What to Know About Working With Vali Paquette at Hill Barbour Realty
Who Vali Paquette Is and What She Does
Vali Paquette is a real estate agent with Hill Barbour Realty, a South Carolina-based firm. She works with buyers and sellers in the state's residential real estate market, helping clients navigate property transactions from listing to closing. Her role involves marketing properties, showing homes to potential buyers, negotiating offers, and coordinating the paperwork and inspections that move a sale forward.
Hill Barbour Realty operates across multiple South Carolina markets and maintains a team structure where individual agents like Paquette handle client relationships while the brokerage provides licensing, legal compliance, and transaction support. Understanding how an agent fits into their brokerage matters because it shapes how they can help you—what services they can offer, what fees apply, and who handles different parts of the process.
Key Takeaways
- Vali Paquette works as an agent for Hill Barbour Realty, a South Carolina brokerage that handles residential real estate transactions.
- Real estate agents earn commission on completed sales, typically split between the buyer's agent and seller's agent, so you should understand how that structure affects the advice you receive.
- Before hiring any agent, confirm their experience in your specific market—whether that is a particular neighborhood, price range, or property type.
- Your agent should be able to explain the local market conditions, comparable sales, and timeline for selling or buying in your area.
How to Find Contact Information and Verify Credentials
To reach Vali Paquette or learn more about her specific services, contact Hill Barbour Realty directly through their main office. You can ask for her by name and request information about her current listings, her experience in your area, or her availability to represent you as a buyer or seller.
Before working with any agent, verify that they hold a current South Carolina real estate license. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (SCDHEC) maintains a public database where you can confirm an agent's license status, any disciplinary history, and their brokerage affiliation. This takes a few minutes and protects you by confirming the person is legally authorized to represent you in a transaction.
What Agents Do for Sellers
If you are selling a home, an agent like Paquette typically handles market analysis, property staging advice, professional photography, listing placement on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), showing coordination, and offer negotiation. They also manage the timeline between offer acceptance and closing, including scheduling inspections, appraisals, and final walkthroughs.
A seller's agent earns commission only when the sale closes, which is usually split between the seller's agent and the buyer's agent. This means the agent has financial incentive to close the sale, but it also means their advice on pricing, timing, and negotiation should be based on market data, not on rushing you into a bad deal. Ask your agent to show you comparable sales in your neighborhood and explain how they arrived at their recommended listing price.
What Agents Do for Buyers
For buyers, an agent searches available listings, arranges showings, explains neighborhoods and school districts, helps you understand what homes cost in different areas, and negotiates on your behalf when you make an offer. They also coordinate inspections, appraisals, and the final walkthrough before closing, and they explain the paperwork you will sign.
A buyer's agent is paid from the seller's side of the commission, so there is no direct cost to you as a buyer—but you should still understand that the agent benefits financially when you buy. This does not mean they will steer you wrong, but it means you should do your own research on neighborhoods, schools, and property values rather than relying entirely on agent opinion. Ask your agent to explain the local market, show you homes in your price range and preferred areas, and be honest about what you can afford.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Agent
Before you commit to working with Vali Paquette or any agent, ask about their experience in your specific market. How long have they been selling in your neighborhood or price range? What was their sales volume last year? Can they show you comparable sales and explain how they priced similar homes? Do they have references from recent clients you can contact?
Also ask about their process: How often will they communicate with you? How do they handle showings and feedback? What happens if an offer falls through? What is their timeline for closing? A good agent should be able to answer these questions clearly and should be willing to put key commitments in writing. If an agent seems evasive or pushes you to decide quickly, that is a sign to talk to other agents before moving forward.
Understanding Real Estate Commissions and Costs
Real estate commissions in South Carolina are negotiable, not fixed by law. The typical range is 5 to 6 percent of the sale price, split between the seller's agent and the buyer's agent, but you can negotiate this rate with your agent and brokerage. The seller usually pays the full commission from the sale proceeds, which means it comes out of what you receive when you sell.
As a buyer, you do not pay commission directly, but the cost is built into the overall price of homes on the market. Other costs in a real estate transaction—inspections, appraisals, title insurance, closing costs—are separate from commission and vary depending on the property and your loan type. Your agent should explain all of these costs upfront so you understand what to expect.
What Happens After You Hire an Agent
Once you sign an agreement with an agent, they represent your interests in the transaction. If you are selling, they list your home and show it to potential buyers. If you are buying, they search for homes that match your criteria and present offers on your behalf. Throughout the process, they communicate with the other agent, coordinate inspections and appraisals, and keep you informed of progress toward closing.
The timeline from listing to closing typically ranges from 30 to 60 days for a straightforward sale, though it can be longer if inspections reveal problems or if financing takes extra time. Your agent should give you a realistic timeline based on current market conditions and the specific property. If problems arise—a failed inspection, a low appraisal, a financing delay—your agent should explain your options and help you decide how to proceed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if an agent is right for me?
The best agent for you is someone with recent experience in your specific market, clear communication, and willingness to answer your questions without pressure. Ask for references from recent clients and talk to at least two or three agents before deciding. Trust your instinct—if an agent makes you uncomfortable or seems more interested in closing a deal than in your situation, keep looking.
Can I work with multiple agents at the same time?
As a buyer, you can show homes with different agents, but once you sign a buyer's agreement with one agent, you are typically committed to working with that agent for a set period. As a seller, you hire one agent to list your home exclusively. Read any agreement carefully before signing and ask about the terms—how long the agreement lasts and what happens if you want to end it early.
What if I disagree with my agent's advice?
You have the right to make your own decisions about pricing, offers, and negotiations. Your agent works for you and should explain their reasoning, but the final choice is yours. If you consistently disagree with your agent's advice or feel they are not listening to you, you can end the relationship and hire someone else, though you may need to wait out the term of your agreement.
What should I do if something goes wrong during the transaction?
Contact your agent first and explain the problem. Most issues—missed deadlines, miscommunication, unclear paperwork—can be resolved by talking it through. If your agent does not respond or you believe they have acted unethically, you can file a complaint with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, which oversees real estate licenses and investigates violations.
Do I need an agent to buy or sell a home?
No, you can buy or sell without an agent, though it requires more work on your part. You would need to find properties yourself, negotiate directly with the other party, coordinate inspections and appraisals, and handle all the paperwork. Most people use an agent because it saves time and reduces the risk of costly mistakes, but it is your choice.