Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Schakerra Edwards. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Schakerra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result?

The best advice I give to all of my clients is to look at things from more than one perspective and make the best decision for yourself. Don’t buy more house than you can afford, being house poor is not a good feeling!

For example, a lot of real estate clients are confused with all of the opinions regarding if the housing market will crash and our country will go into a recession. Some “experts” say “We are definitely headed toward a recession.” Other “experts” say ” We are not going to have a recession and buy now or you wont be able to by at all!” I think most opinions have some validity to them, but unfortunately, we can’t predict the future. After all, I don’t think any of us imagined we would live to experience a worldwide pandemic.

I think we get so caught up on sales prices, interest rates and the opinions of others that it can become confusing, and ultimately, some clients don’t really know which way to go, or how to get there. When I say think of things from more than one perspective, here is an example. As a good Realtor, my job is to give you my professional opinions (when you ask for them or are open to allowing me to express my thoughts), current facts about the property and the current market conditions, and allow you to make the best choice for yourself. If I suggest buying a home instead of renting, it is not because I just want to sell you a house and make money from the sale. It is because I honestly think that is the best option for you based on what you have shared with me personally about your current situation. If you are selling your property and I suggest a certain sales technique for you property, that is because that is what has been proven to work on similar properties in your area.

Always remember, there a deals in every market, so shop smart!

Always work with professionals with integrity that you can trust! Make sure they treat you like a valued customer, and they put your needs before their own. Instead of looking at the numbers and interest rates only when purchasing a property, look at how much the property will cost you over all including maintenance, insurance, taxes and the total cost to purchase. Have a contingency plan in place just in case things don’t work out as planned. And don’t be afraid to reach out to me after the closing if you have any questions or concerns about being a homeowner, or if you are having problems paying your mortgage.

With this advice, my clients have pleasant homebuying experiences. When things get really stressful, I am there to offer support during and after closing. I realize this makes a huge difference in the real estate experience for my clients and it is an honor to serve them!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Schakerra, a Realtor and Real Estate Investor since 2010. I started my real estate career as a very zealous young woman, by purchasing my first house at the age of 22. I purchased my first investment property at the age of 23, and it was a total money pit! The lessons I learned during that time were tough, but priceless. I was young and I had the money and the dream so I took risks and all of them did not pan out liked I hoped for them to. I learned a lot about owning a home, investing, being a landlord, working with professionals, etc.

My experience birthed a passion inside of me to always take care of my clients and provide them with good customer service. I try to pass along the knowledge I have gained along my journey to my clients and I know I am making a difference. My clients appreciate my hard work and I appreciate them trusting me and I don’t take it for granted. I work with investors and owner occupants, residential and commercial properties.

I think my customer service based approach to real estate is what sets me apart from others. I communicate effectively and I always put my clients first. I am honest, trustworthy and ethical. I have developed some great relationships with clients and other professionals in the industry. I try to remain positive and up beat most of the time, but I will go to war for my clients and I mean business!

I am most proud when I see my clients accomplishing their goals. There is no better feeling that working with someone and seeing them satisfied with the outcome!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There was one deal where I found my clients a great property during the most competitive time in the real estate market. The property was amazing and my client and I worked hard to get their offer accepted! Once their offer was accepted, we went through the inspection which was pretty good, next up was the mortgage underwriting process and clear to close. My clients and I we all ready to close on the property and we were extremely excited because this property was unique and amazing! during the process to purchase the home, we found out the title to the property had liens on the property and we were unable to close. My buyers wanted this property so bad, and I told them I would do everything in my power to get them to the closing table.

After almost 1 whole year of calling, emailing, texting and asking for updates from the seller’s side of the transaction, we were finally able to get it closed. I know if it had not been for my constant communication and proper paperwork, the deal would not have closed. Most of the times, the seller’s agent didn’t communicate or respond, but I never gave up! I worked really hard to close that deal. It was so frustrating for the buyer and I that once we closed, we couldn’t believe it! It felt like it was never going to happen, but we did it and my clients were (and still are) beyond happy to have acquired that property!

The process took almost 1 year because the sellers had to go to court to clear the liens from the title, but we stuck it out and got it done! The sellers had no idea how hard I had been working to close the deal until we all had a chance to talk at the closing table. I basically worked both sides of the deal to get the property sold. This is what I mean my putting clients needs first. I could have given up and many times I grew so frustrated that I wanted to, but I didn’t want to quit on my clients and it paid off for them. It was such a rewarding experience!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me is referrals. I work primarily from referrals. I have experienced some really tough deals in real estate, The toughest deals are the ones, I have learned the most from. Anyone can sell you a house, but anyone can’t be resilient when the problems come, or when the profits start to decrease. I have handled all of my deals professionally and with grace, while putting my clients needs first. This has helped me tremendously to be successful in my endeavors, and it has helped me to build great professional relationships in the industry. Customer service is really important. Customer service is my primary focus in real estate and my clients really appreciate that. Sometimes people aren’t a good fit to work together, and that’s ok too. In those cases, I refer them to another professional that may be a better fit for their needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iselldetroit.com/agent/schakerra-edwards/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schakerra_edwards/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchakerraEdwardsRealtor?locale=en_GB
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schakerraedwards
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@schakerraedwardsrealtor9198/community
• Other: https://cie.cpix.net/jsp/agents/agent_overview.jsp?agentID=12837799

Image Credits
Goodboy Multimedia