KT Sold Me

This, Zelle/ deposit notification, and “Clear to close” are my favorite email notifications to get! 😆👏🏾🙏🏾💪🏾

Happy Friday 🥳

Would You Believe Wednesday 🤯

Would you believe I had five transactions that didn’t make it to settlement in May? In the photo marked with the ❌

Before anybody starts clutching their pearls, two (maybe 3, because we are fighting to keep one deal alive) were actual fall-throughs. The others were extensions.

Here’s the part nobody talks about:

Some agents believe transaction coordinators shouldn’t be paid a fall-through fee if a deal doesn’t close.

I disagree and my business is run as such. A transaction coordinator’s work doesn’t magically disappear because a buyer gets cold feet, financing falls apart, an inspection goes sideways, or the parties can’t come to an agreement. The majority of the work has already been completed by that point.

Deadlines were tracked. Documents were processed. Compliance was managed. Communication was coordinated. Timelines were monitored.

The transaction may not have crossed the finish line, but that doesn’t mean the work wasn’t done. In fact, some fall-through files require just as much work as a file that closes. Sometimes more!

A fall-through fee isn’t a penalty. It’s compensation for services that were already provided.

What’s your take? Should TCs be compensated when a transaction falls apart after weeks of work?

👇🏾 Drop your thoughts below.

🔥 HOT TAKE TUESDAY 🔥

I know, I know…..

Yesterday I was talking about National Homeownership Month, and today I’m saying homeownership isn’t for everyone.

But both can be true!

One thing I’ve learned from working in real estate is that getting the keys is the easy part. Keeping the house, maintaining the house, and being financially prepared for the unexpected is where the real work begins.

Homeownership isn’t just pretty closing photos, giant SOLD signs, and housewarming parties. It’s replacing a water heater when it quits, paying for a roof when insurance won’t, budgeting for maintenance, and being prepared for expenses that don’t care what your plans were for the month.

So no, homeownership isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay.

Some people genuinely prefer renting. Some people love the convenience of apartment or condo living. Some people would rather invest their money elsewhere than spend weekends dealing with maintenance, lawn care, or snow removal. There is nothing wrong with that.

While real estate can absolutely be a powerful tool for building wealth, it isn’t the only way to build wealth.

The goal shouldn’t be homeownership just because everyone says it’s the next step. The goal should be making the decision that’s best for your lifestyle, finances, goals, and long-term plans.

What do you think? Is homeownership for everyone? 👇🏾

Krista Thomas
Maryland REALTOR, Salesperson
Transaction Coordinator
Compliance Officer
Realty ONE Group Universal
📲 443-362-1527 (Direct)
☎️ 443-991-5942 (Realty One Office)
📧 [email protected]

🏡 ☀️ Hello June!

June is National Homeownership Month, and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the month than by sharing a few facts, myths, and realities about homeownership.

And since it’s Monday… consider this our Homeownership Month edition of Myth Monday. 😉

One thing I’ve learned from working in real estate is that many people count themselves out long before they’ve actually explored their options.

They assume they need 20% down.
They assume their credit isn’t good enough.
They assume they need to find their forever home right out of the gate.
They assume homeownership is out of reach altogether.

The truth? Many people are far closer to becoming homeowners than they realize. That’s why education matters.

The more you understand your options, the easier it becomes to create a plan. Whether that plan starts this year, next year, or somewhere further down the road, knowledge is always the first step.

Swipe through for a few facts, myths, and reminders that might change the way you think about homeownership.

📩 DM “GUIDE” for a free copy of my 2026 Buyer’s Guide and let’s start building your game plan.

Krista Thomas
Maryland REALTOR, Salesperson
Transaction Coordinator
Compliance Officer
Realty ONE Group Universal
📲 443-362-1527 (Direct)
☎️ 443-991-5942 (Realty One Office)
📧 [email protected]

Hot Take Tuesday 🔥

Cash is NOT the same as hard money.

One thing I see from time to time in transactions is an offer being presented as “cash,” but then when proof of funds is requested, what shows up is a pre-approval letter from a hard money lender. That’s not the same thing.

Hard money can absolutely be a great tool, especially for investors and certain acquisition strategies. This isn’t anti-hard money. But hard money is still financing.

Depending on the lender and transaction, there may still be:

⚠️ Lender review and approval
⚠️ Property evaluations or inspections
⚠️ Appraisal requirements
⚠️ Funding conditions
⚠️ Verification that the investment numbers or exit strategy make sense

Any one of those things could impact timing, approval, or whether funds are ultimately released. Which means the deal could still fall through or be delayed!

A true cash transaction generally means the buyer already has access to the funds and can demonstrate that through verifiable assets, such as:

✔️ Bank account statements
✔️ Brokerage (investment) accounts
✔️ Retirement assets (when accessible/ liquidatable)
✔️ Other verified available funds

In other words: available money ≠ approved money. Because fast financing and cash are not interchangeable.

