Most people will buy or sell a house just a few times in their life. And yet, the decision is monumental, and comes with a price tag that is higher than anything else they’ll buy – ever. That’s why the right real estate agent can be an essential guide through the entire process. Their life’s work (and the knowledge that comes with it) may be exactly what you need to get into the neighborhood you love or to find the Shore house you always wanted. We asked 8 successful real estate agents in South Jersey to tell us what you should know before making your next real estate move.

Participants:

Melissa Young, the Drayton Young Group at Compass Real Estate

Heather Magladry, Keller Williams – The Val Nunnenkamp Team

Sandi Lichtman, Lichtman Associates Real Estate

Kelli Fishbein, Keller Williams – Cherry Hill

Gina Romano, Romano Realty

Erin Blank, Keller Williams – Moorestown

Dena Prinkey, Keller Williams – Medford

Marilyn O’Donoghue, Compass – Avalone

The current market in South Jersey… 

It’s a strong market. A lot of homes are getting multiple offers again. We’re not quite at the crazy place we saw recently, but we are seeing multiple offers on a lot of properties, especially first-time home buyers in the $400,000-price range.
Kelli Fishbein

We have buyer demand that exceeds the inventory we have right now. I’m talking down the Shore, especially the condo/townhouse market. But high-end luxury homes are sitting longer on the market than they have been.
Heather Magladry

It’s still a very strong market. There are some communities where properties have multiple offers and are sold in a few days, but I was seeing that everywhere, and now it’s just in some places. I’m also no longer seeing crazy terms – so maybe now they’re offering the asking price, rather than $30,000 over asking.
Sandi Lichtman

We’re absolutely desperate for houses, and it’s starting to get worse. In 20 years of doing business, I’ve never seen such a lack of inventory.
Melissa Young

Do you really need a realtor…

A lot of buyers and sellers think, ‘Oh, they’re just in it for the commission. I can do it myself and save all that money.” There are many reasons that’s wrong. The most obvious is you don’t have an opportunity for a bidding war, and the bidding war can bring you extra money.
Sandi Lichtman

How many times do people buy and sell houses? For the most part, it’s not as frequently as we do. The more we can explain and inform – that’s the value we provide.
Kelli Fishbein

You leave a big chunk of money on the table when you don’t use an agent. Statistically, there’s about a 26% increase in your property sale price when you use a real estate agent, compared to not using one.
Melissa Young

The average person might not know how to maneuver through the home inspection negotiations, or sometimes they may think an issue is major when it’s really not. The advice of a professional always helps – this is what I do every day.
Gina Romano

Finding the right agent…

Ask: Do you specialize in the market? Do you understand that specific town? How many houses have you sold in the past? Do you work with a team? What type of technology are you currently using? Are you doing any type of lead capturing?
Melissa Young

This is a relationship you’re getting into for the next 3 months, so you want to make sure you trust that person is advising you on what’s best for you. We’re that calm in the storm when everything is going crazy, so that relationship is huge. Make sure you are confident and comfortable in the relationship.
Gina Romano

There’s a realtor for every client. We’re all dynamic personalities. Everybody shines in a different way in the marketplace. Find the one that’s right for you.
Heather Magladry

My clients are usually looking for vacation homes, so they need information on things like flooding or zoning issues. You want to be sure when your agent gives you information or advice, you can trust what they say.
Marilyn O’Donoghue

For first-time home buyers especially, pick the right agent. You need to be educated about the entire process from start to finish, so find an agent you have a good rapport with.
Kelli Fishbein

How they use technology…

Technology has become such a big part of my business. I use it every day. I’m on social media every day. I communicate with my clients that way.
Marilyn O’Donoghue

Many millennial buyers are using social media to find their agents. And most people are online looking at homes. I think it’s 92% of buyers start their home search online, so it’s huge to have a presence.
Heather Magladry

The pandemic pushed our use of technology. When we were on lockdown, people had to see properties. They still divorced, they still expanded, or they had to move for jobs. Technology became a useful tool to help us continue to work during a rough period of time.
Erin Blank

Electronic signatures changed our world. I would have to get multiple copies of papers to different people, and now I just send them electronically. It’s made things so much easier.
Gina Romano

Why move to South Jersey…

South Jersey has a lot to offer. We have small towns. We have farmland. We’re close to the beach. But the biggest attraction is we are located conveniently to – and have great access to – 2 huge metropolitan areas.
Dena Prinkey

In my area – Woolwich, Mullica Hill – we have a lot of new construction, but because of ordinances, you have to be on an acre of land. So it’s like you’re in the country but you’re not in the country, because you still can be shopping in Cherry Hill in 20 minutes, or you can be in Philadelphia or the airport in 20 minutes.
Gina Romano

I did an open house in Haddon Twp. recently, and half the people were from Center City. Many couples are a little anxious about continuing life in the city with kids, so they’re coming to South Jersey.
Erin Blank   

