cycles and pressure points. Watch my YouTube channel—I break down exactly when and why this happens.Second, get pre-approved with a real lender (not just a pre-qualification). Know your actual buying power.Third, don't fall in love with the first house. See at least 5-10 homes so you understand the market. And bring a buyer's agent who actually understands your niche—whether that's new construction, relocation, or investment properties.Finally, don't negotiate blind. Have data. Have strategy. Have someone in your corner who's done this hundreds of times.

Q: 2. What advice would you give a seller trying to sell their home?

Price it right from day one. Most sellers overprice and then drop the price later—that just signals weakness to buyers. Get a real market analysis, not a wishlist. Stage it or price it accordingly. Buyers are emotional. If your home shows well, you get multiple offers and higher prices. If it doesn't, you'll sit and eventually drop the price. Be honest about the home's condition and issues. Buyers will find them anyway during inspection. Transparency builds trust and faster closings. Finally, don't hold out for your "number." The market sets the price. If you're selling in a buyer's market, acknowledge it and adjust. If you're selling in a seller's market, capitalize on it quickly before things shift.

Q: 3. What types of clients have you worked with?

I work with everyone, but I specialize in three core groups: First, relocating families and professionals moving to the Triangle sight-unseen. They need someone who researches neighborhoods, understands schools, builder quality, and market timing. I've helped hundreds of out-of-state buyers avoid costly mistakes. Second, new construction buyers. They're my focus. I understand builder incentives, upgrade negotiations, pricing cycles, and how to structure offers that actually get accepted. Most buyers pay thousands more because they don't understand builder psychology. Third, move-up buyers and downsizers. People who have owned a home before and want to buy or sell strategically. They appreciate someone who explains the "why" behind every decision. I also work with real estate investors looking for deal flow and market timing. My background gives me the analytical skills to spot patterns most agents miss.

Q: 4. Describe a recent transaction you are fond of. How did it go?

I just closed with a family relocating from California to Wake Forest. They found me through my YouTube channel about new construction in Wake Forest. They were nervous—buying sight-unseen, relocating kids to a new state, worried about overpaying. We spent three weeks researching neighborhoods, builder reputations, and school districts. I toured homes via video, answered dozens of questions, and gave them framework to evaluate communities themselves. When we found the right new construction home, they understood the builder's quarterly incentive cycle. Instead of paying full price, we negotiated $38K in upgrades and concessions by timing our offer perfectly. They felt educated, confident, and got tremendous value. What made me fond of this deal wasn't the commission—it was the feedback: "You made us feel prepared instead of scared. We trusted you because you educated us, not sold us." That's the whole point.

Q: 5. How did you get started in Real Estate?

I spent 26 years in investigative services and business-to-business sales before transitioning to real estate in 2015. That background shaped how I approach real estate today. In investigative work, you learn to dig deeper, ask better questions, and find patterns others miss. In B2B sales, you learn that trust and education beat pressure every time. When I moved into real estate, I applied those skills immediately. Most agents just show homes and hope you pick one. I research neighborhoods, analyze builder track records, study market data, and educate clients so they understand what they're buying and why. It was a natural progression. Real estate is about helping people make the biggest financial decision of their lives. I was already wired to do that with integrity and rigor. Started with cold calling (three and a half years of it), but I hated the pressure-selling approach. Shifted to content marketing and YouTube about seven years ago. Now 60-70% of my leads come from my channel—buyers who found me because I educated them first, before we ever talked about a transaction.

Q: 6. Do you have any special education or training that will benefit your clients?

Yes. My 26-year background in investigative services and business development gives me skills most real estate agents don't have. In investigative work, you learn to research thoroughly, verify information, and spot patterns. That translates directly to real estate—I dig into builder track records, neighborhood histories, and market data the way most agents don't. You get facts, not guesses. In B2B sales, you learn that long-term relationships and education beat pressure tactics. That's my entire philosophy. I'd rather educate you than sell you. Professionally, I'm a REALTOR® with RE/MAX, ranked in the Top 100 agents in North Carolina and inducted into RE/MAX Hall of Fame. I have deep relationships with every major builder in Wake County—Drees, Ashton Woods, KB Home, Mungo, Eastwood, and others. That access and knowledge benefit my clients directly. I'm also a content creator with 380,000+ YouTube views on real estate topics. Creating educational content for seven years means I've learned how to break down complex real estate concepts into simple, actionable frameworks. That skill helps clients understand what they're buying and why. Finally, I focus specifically on new construction and relocation—two niches where specialized knowledge creates real value. I understand builder incentive cycles, quarterly pricing patterns, and relocation logistics in ways general agents don't.

