We’re proud of the team of agents we’ve assembled here at Nest Realty. We think they’re pretty awesome, and we think you will too. During our “Meet the Agent” series, we sit down with our agents to learn more about them, what makes them tick, and why they’re passionate about the real estate industry. In this installment, we chat with Kait Maarschalk, an agent with Nest Realty in Durham, North Carolina.
Nest Realty: Tell us a bit about yourself! What brought you to Durham?
Kait Maarschalk: I have lived in the Triangle for more than 20 years and call Durham my home. I love seeing all the revitalization that is happening downtown and all the wonderfully unique people that the city brings in. When not hustling at real estate, I spend most of my time with my amazing husband and our two dogs. We love hiking the local trails, hitting up all the delicious restaurants and bars downtown, and traveling whenever we get the chance. In my spare time I love to read, fish, and work on construction/carpentry projects.
NR: How did you get into real estate?
KM: I was looking for a career with more flexibility and autonomy that offered daily challenges to keep me intrigued and excited to learn new things.
NR: What was your previous career? How has that prepared you for real estate?
KM: I have worked in a couple different careers, but the most influential on real estate have been the positions I held in high volume customer service jobs. It taught me priority management, efficiency in managing tasks, fast paced problem solving skills, and most of all how to professionally deal with clients in a high stress environment.
NR: What led you to Nest Realty, as opposed to another brokerage?
KM: The biggest contributing factor that led me to Nest was the quality of agents I have worked across the table from. Every Nest agent I have come across has been extremely knowledgeable and overly helpful. I thought to myself, this is how I do business, and this is how I feel this business should be done, and it seemed to be a prevalent pattern with Nest agents. What better people to surround yourself with?
NR: What is your favorite part of being an agent?
KM: The intense need for critical thinking, thinking outside the box, problem solving, and succeeding! It’s immediate gratification.
NR: Do you have a specific area of expertise to offer clients?
KM: I have a couple…I love being knowledge-focused and love to learn new things. I also have my general contractor’s license. Both of these things help me with first-time home buyers because I am able to smoothly walk them through a new process, point out defects in homes that would otherwise not be noticed, and explain all facets of the transaction. It also helps me when advising on new construction and gives my out of state buyers more confidence in buying homes that they may not be able to personally tour themselves.
NR: What makes you different from other agents? What sets you apart?
KM: I would say my tenacity. I firmly believe two things: If there is a will, there is a way, and everything happens for a reason. These traits help keep my clients motivated in a competitive market and lets my sellers know that I will accomplish or exceed the goals we have set.
NR: What are five adjectives that describe you?
KM: Knowledgeable, resourceful, efficient, tenacious, and funny.
NR: Who would be your dream client?
KM: Steve Irwin. His exuberance would be delightful and he would be a blast to work with!
NR: If you had one piece of advice for a first-time home buyer, what would it be?
KM: When you find a home you love, be ready to go all in!
NR: What is your favorite season in Durham?
KM: Winter.
Kait Maarschalk is an agent with Nest Realty Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill. She will work tirelessly on your behalf to help you get the best deal with the least amount of stress possible, while providing you with excellent customer service along the way. To learn more about Kait, visit her agent page.