You Shouldn’t Have to Wonder What’s Happening With Your Real Estate Transaction
There’s a moment in almost every real estate transaction when the initial excitement settles and the questions begin.
We have an accepted offer. Now what?
When is the home inspection? How long will it take to get the report? Has the appraisal been scheduled? What happens if the lender needs another document? When do we hear from the attorney? Are we still on track to close?
And perhaps the most frustrating question of all: Should I be doing something right now that nobody has told me about?
I don’t believe buying or selling a home should feel like that.
My philosophy is simple: I want to be one step ahead of the transaction so my clients never have to stay up at night wondering what’s happening next.
That doesn’t mean every transaction goes perfectly or that unexpected issues won’t arise. Real estate involves too many people, moving parts, and variables for anyone to promise that.
But it does mean you should always understand where we are in the process, what’s coming next, who’s responsible for it, and when you can expect an update.
I’m Erin McCormick, a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont, and my background in business operations, leadership, and project management has shaped the way I approach real estate.
I’ve spent years managing complex projects, leading teams, and building systems designed to keep people informed and work moving forward. I bring that same operational discipline to every real estate transaction I manage.
Because getting a property under contract is only part of the job.
Getting it successfully to the closing table requires an entirely different set of skills.
An Accepted Offer Is the Beginning of a New Phase
There’s a lot of attention placed on finding the right home, marketing a listing, negotiating terms, and getting an offer accepted.
And understandably so. Those are important milestones.
But once a purchase and sale agreement is signed, the transaction enters a phase that can be considerably more complex than people expect.
Inspections need to be scheduled. Financing requirements need to be satisfied. Appraisals may need to be completed. Attorneys need time to examine title and prepare documents. Deposits, contingencies, and contract deadlines need to be tracked.
In Vermont, we may also be coordinating septic inspections, water testing, wastewater permit research, private road documentation, or other property-specific due diligence.
And all of those pieces have to come together within the timeline established by the contract.
A real estate transaction isn’t one long to-do list that everyone completes in order. It’s a series of interconnected tasks, many happening simultaneously, with different people responsible for different outcomes.
That’s where project management becomes so important.
I Manage the Timeline So You Don’t Have To
One of the first things I do after a property goes under contract is map out the transaction.
I review the agreement, identify the important dates and deadlines, and establish what needs to happen to keep everything moving.
That includes understanding which tasks are dependent on others.
For example, an inspection may need to be completed within a specific contingency period, but scheduling the inspection is only the first step. We also need to account for when the inspector can access the property, how long the inspection will take, when the report is expected, and whether there’s sufficient time to review the findings and address any concerns before the deadline.
Those details matter.
If an inspection contingency expires on Friday, I don’t want my client receiving a lengthy report late Thursday evening and feeling pressured to make an important decision without enough time to evaluate it.
I want to anticipate that timing before it becomes a problem.
The same principle applies to financing, appraisal coordination, title work, and closing preparations.
My goal is to identify the critical dates early, communicate them clearly, and stay ahead of them throughout the transaction.
You Should Know What’s Next Before You Have to Ask
I believe one of the most valuable things I can provide a client is clarity.
Not just answers when they reach out, but information before they realize they need it.
If an appraisal is the next major milestone, I want you to understand who orders it, what typically happens during the process, and when we expect to learn more.
If an inspection is scheduled, I want you to know what to expect, whether you should attend, and when the report is likely to be available.
If we’re approaching closing, I want you to understand what the attorney and lender are working on, what documents or funds you may need to provide, and what remains outstanding.
I don’t want you looking at your calendar and wondering whether something important was supposed to happen yesterday.
And I certainly don’t want you feeling like you need to manage me to manage your transaction.
Communication Should Be Proactive, Not Reactive
There’s a difference between being responsive and being proactive.
Responsive means answering your question when you ask it.
Proactive means anticipating the question and giving you the information before you have to ask.
I believe clients deserve both.