REMAX United

11 Years of Experience

(14)

$10.6M

Total Sales Last Year

Years of Experience

Recent TransactionsTransactions from the last 3 years

$486.9K

Average Price Point

Service Areas

Bunn, NC Durham, NC Knightdale, NC Louisburg, NC Raleigh, NC Rolesville, NC Wake Forest, NC Youngsville, NC

View All Service Areas

About Michael Sanders

Michael Sanders is a Wake Forest, NC resident and full-time REALTORA(R) with RE/MAX United specializing in new construction homes and out-of-state relocation buyers across the Wake Forest, Rolesville, Youngsville, Knightdale, and Wendell markets. He has lived in Wake Forest since 1995 and has 30+ closed Wake Forest sales in the last three years alone.

NEW CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIZATION

60% of Michael's 2024-2025 transactions were new construction. He works regularly with Triangle-area builders including Drees Homes, Ashton Woods, KB Home, Mungo Homes, and Eastwood Homes. He knows which builders have strong reputations and which to approach with caution. He negotiates upgrade incentives, design-center credits, closing-cost contributions, and rate buy-downs. He coordinates independent pre-drywall and final walk-through inspections, and catches contract issues before closing. He has direct experience with Wake Forest growth corridors including Rolesville Road, Jones Dairy, Traditions, Holding Village, and the Youngsville expansion. Drees Homes named him Realtor Partner of the Year for the Triangle region.

RELOCATION SPECIALIZATION

65%+ of Michael's leads are out-of-state buyers relocating to the Triangle. He provides video walkthroughs, community driving tours, and lifestyle-first guidance covering commute times, school districts, and neighborhood character before clients look at individual homes. He has managed transactions remotely from inspection through closing for buyers who could not visit in person until move-in. His YouTube channel (380,000+ views, 2,940 subscribers, 4.6M impressions) was built specifically to answer the questions relocation buyers ask, with weekly content focused on Wake Forest and the suburbs north and east of Raleigh.

TRACK RECORD

2025 Top Agent at RE/MAX United (outranked every other agent at the brokerage for the year). 2025 RE/MAX Platinum Sales Award. RE/MAX Hall of Fame (2023). Top 100 RE/MAX agent in North Carolina (#70 of 1,200+). Consecutive RE/MAX 100% Club awards 2018-2024. Drees Homes Realtor Partner of the Year. 130+ families served. $48.5M+ in closed sales. 11 years full-time. 77 verified five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com. 70%+ of business comes from repeat clients and referrals.

BACKGROUND

Before real estate, Michael spent 26 years in investigative services and business-to-business sales. He researches builder track records, analyzes neighborhood trends, and verifies what salespeople tell him. He works with every client personally. No team handoffs. No junior agent showing homes. The agent you call is the agent at the closing table.

SERVICE AREA

Wake Forest, Rolesville, Youngsville, Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon, Franklinton, and the greater Raleigh Triangle.

CONTACT

919-218-7525 | LivingInRaleighNC.com

OTHER LANGUAGES

English

Community Involvement

Focused on client work and YouTube education content.

HOBBIES/INTEREST

Golf, travel, and cruises

FAMILY

Michael lives in Wake Forest with his wife Barbara. Family time, golf, and travel are central to his life outside of real estate.

Credentials

LICENSE

Real Estate - North Carolina - # 285895

Specialties

Buyer's Agent
Listing Agent
Luxury Specialist
New Construction
Relocation

Awards

Other Awards

2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 RE/MAX 100 Club Winner; RE/MAX Hall of Fame 2023; 2025 RE/MAX Platinum Club

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Michael Sanders's Reviews & Ratings

14 Reviews

(5/5)

Note: Reviews may include other agents on their team

What clients say about this agent....

