What to Know About Working With Melissa Patton at RE/MAX Moves

Melissa Patton brings local market knowledge and RE/MAX resources to South Carolina real estate transactions

Melissa Patton is a real estate agent with RE/MAX Moves, part of the RE/MAX network that operates across South Carolina. When you work with a real estate agent, you're hiring someone to represent your interests in buying or selling property—handling negotiations, paperwork, showings, and connections to inspectors, lenders, and closing services. Patton's role is to guide you through those steps using her knowledge of local markets and access to RE/MAX's tools and databases.

RE/MAX Moves operates as a franchise within the larger RE/MAX system, which means Patton has access to RE/MAX's Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data, marketing platforms, and training resources. Her specific market focus and years of experience shape how she approaches each transaction. Understanding what an agent does—and what questions to ask before hiring one—helps you decide whether this is the right fit for your situation.

Key Takeaways

• Real estate agents represent either the buyer or seller in a transaction and earn commission only when a deal closes, so their financial incentive is to complete the sale.
• RE/MAX agents can access the MLS and show you homes listed by any brokerage, not just RE/MAX listings.
• Before hiring an agent, ask about their experience in your specific neighborhood or price range, their average time on market, and how they handle communication.
• Buyer's agents are typically paid by the seller's agent from the commission split, so you do not pay out of pocket to have representation.
• Interview multiple agents and check references or past client reviews before committing to representation.

How real estate agents work in South Carolina

A real estate agent is a licensed professional who represents either a buyer or a seller in a property transaction. In South Carolina, agents must hold a license issued by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (SCDHEC). The agent's job is to market the property (if representing a seller), show homes and negotiate offers (if representing a buyer), manage paperwork, coordinate inspections and appraisals, and shepherd the deal to closing.

Agents earn commission only when a sale closes. The commission is typically a percentage of the final sale price and is split between the seller's agent and the buyer's agent. If you are buying, the seller usually pays both commissions from the proceeds, so you do not write a separate check to your agent. If you are selling, you negotiate the commission rate with your listing agent before putting the home on the market.

South Carolina does not require you to use an agent—you can buy or sell on your own—but most transactions involve at least one agent because of the complexity of contracts, disclosures, and local regulations. An agent's value often comes from knowing which inspectors are reliable, which lenders move quickly, and what similar homes in your area actually sold for, not just what they are listed at.

What RE/MAX Moves agents can access and offer

RE/MAX is a national brokerage with local franchises. RE/MAX Moves is one such franchise operating in South Carolina. All RE/MAX agents can access the MLS—the database where nearly all homes for sale are listed—regardless of which brokerage listed the home. This means Patton can show you any home on the market in her service area, not only RE/MAX listings.

RE/MAX provides its agents with marketing tools, including digital advertising platforms, professional photography services, and listing syndication to major real estate websites like Zillow and Realtor.com. Agents also have access to training and continuing education through RE/MAX, which can affect how current their market knowledge is. The RE/MAX brand itself carries recognition, which can help when marketing a home to other agents and buyers.

However, the RE/MAX name does not may provide a particular level of service or expertise. Individual agents vary widely in experience, responsiveness, and knowledge. The brokerage provides the infrastructure; the agent provides the skill and effort. This is why interviewing agents and checking references matters more than the brokerage name alone.

Questions to ask before hiring Melissa Patton or any agent

Before you commit to working with an agent, gather information that helps you assess whether they are a good match for your specific situation. Ask how long they have been licensed and how many transactions they have closed in the past year. Ask specifically about their experience in the neighborhood or price range where you want to buy or sell—an agent who knows the Midlands market may not know the Lowcountry equally well.

If you are selling, ask what the average time on market is for homes they have listed and what percentage of their listings sell for the asking price or higher. If you are buying, ask how they approach negotiations and whether they have relationships with local lenders or inspectors they recommend. Ask how they prefer to communicate—phone, email, text—and what your typical response time can expect to be.