That might mean sending an update after an inspection is scheduled, checking in before a financing deadline, or explaining what we’re waiting on when there hasn’t been visible progress for a few days.
Sometimes the update is simply that everything is moving according to plan.
And that’s valuable information, too.
Silence can create unnecessary anxiety, especially when you’re making one of the largest financial decisions of your life.
I Don’t Just Track Deadlines. I Track the People Responsible for Them.
A real estate transaction involves a surprising number of professionals.
Depending on the property and financing, we may be coordinating with a lender, loan processor, appraiser, home inspector, septic inspector, water testing laboratory, insurance agent, real estate attorney, title professionals, contractors, and the agent representing the other party.
Each person has their own responsibilities, schedule, and workload.
And while I can’t control how quickly every third party completes their work, I can stay engaged, follow up, and make sure important items don’t quietly fall through the cracks.
For example, if the lender is waiting for an appraisal, I want to know whether it’s been ordered, whether the appointment has been scheduled, and whether the expected completion date aligns with our closing timeline.
If the attorney is researching a title question, I want to understand whether additional information is needed from the buyer or seller.
If we’re waiting on a septic inspection report, I want to know when we should expect it and whether there’s enough time to evaluate the findings.
The goal isn’t to micromanage other professionals.
It’s to make sure everyone has what they need, understands the timeline, and knows when something requires attention.
I Know the Questions to Ask Before They Become Problems
One of the benefits of experience is recognizing where transactions commonly encounter delays.
Sometimes it’s a lender waiting on a document that a buyer didn’t realize was needed. Sometimes it’s an appraisal appointment that hasn’t been scheduled. Sometimes it’s a title issue that requires additional research.
And in Vermont, it can be something as specific as locating an old wastewater permit, clarifying who maintains a private road, or coordinating an inspection when a property is difficult to access.
These aren’t necessarily major problems.
But small issues can become big problems when they’re discovered too late.
I try to ask the questions early.
Has the inspection been scheduled? Do we have a realistic expectation for the report? Has the lender received everything they need? Is the appraisal process underway? Are there any title concerns? Does the attorney have the necessary information? Are we on track for the contract deadlines?
If something isn’t moving, I want to know why.
And if there’s a potential delay, I want to understand it early enough that we have time to discuss options.
What Happens When Something Doesn’t Go According to Plan?
Because let’s be clear: not every real estate transaction goes smoothly.
An inspection may uncover an issue nobody anticipated. An appraisal may come in below the purchase price. A lender may request additional documentation. A title search may reveal an old lien or an easement that needs clarification.
And sometimes the problem is simply timing.
The difference isn’t whether an issue arises. It’s how it’s handled.
When something unexpected happens, my approach is to gather the relevant information, identify the people who need to be involved, understand the available options, and communicate clearly with my client.
I don’t want to create unnecessary alarm, but I also don’t believe in minimizing a problem or waiting until the last minute to address it.
If there’s a decision you need to make, I want you to understand what it is, what information is available, and how the timing affects your options.
And if we need advice from an attorney, lender, inspector, or another qualified professional, I want to involve that person promptly.
My goal isn’t to promise that nothing will go wrong. It’s to make sure you’re not left figuring out what to do when something does.
Vermont Transactions Have Their Own Moving Parts
One of the reasons I believe project management matters so much in Vermont is that our properties often require additional coordination.
We’re not always dealing with a straightforward suburban home connected to municipal water and sewer.
We have historic farmhouses, private wells, septic systems, shared driveways, unpaved roads, older heating systems, and properties with unusual ownership histories.
Depending on the property, due diligence might include water quality testing, a septic inspection, review of wastewater permits, investigation of easements, or questions about road maintenance responsibilities.
Those tasks may involve separate professionals, different turnaround times, and records held by different municipalities or state agencies.
And if you’re purchasing a property during winter or mud season, access and weather can introduce additional scheduling considerations.
