Sophie Berg

Define your personal and financial goals. Buyers should think about things like when they plan on moving, what they want in a home, the location, commute times for their work, schools etc, how long it could take them to save for a down payment Have a pre-approval letter from a recommended local lender before you start your search with your agent.

Select an agent who is very familiar with your neighborhood and the properties for sale in it. Then, if you are selling, say, a condominium, choose an agent with expertise selling apartments to potential homeowners. Because you will want the widest possible exposure for your home, you also will want a real estate firm that works with other agencies to get your property sold. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) used by REALTORS® , licensed members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, is still the most common and effective form of cooperation used today. Beyond these parameters, select an agent who is competent, efficient, and ethical.

I have had the pleasure of working mostly with military or government affiliated clients.

A set of clients were not able to house hunt in person and we had a time limit to secure a home. They were very clear with what they were looking for, so I began the search and in 48 hours we had found the perfect home. What helped me was that I had already seen most of the inventory in that particular area. We were also up against multiple offers. My clients closed on this home a few days ago.

I have always has an interest with the real estate market, I wanted to go back to work after being a stay at home mom for sometime and wanted something that was going to be flexible with my family's schedule.