Communicative
Professional
Responsive
Knowledgeable
Attentive
Outstanding
Excellent negotiator
Sold Quickly
Trustworthy

Dianejw312

Review for Member: Michael Sanders

December 31, 2022

Local Knowledge

Process Expertise

Responsiveness

Negotiation skills

Zillow
Review

Words can not express the great experience that we had working with Mike Sanders! My husband and I are new to the Raleigh area and Mikes sage wisdom of both the area and of real estate was invaluable!! Mike is a pro! He kept us updated on housing changes and went out of his way to keep us informed. Mike is honest, genuine, friendly and knowledgeable and we would highly recommend him! We would definitely work with Mike again, but I dont see us leaving the dream home that he found for us anytime soon.

Tiffany P.

Review for Member: Michael Sanders

November 30, 2022

Local Knowledge

Process Expertise

Responsiveness

Negotiation skills

Zillow
Review

My husband took a job in the Durham area in early 2021 and we knew we wanted to live in the Wake Forest area. Moving sight unseen from south Texas, we started to look on YouTube about the area and came across Mike Sanders and we binged almost very video he had made in the previous year. We sent Mike an email late and night and were shocked he replied that night! That started out our VERY long buying process. Mike set up a call to go over all the particulars of what we needed and explained the market in detail. At that time, the market was INSANE ( and thats putting it lightly). He was honest about what we would need to do to get a home. We arrived in the area in July of 2021 and Mike was kind enough to show us used homes even thought we were one of maybe 50 people touring and bidding on the house. We decided to build as that was the only way we would get a house without multiple bids, way over asking. Mike found us the perfect neighborhood that had everything we were looking for. Mike knows the Wake Forest area like the back of his hand and knows the ins and outs of every neighborhood. He educated us respectfully and we appreciated all of his knowledge. Mike stayed on top of all our issues and was with us until the very end. Mike Sanders and his whole team is top notch. We are so thankful we came across his videos and he was our realtor. He is professional, honest, communicative, responsive, and genuine. Mike truly wants you to be happy and have a good experience. Do not hesitate to hire Mike and his team, you wont be disappointed. We appreciate all of his hard work put forth during our build.

Zuser20150118152243149

Review for Member: Michael Sanders

November 1, 2022

Local Knowledge

Process Expertise

Responsiveness

Negotiation skills

Zillow
Review

Our experience buying a home with Micheal has been amazing!!We wanted to move from Massachusetts to Raleigh for better weather & closer proximity to relatives & friends. In our search, we came across Micheal's videos on youtube, which were very informative; based on that, I decided to talk with him. From the beginning, he was candid about the process and mentioned all the pros & cons of moving to Raleigh. He answered, cleared all our doubts during the process & was always a phone call away. He did multiple walkthroughs via google hangout calls to show us the home since we could not visit personally to purchase the home. He also recorded videos of the house, provided video recordings of the home, and also personally provided feedback about the quality of the home, which turned out to be great. Micheal also provided us with excellent contacts for house inspection & our mortgage; all of them were very professional.I met with him for lunch once I was settled in Raleigh, & I must honestly admit, he is very passionate about his work and goes the extra mile to ensure his clients are satisfied with their home-buying experience.We wholeheartedly recommend Micheal as a realtor for anyone looking to buy their next home.

Fatcat6488

Review for Member: Michael Sanders

July 8, 2019

Local Knowledge

Process Expertise

Responsiveness

Negotiation skills

Zillow
Review

We were extremely pleased with the service that we received from Michael Sanders Team. Michael did an excellent job marketing and preparing us for the sales of our home. Our home was advertised prior to going on the market and that increased customer interest. We were quite pleased when our house sold in 2 DAYS! Thanks to Michael and his team...we experienced a seamless process. We would highly recommend him!

1. What advice would you give a buyer trying to purchase a home?

2. What advice would you give a seller trying to sell their home?

3. What types of clients have you worked with?

4. Describe a recent transaction you are fond of. How did it go?

5. How did you get started in Real Estate?

6. Do you have any special education or training that will benefit your clients?

Michael Sanders

Service Areas

About Michael Sanders

OTHER LANGUAGES

Community Involvement

HOBBIES/INTEREST

FAMILY

Credentials

LICENSE

Specialties

Awards2022

Other Awards