Melissa Grillo

Oh there is so much advice! The best advice I can give is to get an agent early on in the process and sit with them for a consult. There are so many moving parts to consider when purchasing a home, and the process is more involved than many people realize. It is crucial buyers have an agent that is experienced and knowledgeable, that can walk them through the buying process, educate them on what to expect and what they need to do, as well as help them navigate the financing and affordability aspect of purchasing a property. A great buyer's agent will be happy to schedule a consult with you and share their knowledge!

Selling a home is no easy task, as it is an emotional and involved endeavor. A great seller's agent understands the intricacies of not only what it takes to prep the home and effectively market it, but also how to efficiently manage the transaction to ensure the deal is solid and the seller gets to the closing table with as few bumps in the road as possible. There are many options available to sellers, but if a seller is looking for knowledge, experience, counseling, correct pricing, full scale target and broad marketing, powerful negotiation, as well as transaction management (everything that happens from the offer to the closing table), they should be looking for a full service brokerage and agent.

I work with sellers, investors, builders, home buyers ranging from first timers to experienced, tenants, and landlords. I am also the Career Development Coordinator for the company; so in addition to working with my own clients, I train, teach, and coach all of the agents within the company on how to improve their knowledge and skill set, provide great customer service, and be the best agent they can be!

I have many transactions I have fond memories of, especially when I think about the clients who were involved! There are some properties I have represented buyers or sellers for that were real beauties, or had a transaction process that I am not likely to forget any time soon. But, most recently what comes to mind is a deal I put together this summer. I was working with a buyer client who was struggling to have his offers on properties accepted in the aggressive market he was attempting to buy into. Through my networking with other agents I learned a property that had an accepted offer was on shaky ground. I told my client I thought it would be a great fit, and definitely worth taking a look at. Upon seeing it, he loved it. We immediately put in a very strong offer and I negotiated with the listing agent. We were able to boot the other offer, and now my client is under contract!

I used to work in management and training within the banking industry. While I loved parts of my job, it was extremely demanding - I worked long hours, and had an unpleasant commute. When my husband and I were expecting our first child, we quickly realized I needed to make a change. Around that time, a family friend came to visit from Ohio. She was a Realtor out there and told me I should really consider real estate. So many of the skills I used and excelled at within the banking world carried over into real estate, it was just a different product. I was always interested in home sales, and when I was really young, considered entering the industry, but was afraid to do so as a single person with no steady income. Once I was pregnant and realized I wanted to change careers, I felt it was the right time to get involved in something I was really always interested in, that would allow me the flexibility I needed to have a successful career while also juggling being a mom. It was the best decision I ever made!! I could never have foreseen where my career would take me, or how far I would come, but looking back, I am very proud of the business I have built for myself and the career development and training work I do with the agents within the company.

I have completed countless hours and courses of continuing education in various subjects and hot topics over the years, and I have a Bachelor's in Business Administration and Marketing Management. I also regularly attend industry conventions and seminars, studying from the best and most impactful names in the business. Certainly, all of that education really helped me refine my knowledge as well as build and improve my skills, and I use all of that comprehension each day when working with clients. In addition, I have to be on top of my game if I am going to continue teaching over 1,000 agents within the company how to become the best agent they can be. I am always working to stay on top of industry trends and new technology, committing to continuously not only learn for myself, but to master these skills and concepts in order to effectively teach and train other agents on the subject matter. All of that learning over the course of years has definitely contributed to my success as an agent, as well as helped prepare me to be the best real estate resource I can be for my clients.