06/13/2026
What 400 Closings in Hampton Roads Taught Me About Real Estate
When most people think about real estate, they think about the exciting parts.
They think about getting the keys to a new home. They think about moving trucks, sold signs, and celebrating at the closing table.
And yes, those moments exist.
But after helping more than 400 families buy and sell homes throughout Hampton Roads, I've learned that real estate is rarely just about real estate.
Most of the time, it's about life.
Behind nearly every transaction is a major life event. Sometimes it's exciting. Sometimes it's difficult. Often it's both.
And after 400 closings, these are the lessons that have stayed with me.
1. Everyone Is Carrying Something You Can't See
One of the biggest lessons real estate has taught me is patience.
Not because transactions are complicated.
Because people are.
Over the years I've worked with families relocating across the country, military members receiving PCS orders, couples navigating divorce, adult children helping aging parents move after decades in the same home, and families dealing with the loss of a spouse or loved one.
What looks like a simple home sale on paper is often one of the biggest emotional transitions of a person's life.
I've learned that sometimes people don't need a salesperson.
They need someone who listens.
Someone who understands that selling a home isn't always a celebration.
Sometimes it's saying goodbye to a chapter of life that can never be repeated.
2. Real Estate Cannot Be About the Commission
The longer I've been in this business, the less I've thought about the commission.
That may sound strange coming from a Realtor, but it's true.
If you're focused on getting paid, you'll make short-term decisions.
If you're focused on helping people achieve their goals, the business takes care of itself.
The best transactions I've ever been part of weren't the biggest paydays.
They were the moments when clients felt protected, informed, and confident in their decisions.
The goal has never been to close a deal.
The goal has always been to help people make the right decision for their family.
The closing is simply the result of doing that well.
3. Experience Creates Predictability
One of the greatest benefits of experience isn't knowledge.
It's predictability.
After hundreds of transactions, patterns begin to emerge.
You start seeing problems before they happen.
You learn where deals typically get off track.
You understand what buyers and sellers should be doing today to avoid problems thirty days from now.
That's why one of the most valuable things I provide clients is a roadmap.
Whether you're buying your first home or selling the house you've lived in for forty years, uncertainty creates stress.
People don't want surprises.
They want clarity.
My job is to help clients understand what comes next, what to expect, and how to navigate each step confidently.
4. Communication Solves Most Problems
Many real estate problems aren't actually real estate problems.
They're communication problems.
I've learned that clients rarely become frustrated because of bad news.
They become frustrated when they don't know what's happening.
The solution is simple.
Communicate early.
Communicate often.
Communicate clearly.
When people understand the process and know what's happening behind the scenes, even difficult situations become manageable.
5. Every Client Processes Information Differently
Not everyone makes decisions the same way.
Some people want quick answers and direct recommendations.
Others want every detail and every data point before making a decision.
Over the years I've spent significant time studying personality styles, communication methods, negotiation, and behavioral psychology.
Why?
Because great service isn't delivering information the way I prefer.
It's delivering information the way the client understands best.
The more I've learned about people, the better I've become at helping them make confident decisions.
6. Houses Tell Stories
One of the unexpected lessons from 400 closings is that every home has a story.
I've walked through historic homes built centuries ago.
I've toured brand-new construction before the drywall was installed.
I've helped clients with waterfront estates, military housing, investment properties, condominiums, townhomes, and everything in between.
Every property teaches you something.
Every inspection teaches you something.
Every seller teaches you something.
The longer you do this, the more you realize that homes leave clues.
The key is learning how to recognize them.
7. Knowledge Comes From Getting Dirty
A lot of my understanding of homes didn't come from a textbook.
It came from experience.
Over the years, I've been part of close to five hundred home inspections.
Early in my career, I shadowed inspectors through my first hundred start to finish, every room and every system.
I crawled through crawl spaces.
I climbed into attics.
I walked roofs.
I followed inspectors through historic homes, new construction, waterfront properties, commercial buildings, and apartment complexes.
I wanted to understand how a home is actually built, and where problems tend to hide.
Those inspections taught me the maintenance issues homeowners most often overlook.
And they taught me how to prepare my clients before small problems become expensive surprises.
8. Consistency Wins
The final lesson may be the most important.
Success in real estate doesn't come from doing something extraordinary once.
It comes from doing ordinary things consistently for a very long time.
Showing up.
Returning calls.
Following through.
Keeping promises.
Learning.
Improving.
Helping people.
Then doing it again tomorrow.
And the day after that.
After 400 closings, that's the lesson I believe the most.
Not because it's exciting.
Because it's true.
Looking Back
When I look back at more than 400 transactions, I don't remember the commission checks.
I remember the people.
The military family making a cross-country move.
The widow selling a home filled with decades of memories.
The first-time buyers who never thought homeownership was possible.
The retirees beginning a new chapter.
Real estate has taught me that houses matter.
But people matter more.
And if I could sum up everything 400 closings have taught me in a single sentence, it would be this:
The homes are different. The circumstances are different. The people are different. But everyone deserves clarity, honesty, and someone they can trust when making one of the biggest decisions of their life.
That's the lesson I'm still learning every day.
John King | Navy Veteran
Berkshire Hathaway RW Towne Realty
