Realtor Mike Alford of Coldwell Banker

Story by Susan Martin

Photos by Marci Ryan

Feb 15, 2022

An Award-Winning Community-Minded Agent

 Shop Local Delmarva Sponsor Mike Alford is featured in the February issue of The Metropolitan Magazine.

He has been voted “Best Realtor” on the Eastern Shore by The Metropolitan Magazine readers for nine straight years.

He is known for his extensive knowledge in both sales and marketing of fine properties. Who better to ask about current market trends and to explain his award-winning formula of getting top dollar for his clients’ properties?

Market Trends

Over the last couple of years, an influx of people have been relocating to the Eastern Shore from higher density areas, and it doesn’t seem to be a fad or short-term surge. Due to varying reasons including the pandemic, a change of employment, remote working and civil uncertainty, families have been migrating from city life to rural life for a number of years, and that includes Delmarva. New housing is popping up near the beaches and other rural areas. Some families are upgrading their lifestyles while others are downsizing. Historically low inventory continues to be a huge factor influencing home sales. Many high-income buyers migrating from the city are looking for finer properties such as waterfront homes or estates, which are being snatched up quickly.

Safety seems to be the number one reason homeowners decide to make the move from the city to rural life. Taxes are also another reason. Buyers are used to higher taxes in the city, so they see more value for their taxes in rural areas. This isn’t just a trend on Delmarva, it’s happening all over the country. This drastic shift has accelerated over the last couple of years, and it doesn’t look to be changing any time soon.

One Contact, One Source

Many real estate agencies have teams of people for various aspects of the home buying or selling process. This setup can have you being passed around to four or five different agents for one transaction. 

When you work with Mike Alford, you get Mike Alford. He is your contact person throughout the whole process, whether buying or selling. This makes it a more personalized experience. “When you get too many cooks in the kitchen, details can be forgotten,” said Alford. Mike’s goal is to provide full, high-quality experience every single time you work with him. He does have administrative support on the back end, but your transaction experience is solely him. “I like to control the experience my clients have,” said Alford. “Selling and buying can be a stressful time, and I want to ensure each client has a smooth, personalized experience and no detail slips through the cracks,” continued Alford. 

Real Estate Marketing Tactics

The way buyers research homes has shifted a lot over the last 20 years. Nearly gone are the days of newspaper inserts chocked full of newly listed homes. Real estate marketing is now multi-faceted. Homes and properties are expected to have numerous photos, videos and supporting information such as geographic details, communities and schools. But, he understands that not all buyers live on smart technology. That’s why he still finds success in print outlets such as local and national newspapers and magazines.

Alford prides himself on casting a wide net when it comes to marketing properties for his clients. He includes many details on the homes he is selling and ensures a lot of supporting information, photography and videography is included. These details help those in the market for a home to fully experience the property beforehand to determine if it is truly one of interest for them. His comprehensive property marketing package is a huge selling point to his services for those who are ready to list. Many buyers are remote, living in a different state and looking to relocate, and don’t have the luxury of driving down the street to look at a property. “Casting a wide net of high-quality marketing materials is the best way to attract buyers for my clients' properties,” said Mike.

Getting Ready to List

Before a seller is ready to put a home on the market, there may be some prep work that has to occur. A pre-listing home inspection should be completed. Mike’s advice: “Do your due diligence and homework when you’re in the beginning stages of listing your home,” said Mike. Alford suggests interviewing multiple agents to get their input. A good agent is one that has been in and out of multiple homes, has seen comparable sales in your area, and is able to tell you your best return on investment as far as upgrades and updates to your home, prior to listing it.

When you are ready to list your home (and are in the market for a new one), it’s important to have a trusted agent to guide you through what can be a complicated process. You need professional, experienced advice at every step. Find an agent that you trust, one that is willing to put their promise on paper for you when you go to sell. You’ll want to be able to answer the following questions confidently with your agent of choice. How are they going to help me through this transition period? What are they promising to do for me? Will they put on paper what they are promising to do for me?