Who’s got your back?

Yep, I took that leap of faith.

Jumping out of a plane at 16,000 feet felt like the height of insanity (pun kind of intended). I was pretty sure I’d be happy I’d done it, but actually throwing myself out of the open door? Well, that was terrifying. Let’s just say I was grateful to know cool, calm, capable Mario - my tandem guru - had my back.

It strikes me as a damn good metaphor for buying a home, especially as a first time homebuyer.

When I bought my first home, I knew nothing. Loan products, contingencies, escalation clauses, inspection deadlines - it was a language I didn’t speak. I liked my agent, but it never dawned on me that she was supposed to be my partner and navigator - and she certainly wasn’t clueing me in. Trying to make decisions without fully understanding the implications felt like taking my meager life savings and betting it all on black. I just closed my eyes and prayed to Lady Luck.

(And thankfully, I was lucky. I really did love that first little house.)

But you should never have to count on luck when making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. And it should never feel like freefalling.

I’m still surprised how many people don’t understand what agents should do. Opening doors is the least of it! A good agent connects you to resources, explains the parts that are confusing, lays out options, crafts offers that protect you and negotiates on your behalf. It may still feel like a leap of faith at times - you are making some big decisions - but you should have all the information right in front of you to make the best decisions you can. The agent you choose is your partner who knows how to navigate you to a safe landing. And if an agent can’t explain how they’re going to do that, then they probably aren’t the right one for you.

So I am glad I leapt. (Thanks, Mario, for literally having my back.) When taking that leap to buy or sell a home, find someone who will always have yours.