Buying or selling a home, whether in a pandemic, a recession or even a boom, can be a nerve-wracking experience. Soon, every house begins to look the same, and so does every agent.
This is when those intangibles come into the picture, intangibles that will tell you if you’ve made the right match in a real estate agent. For Lori McShane, it all comes down to home, a neighborhood, and communication.
In 1904 John Fobes and his wife Lois Strong came to Pasadena from Olean, New York, to build their dream home, and it’s now been in the family for five generations. Fobes served in WW1 Air force and was a agricultural and horticultural advisor and manufacturer of stained glass and fancy glass products throughout Pasadena homes.
Four generations later, Pasadena is Lori McShane’s home, and when it comes to helping new owners buy their first or fifth home, she is selling her hometown, and that means a lot to her.
“It’s not just a home sale for me,” said McShane recently. “It’s establishing trustworthy relationships that have a continuous communication, to address homeowners’ needs after the close and beyond for a smooth transition.
“I’m actually the first person for my family to get into real estate,” she continued. After working in the non-profit field after college, McShane earned her real estate license about four years ago, “just fell in love with the business,” she said.
“I love the history of Pasadena and what it offers residents.”
McShane also understands the need to be flexible and to move and pivot quickly in a rapidly changing real estate environment.
The current isolation amidst the world’s COVID-19 pandemic, for example, hasn’t stopped the buying and selling of homes, merely shifted some of the thinking and techniques, she says.
Buyers should consider a number of factors, in the current environment, she told Pasadena Weekendr.
Given the uncertainty of the real estate market during COVID-19, said McShane, buyers need an agent who can help make sense of a rapidly evolving housing market, navigate everything from virtual showings to new online smart marketing strategies, price homes correctly at the beginning of the selling process, and determine what to offer on your dream home without paying too much or offending the seller.
McShane added, “Agents really have to know what’s going on in the market today, not everyone can just sell a house because you have to understand what goes into the procedure of selling a house, and how you can position yourself to get the highest and most valuable price for your house if you’re listing or, if you’re buying, and how to get in the market at the right time.”
As McShane noted, “It’s really unpredictable what’s going to happen in the next two weeks. So you actually need somebody who understands the market.”
Speaking closer to home, McShane calls the Craftsman home-rich Madison Heights neighborhood her favorite.
“I really love the Madison Heights area. Each home is unique and different,” says McShane, but adds, “There are these little pockets within every community that makes Pasadena special. Neighborhoods are close to shops, museums, and world renowned restaurants. It’s also a nice neighborhood for people to take casual walks on beautiful tree lined streets,” she added. “It’s really magical. It’s Pasadena.”
Lori McShane is available at lorimcshane@kw.com. (626) 807-5621. www.sellingwithlori.com.