I want to identify those needs as early as possible so we can plan around them.
It’s another reason why understanding Vermont real estate is about more than knowing property values.
It’s about knowing how to navigate the details that come with owning property here.
My Background in Operations Influences Everything I Do
Before focusing on my own real estate business, I spent years in leadership roles, including serving as a president and chief operating officer within a large real estate organization.
My work has involved managing people, overseeing complex operations, developing processes, and finding ways to make businesses run more effectively.
I’ve also worked as a consultant with real estate organizations and agents across the country.
That experience has fundamentally shaped how I approach my clients’ transactions.
I’m naturally inclined to think several steps ahead, identify dependencies, establish clear expectations, and keep communication moving.
I like systems. I like organization. And I believe the details matter.
But I also understand that buying or selling a home is personal.
You may be coordinating a move, preparing a property for sale, navigating financing, managing a family schedule, or making decisions about your next chapter.
You shouldn’t have to become an expert in real estate transaction management on top of everything else.
That’s part of what you’re hiring me to do.
Personal Representation Means I’m Accountable to You
I’ve deliberately chosen to work directly with my clients rather than build another large real estate team.
That decision is important to how I operate.
When you hire me, you’re working with me.
I’m the person who understands the terms of your contract, knows the status of your transaction, communicates with the other agent, and helps coordinate the process.
You don’t have to wonder who to contact or explain the details of your situation to someone new every time you have a question.
And while I work closely with attorneys, lenders, inspectors, and other professionals, I remain directly involved in keeping the transaction organized.
I believe that continuity matters.
Especially when timelines are tight, decisions are important, and there are a lot of moving pieces.
The Best Transaction Management Is Often the Work You Never See
Here’s something I think is worth saying.
When a transaction goes smoothly, clients may never realize how much coordination happened behind the scenes.
They don’t necessarily see the follow-up call to the lender, the conversation with the listing agent, the scheduling adjustment, or the question that was resolved before it became a larger issue.
And that’s okay.
In fact, I think that’s often a sign of good project management.
My goal isn’t to make the process seem complicated so you appreciate how hard I’m working.
It’s to make a complicated process feel manageable.
I want you to have the information you need, make decisions when necessary, and feel confident that someone is paying attention to the details.
If you don’t have to wonder what’s happening next, I’m doing my job.
What You Can Expect When You Work With Me
I want my clients to feel informed, prepared, and supported throughout the transaction.
That means establishing clear expectations early, tracking important deadlines, coordinating with the professionals involved, and communicating before questions turn into concerns.
It means telling you when an inspection is scheduled and when we expect the report, explaining where we are in the appraisal process, and keeping you informed as we approach closing.
It also means being candid when something changes.
I can’t guarantee how quickly an appraiser will complete a report, how an inspection will turn out, or whether a lender will request additional information.
But I can make sure we’re paying attention, following up, and addressing issues as promptly as possible.
You should never feel like the only way to find out what’s happening with your transaction is to ask.
My Goal Is Simple: You Should Be Able to Sleep at Night
Buying or selling a home is a big deal.
There are financial decisions, emotional considerations, and plenty of logistics to manage. For many people, it’s something they only do a handful of times in their lives.
I don’t expect my clients to know every step of the process.
I do expect myself to.
That’s why I approach every transaction with a project manager’s mindset, a commitment to proactive communication, and the belief that good representation means staying ahead of the details.
I want you to know what’s happening, what’s coming next, and when you’ll hear from me.
And if something unexpected comes up, I want you to know we’re already working on it.
Because you have enough to think about when you’re buying or selling a home. Wondering whether your Realtor is on top of things shouldn’t be one of them.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Vermont, I’d love to help you navigate the process with a clear strategy, personal attention, and proactive communication from our first conversation through closing day.
Let's Talk About Your Vermont Real Estate Goals
Erin McCormick | Realtor, Keller Williams Vermont
Founder, Travel Like a Local® Vermont | Live Local Vermont