When a seller wants to price their house too high…

I come armed with the facts: What’s sold in their neighborhood and what the price was. If they’re totally unreasonable, I won’t take the listing. If they’re a little bit off, I’ll say let’s give it a 10-day trial and we’ll make an agreement to come to my price if nothing has happened in that time.
Sandi Lichtman

That’s a hard conversation. But the longer your home sits on the market at $50,000 over everyone else, then a buyer will have a bigger bargaining chip. Sellers will think, “Oh, they just reduced by $50,000, so I can go even lower.” I try to talk sensibly and reasonably with sellers, so hopefully they see we need to compare apples to apples.
Dena Prinkey

There’s so much data out there that we are armed with as realtors, and the numbers don’t lie.
Gina Romano

When a seller is emotional about leaving their house…

I try to focus on the lightness they’ll feel. Our material possessions can start to feel awfully heavy, especially after you’ve raised a family and you’ve got everybody’s boxes still in the house. You’ll feel a great lightness once you get out from under this heavy commitment. It’s not your everyday job anymore. It’s time to feel the lightness.
Kelli Fishbein 

Down the shore we typically sell properties furnished, and that is really difficult, because sellers may feel they’re leaving behind memories. I like to suggest they start packing up what’s going with them, and then the house doesn’t feel the same. That can make selling a little easier.
Marilyn O’Donoghue

Instead of focusing on how much you’re going to miss where you are right now, think about your next adventure. Where are you going? Where do you see yourself next year? What trips are you going to take? Focus on the future. You’ll always have the memories.
Dena Prinkey

This past year I helped my mother finally sell her home, which was hard for me, too. It took us 2 years to get her to the point she was ready.  But it was wonderful.  The house went to a young couple, and she was pregnant, and they were so excited about the neighborhood. It can be a very happy time knowing you’re ready to let go and start something new.
Heather Magladry

Getting your house ready to sell…

Get your iPhone and take a picture of every room. Whatever looks out of place, move it. Then pack up everything you’re not using on a daily basis. You’re going to have to pack anyway, so you might as well use it to declutter.  So then people get used to the concept, okay, we’re just going to leave our essentials out. After you pack up, take the pictures again.
Erin Blank

Simple things like taking a sponge and cleaning smudgy door frames can make a big difference and make the house feel cleaner. Or maybe move furniture so when you walk in the room, you don’t feel closed in. And if you have a smoker living in the house, it will kill a deal. Go to the backyard if you smoke and put an air freshener in the house.
Sandi Lichtman

I’ve used virtual staging. You take a picture of the room, and you can virtually stage how that room could look. I did an open house, and I had a virtually staged photo of each room with the carpet removed, hardwood floors added and different furniture. The buyer told their agent that’s why they bought the house. It works really well.
Marilyn O’Donoghue

I had a house in Cherry Hill that sat on the market for 6 months. I brought in a stager, and she did a really high-end, great restoration. I redid the photos and had an open house. We had 3 offers in that one day. Same house.
Melissa Young

Staging is key. I have a home reorganizing business where I go in, declutter your house and reorganize it. When a potential buyer walks into a clean, organized home they’re more likely to like the house. You don’t necessarily have to throw things away, just pack them up. Once the sale is done, you can decide what you want to do.
Dena Prinkey 

Hot housing trends… 

Upgraded bathrooms and kitchens are always top of the list. But people are also looking for a home office and the home classroom – a place to do homework or for kids who are homeschooled.
Dena Prinkey

People are still looking for the open-concept plan. And the popularity of cool colors is starting to wane. It’s not necessarily all blues and grays anymore.
Kelli Fishbein

Today’s buyers, especially young couples, want a home office. I think that’s driven a lot of people to move out of the city and into South Jersey. A garage is also important, plus a backyard and basement.
Sandi Lichtman

Having a dining room is actually a big thing now, because people are entertaining in their house. It’s going back to a more traditional feel – warm hues, the 1970s look, even wallpaper is back in.
Melissa Young

Tips for buyers or sellers…

If you’re buying, my secret tip would be to talk to the mailman. The mailman in that neighborhood can tell you all kinds of things. They know everything.
Heather Magladry

For buyers: Have patience and hang in there, especially if you’re looking down the Shore. It may take time, but I’ll find you something.
Marilyn O’Donoghue

Paint is probably one of the most inexpensive ways to update a home and it’s crazy how it can change the way things look.
Gina Romano

For buyers, I use a roll-up-our-sleeves mentality. We’re going to keep looking for homes, we’re going to put forth our best set of terms, but you’ve got to have perseverance as a buyer in this market.
Kelli Fishbein

If you’re selling, setting the correct price is vital. The market never lies, so you’ll know very quickly if your price is unrealistic.
Erin Blank