Being Responsive Is the Bare Minimum. Being Proactive Is What Makes the Difference.
One of my biggest frustrations in business is having to follow up with someone repeatedly to get an answer.
I’m not talking about expecting people to be available every minute of every day. I understand that everyone has competing priorities, busy schedules, and responsibilities outside of work.
But I do believe that when someone is trusting you with an important decision, a significant amount of money, or a time-sensitive transaction, they deserve clear, timely, and thorough communication.
And in real estate, where a missed deadline or unanswered question can have meaningful consequences, I think those standards should be especially high.
I’m Erin McCormick, a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont, and I’ve spent much of my professional life working in leadership, business operations, marketing, and real estate consulting. Those experiences have shaped my expectations for how business should be conducted, how professionals should work together, and how clients should be treated.
I have high standards for myself, and I have equally high standards for the people I choose to work with professionally.
Not because I expect perfection.
But because I believe responsiveness, accountability, and follow-through are essential to doing the job well.
I Don’t Believe Clients Should Have to Chase Their Realtor for Information
Buying or selling a home comes with plenty of questions.
Has the inspection been scheduled? Did the seller respond to our request? Has the appraisal been ordered? What did the attorney say about the title issue? Are we still on track for closing?
These are reasonable things to want to know.
And I don’t think clients should have to send multiple emails or make repeated phone calls to find out.
My goal is to provide information before you need to ask for it.
That means keeping you informed about the status of your transaction, explaining upcoming milestones, and letting you know when we’re waiting on someone else.
Sometimes I have an answer immediately. Other times, I need to gather additional information or consult with another professional.
But there’s an important difference between not having an answer yet and not communicating at all.
If I’m working on something, I want you to know that.
If we’re waiting for information, I want you to understand what we’re waiting for and when we expect an update.
And if something changes, I want you to hear about it promptly.
You should never have to wonder whether your Realtor received your message, is working on your question, or remembers what needs to happen next.
Fast Communication Matters. But So Does Thorough Communication.
I value speed, but I don’t believe a fast response is automatically a good response.
There’s a difference between replying quickly and actually answering the question.
If you ask me about a particular property, I don’t want to simply tell you that it looks nice or that we should schedule a showing.
I want to help you understand what we know, what we don’t know, and what questions we should be asking.
If you’re selling your home and want to understand why a showing hasn’t resulted in an offer, I want to look at the feedback, the market activity, the competition, and what the data may be telling us.
And if we’re navigating an issue during a transaction, I want to provide context, explain the options, and help you understand what happens next.
I believe good communication should accomplish something.
It should answer a question, clarify a decision, establish expectations, or move the process forward.
That doesn’t mean every email needs to be lengthy. In fact, sometimes the best communication is a concise update that tells you exactly what you need to know.
But it should be complete enough that you don’t have to ask three more questions to understand the first answer.
Proactive Communication Is One of the Best Ways to Reduce Stress
One of the reasons I place so much emphasis on communication is that uncertainty creates unnecessary anxiety.
Real estate transactions involve multiple parties, deadlines, contingencies, and decisions. Even when everything is progressing normally, there can be periods when clients don’t see much happening.
Maybe we’re waiting for an appraisal report. Maybe the attorney is completing the title search. Maybe the lender is reviewing the final loan documents.
If nobody explains what’s happening, it’s easy to assume something is wrong.
That’s why I believe regular, proactive updates are so important.
I want my clients to know where we are in the process, what has been completed, what we’re waiting on, and what comes next.
And if we’re waiting on another professional, I don’t believe it’s enough to simply say, “I haven’t heard anything.”
I want to follow up, understand the status, and communicate what I learn.
I can’t control every third party’s timeline, but I can control how actively I manage the process and how clearly I communicate with my clients.
My Professional Standards Were Shaped Long Before I Became a Realtor
My approach to communication didn’t begin with real estate sales.
Before focusing on my own real estate business, I held leadership positions within large real estate organizations, including serving as a president and chief operating officer. I’ve also spent years consulting with real estate professionals and businesses across the country.
Those roles required managing teams, making decisions, solving problems, and keeping complex projects moving forward.
And one of the lessons I’ve carried throughout my career is that communication is often the difference between an organization that operates effectively and one that constantly reacts to problems.
When people communicate clearly, responsibilities are understood. Decisions happen faster. Issues are identified earlier. And everyone spends less time trying to figure out what’s going on.
When communication breaks down, even relatively simple tasks can become unnecessarily complicated.
I bring that operational mindset to my real estate business.
I believe in setting expectations, following through, and taking ownership of the things I’m responsible for.
And I believe my clients deserve to work with someone who approaches their transaction with that level of attention.
I Have High Standards for the Professionals I Work With, Too
A real estate transaction is rarely a one-person operation.
Even when you’re working directly with me as your Realtor, there are often lenders, attorneys, home inspectors, appraisers, contractors, photographers, and other professionals involved.
Each person plays an important role, and the quality of their work can affect the experience of buying or selling a home.
That’s why I’m thoughtful about the professionals I recommend.
I want to work with people who are knowledgeable, responsive, accountable, and committed to doing their jobs well.
If a lender says they’ll provide an update by Tuesday, I expect them to follow through or communicate if something changes.
If an inspector identifies an issue, I value someone who can explain their findings clearly and provide a thorough report within the expected timeframe.
If an attorney is working through a title question, I appreciate someone who communicates the issue, identifies what needs to happen, and keeps the relevant parties informed.
And when I’m marketing a listing, I want photographers and other creative professionals who care about the details, meet their commitments, and deliver work that reflects the standards I’ve established for my business.
