Support. Educate. Prepare.

People often ask real estate agents, “When is the best time to buy a home?” Due to the emotional nature of home buying, my honest answer is “when you are ready.” Many people will answer back, “when will I be ready?” Being ‘ready’ means being supported, educated, and prepared. To get there, follow these three simple steps:

1. Support – Hire a real estate agent. You don’t have to go it alone! Leave it to a pro to [see #2 & #3]
2. Educate – Get to know the market. Get to know the process.
3. Prepare – Discuss your needs. Get pre-approved. Know your budget.

So what happens when you are all of those things and then….Life. My latest transaction proved to be filled with unnecessary complications. It did not seem like the talked about issues were the actual issues. But we got through them. We held strong through the actual process by educating and communicating with all parties involved. Or so I thought. The two people who needed to be talking the most, my buyers, were not. And real life entered the transaction at 5am the day of signing when I received a text saying buyer 1 was leaving buyer 2 and they wanted to terminate the transaction.

Which brings me back to step 1: support. Instead of freaking out, I became a sounding board for each of them to explore their options in depth. I stayed calm and was not attached to any particular outcome. Our jobs as REALTORS® is to facilitate the home buying and selling process and be of service to our clients, not to pressure or tell our clients what to do. I asked leading questions to guide them through their feelings back to their original intentions and future desires. We talked at length about multiple scenarios until they each felt empowered to make the best decision for themselves. After it was all said and done, we went to the signing and they closed on the house. What I am most grateful for is the trust they instilled in me to be the support they relied on during their process and beyond.

Whether its separation, divorce, death, illness, or birth, life changes can happen right in the middle (or end) of the other major life change of home buying. Finding the right agent you can trust to support you through, is key to a successful transaction. Ready or not, let’s go buy I house. I got you.

Carrie Struss

Broker | OR & WA

She/Her

Carrie brings eight years of experience as a Licensed Broker in Oregon and Washington, combining her industry expertise with an eye for detail honed through her degree in Commercial Photography. Her career began with one of her proudest accomplishments: relocating to New York straight out of college to work as a photo producer, where she never settled for an entry-level mindset. It is this same tenacity that has helped make her the top producing agent at Living Room Realty in the Vancouver, WA area since 2021. This accomplishment is a testament to her unwavering commitment to client success. Throughout her career, Carrie has had the privilege of assisting over 100 homeowners achieve their real estate goals. What sets Carrie apart as an agent is her empathetic approach, ensuring that every client feels heard and understood throughout the buying or selling process. Carrie has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2017, though she’s been visiting the area since her teenage years. Beyond her professional life, Carrie finds peace and joy in nature, spending summers by the river and winters in Hawaii. Amidst her successful career, Carrie's greatest joy is her son Jack, who brings boundless love and inspiration to her life. As your agent Carrie will…

• help get your home (and emotions) ready to sell, then sell your home.
• find you a new home complete with (fill in the “must have” blank).
• facilitate the transaction making sure everyone does what they need to do and has what they need to do it.
• negotiate tenaciously for you.
• educate you on the daunting, overwhelming, and at times stressful process.
• remain calm, always.
• keep you focused on your goals.
• pay attention to every detail.
• show up.
• effectively communicate in the way that works best for you.
• uphold Living Room Realty’s values and what they mean to her.

"I care about where you live. I care about you home, your street, your neighborhood, your community. All the things that are important to you will be my priority. I look forward to working with you!"

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• T: 503-953-0850
• carrie@carriestruss.com