Sherri Toates

I attribute my success to a combination of my long-term corporate experience and the guidance I’ve received throughout my professional journey. After a 27-year career with Xerox Corporation, I made a deliberate transition into real estate over six years ago, bringing with me a strong foundation in discipline, client service, and strategic thinking. I have also benefited greatly from being an active member of various real estate associations, which have expanded my professional network and industry knowledge. In addition, mentorship has played a key role in my growth, particularly the support and insights I’ve gained from experienced professionals such as Michelle Weiss, who have helped shape my approach and continued development in the field.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to keep going. I’ve learned that persistence is essential, especially when facing challenges or transitions. Staying committed, continuing to put in the work, and maintaining focus—even when progress feels slow—has been a guiding principle in my career and personal growth.

My biggest advice would be to get on a team when you're starting out as a new agent, because being on a team really helps you to build your business and build your brand. I struggled with that for about 2 years with the first brokerage company I was with because I was not on a team. Then I had a team lead reach out to me from a different brokerage firm who said he wanted to bring me on, and I started, and it just escalated from there. Now I'm actually a solo agent after leaving that brokerage firm and going to a different one, but getting on a team initially really helped me get the ground running.

The biggest challenges in real estate right now are the competition, not having enough inventory, and getting outbid by people coming in with cash offers. It's a challenge for my clients when they get outbid, and for me it's about trying to represent them well and navigate the situation, strategizing to make the next offer better if they didn't get one accepted. Sometimes it can be challenging, other times things just flow nicely, but we wish that could happen all the time - unfortunately that's not how it works.

The most important value to me in both my work and personal life is ensuring that I represent my clients well. I am committed to acting in their best interests, maintaining professionalism, and providing consistent support throughout every step of the process. I take pride in building trust, communicating clearly, and delivering service that reflects integrity and dedication.