A Referral Is a Reflection of My Reputation
When I recommend someone to a client, I’m putting my own reputation behind that recommendation.
I take that seriously.
I don’t recommend professionals simply because I’ve known them for a long time or because we’ve worked together before.
I want to know that they consistently provide a high level of service.
That doesn’t mean every professional will be the right fit for every client or every situation. And my clients are always free to choose the qualified professionals they prefer.
But when someone asks me for a recommendation, I want to feel confident that I’m connecting them with a person who will treat their needs with the same level of care and urgency that I do.
Accountability Matters More to Me Than Perfection
Here’s something I’ve learned from years of working with people: mistakes happen.
Deadlines shift. Unexpected issues arise. People get busy. Sometimes a question requires more research than anticipated.
I don’t expect the people I work with to be perfect, and I certainly don’t claim to be perfect myself.
What I do expect is accountability.
If something is going to be late, communicate it.
If there’s a problem, bring it forward.
If you don’t know the answer, say so and take the necessary steps to find out.
And if you make a mistake, take responsibility and work toward a solution.
I have much more respect for someone who proactively acknowledges a problem than someone who avoids an uncomfortable conversation and hopes nobody notices.
In my experience, most problems become more difficult when communication is delayed.
That’s why I value people who are willing to have direct, constructive conversations and focus on what needs to happen next.
Good Communication Also Means Knowing When to Pick Up the Phone
We have more ways to communicate than ever before, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re communicating better.
Emails, text messages, automated notifications, and online portals are all useful tools. I use them regularly, and they can make sharing information incredibly efficient.
But not every conversation belongs in an email thread.
Sometimes a five-minute phone call can accomplish what would otherwise take twenty messages back and forth.
If we’re negotiating a complicated issue, trying to understand a seller’s priorities, or coordinating multiple parties around a deadline, I often find that a direct conversation is the most productive approach.
Tone matters. Context matters. And sometimes hearing another person’s perspective helps identify a solution that wouldn’t have been obvious through written communication alone.
I believe in using the right communication method for the situation rather than relying on one approach for everything.
I Don’t Confuse Being Busy With Being Effective
One of the things I’ve become increasingly aware of throughout my career is how often people equate being busy with being successful.
But a full calendar and an overflowing inbox don’t necessarily mean work is getting done effectively.
In fact, when someone is constantly overwhelmed, communication is often one of the first things to suffer.
Messages go unanswered. Deadlines become last-minute emergencies. Clients are left wondering what’s happening.
I’ve worked in large organizations, and I’ve seen how complicated businesses can become when there are too many layers between the person making a decision and the person responsible for carrying it out.
It’s one of the reasons I’ve chosen to work directly with my real estate clients rather than build another large team.
I want to maintain control over the quality of service I provide.
I want to know what’s happening in my transactions, communicate directly with the people involved, and remain accountable to my clients.
And I want to be intentional about the number of clients I work with so I can provide the attention each transaction deserves.
For me, success isn’t about handling the highest possible volume of business.
It’s about doing excellent work for the people who choose to work with me.
Communication Is Part of Negotiation
When people think about real estate negotiation, they often focus on price.
But communication plays an important role long before anyone starts discussing numbers.
When I’m representing a buyer, I want to understand the seller’s priorities, establish a professional relationship with the listing agent, and present an offer in a way that’s clear and easy to evaluate.
When I’m representing a seller, I want to understand the buyer’s position, communicate expectations, and make sure important information is exchanged efficiently.
And once we’re under contract, I want to maintain a productive working relationship with the professionals on the other side of the transaction.
That doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations or compromising my client’s interests.
It means recognizing that clear, respectful, and timely communication can help us negotiate more effectively and resolve issues before they become bigger problems.
I believe you can be a strong advocate for your client while still being someone other professionals appreciate working with.
In fact, I think those qualities often go hand in hand.
What You Can Expect From Me
When you work with me, I want you to feel confident that your questions matter, your time is respected, and your transaction is receiving the attention it deserves.
You can expect timely responses, thoughtful explanations, proactive updates, and direct communication when something needs your attention.
You can expect me to tell you what I know, what I don’t know yet, and what I’m doing to find out.
You can expect me to be organized, to follow through on commitments, and to hold the professionals involved in your transaction to appropriate standards.
And you can expect me to be candid.
I won’t tell you what I think you want to hear simply because it’s the easier conversation. Sometimes good representation means delivering information that’s disappointing, identifying a concern, or recommending that we reconsider an approach.
I’d rather have an uncomfortable conversation early than allow a preventable problem to become a much bigger issue later.
High Standards Aren’t About Being Difficult. They’re About Respect.
I believe responsiveness is a form of respect.
Respect for someone’s time, their money, their decisions, and the trust they’ve placed in you.
When a client is buying or selling a home, they shouldn’t have to wonder whether their Realtor is paying attention.
When I refer a professional, I want that person to understand that their work reflects on the overall experience my client receives.
And when I make a commitment, I take responsibility for following through.
That’s the standard I hold myself to, and it’s the standard I look for in the people I work with.
Not because every transaction will be effortless or every question will have an immediate answer.
But because good communication, thoughtful preparation, and personal accountability can make even a complicated process feel considerably more manageable.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Vermont, I’d love to work with you. My approach is personal, proactive, and built around the belief that excellent service isn’t something you should have to ask for.
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Erin McCormick | Realtor, Keller Williams Vermont
Founder, Travel Like a Local® Vermont | Live Local Vermont