The Real Reason Working with an Experienced Real Estate Agent Matters

When people think about what a real estate agent does, the list is usually pretty straightforward: show homes, host open houses, attend inspections, get to the closing table.

And yes - we do all of those things.

But that’s only a small part of the story.

What you don't see matters most

A good real estate agent is constantly working behind the scenes in ways that directly impact your outcome.

We’re tracking things like days on market, list-to-sale price ratios, and price per square foot - not just in general, but neighborhood by neighborhood. We’re watching how quickly homes are moving, what buyers really like and what makes them hesitate.

We’re refining pricing strategies, adjusting marketing approaches, and paying attention to how financing trends affect buyer behavior.

We’re also in constant communication - texting, calling, emailing other agents, inspectors, attorneys, and contractors to keep deals moving forward and to solve problems before they become bigger issues.

For sellers, that might mean hands-on help with staging (sometimes literally moving things around during a photo shoot). For buyers, it means helping you see both the assets and the limitations of every home you walk into - so you’re making decisions with clarity, not just emotion.

Like most professions, the visible work is just the tip of the iceberg.

Timing is everything… except when it isn’t

Spring is traditionally the season when the real estate market kicks into high gear. This seems driven by a few factors. Some buyers time their real estate purchases to the school calendar and to be settled in a new home before September, now is the time to be seriously looking. Many people dislike the idea of moving in the cold and slush and who can blame them? Sellers want their homes to look the best and what enhances curb appeal more than healthy landscaping?

The art of avoiding regret

The stakes can feel high when you are buying and selling real estate. Buyers worry they might be overpaying or they wonder what will happen if a better house comes along after they are under contract. Sellers worry they are under pricing their home or agreeing to unnecessary requests from the buyer. In our experience, we find regret is usually less about the outcome and more about the decision making process.

January in the rear view: a time for clarity not urgency

January can bring with it a sense that things should feel different — clearer, more settled, more decisive. In real estate, that expectation can create unnecessary pressure. Buyers and sellers sometimes assume the market will shift simply because the calendar has changed, but meaningful progress rarely happens overnight.

A look back at 2025: More than the numbers

As we close the door on 2025, we’ve been spending some time reflecting on the year behind us. Like many businesses, we can point to the numbers — and they do matter. This year, we listed and sold 22 homes, helped 29 buyers purchase a home, hosted 4 client appreciation events, made 51 community give-back donations, and sponsored 6 community-wide events.

But the truth is, those numbers only tell part of the story.

Why Buyers Pay Top Dollar for Some Homes

If you’ve wondered why certain homes seem to fly off the market while others take longer to sell, the answer often comes down to condition. As life gets busier, buyers are increasingly prioritizing homes that are truly move-in ready. This means fully updated; including newer kitchens and baths, modern HVAC systems, solid roofs, newer appliances, etc.

When Buying a Home Might Not Be the Right Move

At McSharry & Associates, we really enjoy helping people buy their next home; but sometimes we find ourselves talking prospective buyers out of purchasing. Here are some situations where we find waiting might be the right choice. 

Open Houses and Broker’s Opens

Open Houses:

Open houses can be an effective tool for creating a fear of loss for buyers. Knowing that an open house is scheduled can motivate interested buyers to see the house and make a decision quickly in an effort to avoid the perceived competition an open house might generate. The market over the past several years has been quite strong and we haven’t found ourselves hosting many open houses as simply listing the home creates a sense of urgency for buyers. As the market cools, it’s possible that we will offer them again in order to increase the fear of loss and create the sense of urgency that has been inherent in the market recently.

Awkward conversations

Sometimes while advising our clients about the best way to achieve their real estate goals, we end up having delicate and potentially awkward conversations. We would love it if every pricing report we provided a prospective seller exceeded what they expected their home to be worth and if every house we entered was photo ready with no checklist of tasks to complete before listing. It would be great if every buyer was optimally qualified to purchase a home that exactly met their search criteria and if their wish list matched the inventory of homes in our area. We all know life isn’t like that. 

A closer look at the structural contingency

The structural contingency is one of the three contingencies in the contract to purchase real estate in the Capital Region. It enables buyers to hire a certified inspector to evaluate the home they intend to buy, with the objective of looking for substantial defects (any single item worth $2000 or more to repair). Both buyers and sellers often have questions about this part of the process and here are a few of the most common ones.