Words matter in contracts.How an offer is structured matters.How expectations are set matters.

Agents, ask one extra question:“Are we paying cash… or are we obtaining financing?”

(This is general education, not legal, lending, or financial advice. Lending requirements can vary.)

S/N:
❌ Pictures of mattress and shoebox money are not sufficient POF (proof of funds)/ cash in this industry either! You will not be able to show up to the title company with 3 Nike boxes full of your “cash to close” 😆

Looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate in Maryland? Contact me today. I am accepting and looking for new clients.

Krista Thomas
Maryland REALTOR, Salesperson
Transaction Coordinator
Compliance Officer
Realty ONE Group Universal
📲 443-362-1527 (Direct)
☎️ 443-991-5942 (Realty One Office)
📧 [email protected]

Hot Take Tuesday 🌶️🥵

When real estate deals start falling apart, somehow it always becomes the REALTOR’S fault. 😅

But the reality is, a real estate transaction involves a LOT of moving parts and multiple people behind the scenes. Lenders. Underwriters. Title companies. Appraisers. Inspectors. Contractors. Buyers. Sellers. Transaction Coordinators. Timelines. Paperwork. Conditions. Communication. All of it matters.

And yes… sometimes clients play a role too. 😬

Sometimes documents are submitted late. Sometimes communication goes silent. Sometimes expectations are unrealistic. Sometimes people make decisions that directly impact their own transaction. Sometimes people leave out information. Sometimes people simply do not follow professional advice.

But when things go left, it usually turns into:
“Well my REALTOR didn’t tell me…”
“My REALTOR didn’t do…”
“My REALTOR should’ve…”

Meanwhile your REALTOR is over there trying to hold together 17 moving pieces, prevent the transaction from imploding, answer everyone’s questions, calm emotions, solve problems, and keep the deal moving forward. 😂

A good REALTOR cannot control every single thing that happens in a transaction. What we can do is educate, communicate, advocate, problem solve, negotiate, and guide our clients through the process as professionally as possible.

As someone who works both on the client side and behind the scenes in transaction coordination/compliance, trust me when I say: real estate deals are rarely as smooth and simple as social media makes them look. That’s why proper representation matters.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling and want a REALTOR who will keep it real with you, educate you throughout the process, and help navigate the unexpected, let’s connect. 🏡

📩 DM me “BUYER” for my free Buyer’s Guide
📩 DM me “SELLER” for information on getting your home market-ready and sold

Krista Thomas
Maryland REALTOR, Salesperson
Transaction Coordinator
Compliance Officer
Realty ONE Group Universal
📲 443-362-1527 (Direct)
☎️ 443-991-5942 (Realty One Office)
📧 [email protected]

April showed slightly improved market conditions for sellers. Sellers received an average of 2.5 offers, and 21% received more than the asking price of the home. Days on market remained higher than last year at 32 days, but dropped considerably since last month.

Officially stepping into a new lane 📚👩🏾‍🏫

I’m proud to announce that I have officially completed Phase 1 of the mentorship program at and I am now officially accepting 1-2 apprentice agents.

Honestly, stepping into more teaching, training, and mentorship opportunities was not originally something I planned on doing this heavily, but between serving as a Compliance Officer and hosting my Coffee & Compliance conversations, I started realizing how much I genuinely enjoy educating agents and helping them better understand the contracts, compliance, timelines, and overall structure of this business.

The feedback, conversations, and real-life scenarios shared during those sessions really pushed me to want to do more when it comes to guiding and developing agents who truly want to learn the business the RIGHT way.

If you are:
• A newer agent at ROGU looking for mentorship, guidance, structure, and real-world support

OR

• An agent interested in joining Realty One Group Universal to see if you may be eligible to become one of my apprentice agents

Reach out to me so we can schedule a meeting with myself and my brokers to discuss next steps and see if we’d be a good fit.

I’m big on:
• Compliance ✅
• Contracts and transaction management ✅
• Learning beyond social media fluff ✅
• Doing business professionally, ethically, and confidently ✅

This won’t be a “figure it out alone and good luck” situation. We’re getting in the field, getting into the contracts, getting into the REAL work. No sink-or-swim energy over here 😂

I love working with people who are realistic, adaptable, eager to learn, and serious about building a solid career, not just chasing the aesthetic side of real estate.

And trust me… this is only Phase 1 👀 There’s definitely more on the horizon. 😉🙏🏾

📩 DM me if you’re interested in apprenticeship opportunities or learning more about joining the brokerage.

Krista Thomas
Maryland REALTOR, Salesperson
Transaction Coordinator
Compliance Officer
Realty ONE Group Universal
📲 443-362-1527 (Direct)
☎️ 443-991-5942 (Realty One Office)
📧 [email protected]