Erica Day, Realtor

05/27/2026

Many agents pitch “off-market” sales as easier for sellers:

No showings.
No open houses.
No hassle.

But there’s an important question every seller should ask:

If only ONE buyer sees your home… who has the leverage?

When buyers compete, sellers gain negotiating power.
When there’s no competition, the buyer often has the advantage.

New research found that homes sold off the MLS typically sold for 1.3% less than homes exposed to the open market.

Off-market sales can make sense in certain situations — privacy concerns, unique properties, convenience, etc. But if your top priority is maximizing price and terms, broad market exposure usually matters.

The goal shouldn’t be avoiding the market.
The goal should be creating demand.

05/24/2026

We are open in Poolesville, MD!

05/22/2026

05/18/2026

A big shift is coming for the housing market.

Over the next two decades, $124 trillion is expected to transfer between generations through inheritance, with a significant portion directly from residential real estate.

But more than 42% of homeowners over 50 do not have a will or trust.

Homeowners who pass without a proper inheritance plan create complications for their families, like long probate processes, incomplete title records, multiple heirs, and family disputes.

The relatives selling the properties often never lived there, so they can't convey the property's condition, past repairs, or important details about systems and maintenance to potential new owners.

And when multiple beneficiaries are involved, there are several decision-makers with vastly different goals, timelines, and emotional attachments.

It gets messy. It's worth putting thought into this now to get your family's plans in order.

05/15/2026

People are always surprised when I tell them this:

Most buyers are not looking at 50 houses before buying.

Usually, it’s more like 5–10.

By the time we’re out touring homes, buyers have already spent a ton of time online figuring out what they like, what they don’t, what feels realistic financially, and what actually fits their lifestyle.

Honestly, the hardest part usually isn’t finding “the one.”

It’s letting go of the idea that there’s a perfect house with zero compromises.

The buyers who have the smoothest experience are usually the ones who can recognize:
“This may not be my fantasy house… but it feels right for my real life.”

That’s where a lot of my job comes in — helping people sort through the noise, stay grounded, and recognize a genuinely good opportunity when they see it.

Curious now:
How many houses did you look at before you bought?

05/12/2026

Most people delay change because uncertainty feels risky.

But staying in the wrong house, wrong relationship, wrong financial situation, or wrong routine has a cost too.

04/30/2026

One pattern in Kentlands/Lakelands (Gaithersburg, MD) right now:

Homes that go under contract in the first week are typically selling at or above list price.

Homes that miss that window are sitting—and eventually selling below list after price reductions.

In other words:
You either hit the market with the right strategy and create competition…
or you spend weeks (or months) chasing buyers.

Pricing isn’t about “leaving room to negotiate” anymore.
It’s about positioning your home to win in the first 7–14 days.

If you’re thinking about selling, this is the part that matters most.

04/23/2026

Have you gotten your shingles vax yet?

If you saw me when I had it (or even just read my FB posts), you would have RUN to the pharmacy to get it, as many of my friends thankfully did.

I've had two abdominal surgeries and mastitis and i will tell you, shingles was BRUTAL.

The vax is 97% effective. Do yourself a favor. (Must be 50+)

04/20/2026

I keep thinking about how hard it is to know who to trust. Conflicts of interest are everywhere.

The government.
Healthcare.
The media.

Everyone stands to gain from our trust.
But who is actually accountable to our outcomes?

When I see this show up in real estate, it really gets my wheels turning.

When someone hires me, I believe what they’re actually looking for is pretty simple:

1. Competence
2. Honesty
3. A real understanding of fiduciary duty—meaning I’m acting in their best interest, not mine

Because this isn’t a small decision. And it’s not a place where people should feel uncertain about who’s guiding them.

So the question isn’t, “How do I convince someone to trust me?”

It’s:
Do my actions consistently show that I deserve it?

That means:
– saying things they may not want to hear
– walking away from deals that don’t make sense
– being transparent, even when it’s uncomfortable

Trust isn’t something I ask for.
It’s something I prove.