Request references from past clients, ideally both buyers and sellers, and contact them directly. Ask those references whether the agent was responsive, whether they felt well-represented, and whether they would hire the agent again. A willingness to provide references is itself a good sign; agents confident in their work usually have clients willing to vouch for them.

Understanding representation and dual agency

When you hire an agent to represent you, that agent's legal duty is to act in your best interest. If you are a buyer, your agent should negotiate the best price and terms for you. If you are a seller, your agent should market your home aggressively and push for the highest price. This fiduciary duty is the foundation of the agent-client relationship.

In some transactions, the same brokerage represents both the buyer and the seller. This is called dual agency, and it is legal in South Carolina but requires written consent from both parties. In a dual agency situation, the brokerage cannot fully represent both sides because the interests often conflict. Some buyers and sellers prefer to avoid dual agency for this reason and hire agents from different brokerages. Ask any agent upfront how they handle situations where both parties are their clients.

How to evaluate an agent's market knowledge

An agent's value often comes down to how well they know the local market. Ask Patton or any agent to pull a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)—a report showing what similar homes in your area have sold for recently. A strong CMA tells you what your home is actually worth or what you should expect to pay for a home you want to buy. The report should include homes that are similar in size, condition, and location and should show sale prices from the past three to six months.

Ask the agent to explain the differences between the comparable homes and yours. If they cannot articulate why one home sold for more or less, or if they seem to rely only on online estimates, that is a red flag. Good agents know the neighborhoods—they know which blocks are more desirable, which schools feed into which areas, and which homes have sold quickly versus which have sat on the market.

You can also verify an agent's track record by searching the MLS or public records for homes they have listed or sold. Look at how long homes stayed on the market and what the final sale price was compared to the listing price. This information is public and gives you a concrete sense of their effectiveness.

The closing process and what happens after you hire an agent

Once you hire an agent and find a home (or list your home), the agent coordinates the next steps. If you are buying, your agent will help you make an offer, negotiate terms, and then coordinate the inspection, appraisal, and final walkthrough. They will also introduce you to a title company or attorney who handles the closing—the final meeting where you sign documents and transfer ownership.

If you are selling, your agent will list the home, schedule showings, present offers to you, and guide you through inspections and appraisals from the buyer's side. They will also coordinate with the buyer's agent and the closing attorney or title company to make sure all paperwork is in order by closing day.

The agent's job does not end at closing, though their active involvement does. Many agents stay in touch with past clients for referrals or to help with future transactions. Some offer resources like contractor recommendations or market updates for the neighborhood where you bought or sold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay Melissa Patton or any agent out of pocket if I am buying?

No. If you are the buyer, the seller typically pays both the seller's agent and the buyer's agent from the sale proceeds. You do not write a separate check to your agent. However, if you sign a buyer's agent agreement, you are committing to work with that agent exclusively for a set period, usually 90 days to six months.

What if I want to buy a home listed by RE/MAX Moves?

You can still hire Melissa Patton or another buyer's agent to represent you, even if the home is listed by RE/MAX Moves. The commission split remains the same. Some buyers worry about conflicts of interest in this situation, which is why asking about dual agency upfront matters.

Can I fire my agent if I am not happy?

It depends on your agreement. Most buyer's agent agreements allow you to terminate with written notice, though you may owe commission if you buy a home during the agreement period through a different agent. Seller's agreements are typically more restrictive. Read your contract carefully and ask the agent about termination terms before signing.

How do I know if an agent is actually licensed?

You can verify a South Carolina real estate license through the SCDHEC website. Search for the agent's name and license number to confirm they are currently active and in good standing. This takes two minutes and is worth doing before hiring anyone.

What should I do if I have a complaint about an agent?

Complaints about licensed agents in South Carolina go to the SCDHEC. You can file a formal complaint if you believe an agent violated their fiduciary duty or broke a law. The department investigates and can impose penalties or revoke a license if warranted.