Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

So today has been an abnormal day at work. I came in around 11 PM last night in order to prepare for the work that needed to be done today. A dinner combination of coffee and fast food left me antsy and in need of distraction, so instead of diving into work I spent the first half hour following up with Chris the Realtor. I emailed him about the status of our appraisal, an updated inspection report from Ed the Inspector, general preparatory steps that I could be taking, and the like. For a little context: 1) Chris has been a realtor for the past ten years in the DC area; 2) he worked on the lending side of the business before switching over; 3) he has a wife and daughter so real estate isn't his entire life; and, 4) I see the number of lists that I'm generating in these posts as a disturbing trend that hopefully won't translate into real life conversation.

With that in mind, I must have sent Chris this email around 11:30 or 12:00 in the evening expecting to hear back the following afternoon. Low and behold, about 5 seconds later I had a response from him in my inbox. It felt as if he stays up late at night just on the off chance that I might need something. Really what I'm saying is that this is emblematic of how Chris operates. As I assume many realtors do, he works between eight and twelve hour days, 7 days a week, all year round. But more than anything, he is very good at making himself accessible and instilling confidence in an uncertain buyer. Ultimately, I won't have my opinions of him validated until after the settlement and I've had a chance to reflect on the whole process. It may be that the house isn't all it's cracked up to be and the level of comfort was him looking to close the deal, but, as things stand now, I honestly believe that he's the least risky part of the entire process. In an Internet happy era when one is inundated with horror stories about first time home ownership, realtors constantly pushing a sale on their client, the fear of losing your job and not making the mortgage payment, it is good to have some sort of footing.

This post is just to say thanks and to recommend Chris the Realtor to anyone looking for a place in DC that happens to stumble across this blog. His information:

Chris Sanders
ZipRealty
703-447-0440 (cell)
866-500-4590 (fax)