Published September 15, 2026
More Than a License: Why Experience Matters in Coastal Real Estate
In a Secondary Beach Market, Experience Isn’t a Luxury. It’s Part of Protecting Your Investment.
There are a lot of real estate licenses in America.
But having a real estate license and actively practicing real estate at a high level are two very different things.
According to MLS resale transaction data compiled through July 6, 2026, and provided to The Windrow Group, approximately 84% of National Association of REALTORS® members recorded zero MLS resale transactions between January 1 and July 6, 2026.
Of the approximately 1.36 million members represented in that dataset:
- 84.00% recorded 0 MLS resale transactions
- 7.95% recorded 1–4 transactions
- 4.10% recorded 5–9 transactions
- 2.20% recorded 10–19 transactions
- Less than 2% recorded 20 or more transactions
At first glance, those numbers may be surprising.
But they require context.
NAR membership includes professionals who may not primarily practice residential sales, including managers, appraisers, and other real estate professionals. Team structures can also affect how transactions are credited, with production sometimes recorded under a team leader or another member rather than every individual involved in a transaction.
So the point isn’t that 84% of REALTORS® aren’t working.
The more important takeaway for consumers is this:
Before trusting someone with one of your largest financial assets, take the time to understand how much current, real-world experience they actually bring to the table.
And in a secondary beach and resort market, that question becomes even more important.
Selling a Beach Property Is Different
Selling a primary residence in a traditional suburban neighborhood is one type of transaction.
Buying or selling a second home, vacation property, waterfront property, or investment property along the Maryland and Delaware coast can be an entirely different experience.
From Ocean City and Ocean Pines to Berlin, Bishopville, Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, and the surrounding coastal communities, properties can involve considerations that may not arise in a typical residential transaction.
Think about:
- Condominium financials and reserve studies
- Special assessments
- Flood insurance
- Waterfront bulkheads and docks
- Boat slips
- Rental histories
- Rental licenses and regulations
- HOA and condominium documents
- Coastal construction considerations
- Septic and well systems
- Investment income
- Financing requirements for condominium buildings
- Insurance availability
- 1031 exchanges
And sometimes several of these issues are involved in the same transaction.
That’s why choosing a REALTOR® based solely on who you know, who has the most social-media followers, or who happened to answer an online inquiry first may not be the best way to make an important financial decision.
Experience in the market and with the property type matters.
Your REALTOR Should Be More Than the Person Who Opens the Door
Technology has made finding real estate easier than ever.
Consumers can search listings from their phones, receive automated property alerts, view aerial photography, research neighborhoods, and estimate mortgage payments before ever speaking with an agent.
But access to information is not the same thing as understanding it.
The value of an experienced real estate professional often becomes most apparent when something doesn’t go according to plan.
What happens when the appraisal comes in below the contract price?
What happens when a condominium association doesn’t meet a lender’s requirements?
What happens when an inspection uncovers a significant issue just days before a contingency deadline?
What happens when the property has an existing rental commitment that extends beyond settlement?
What happens when flood insurance, a special assessment, or condominium reserves become part of the negotiation?
And what happens when multiple offers are on the table, and the highest price isn’t necessarily the strongest offer?
Experience matters when the transaction becomes complicated.
That’s when you’re no longer simply relying on someone to find a house.
You’re relying on someone to help you understand your options and make informed decisions.
There’s a Difference Between an Agent and an Advisor
At The Windrow Group, we’ve always believed our role is to be advisors, not just agents.
An agent can send you listings.
An advisor understands the market well enough to help you determine which properties deserve your attention and which ones may warrant a closer look before you make an offer.
An agent can put a sign in the yard.
An advisor understands pricing, positioning, presentation, timing, and negotiation, while also helping you adapt when market conditions change.
An agent can write an offer.
An advisor understands that price is only one component of an offer. Financing, contingencies, inspection terms, settlement dates, condominium documents, and other conditions can all affect the strength of an offer and the likelihood of reaching the closing table.
That distinction becomes particularly important when you’re dealing with a secondary home.
For many of our clients, their beach property is more than a house.
It may be part vacation home, part investment, part retirement strategy, and part family legacy.
Those decisions deserve thoughtful professional guidance.
Ask Your REALTOR Better Questions
Choosing a real estate professional doesn’t have to be complicated.
Interview them.
Ask questions.
And pay attention to the answers.
How many transactions have you personally handled?
Not the brokerage.
Not the franchise.
Not the team.
Ask about the person who will actually be representing you.
How long have you worked in this particular market?
Real estate is local.
Coastal real estate is even more local.
Understanding a particular community means more than knowing its name. It means understanding the factors that influence property values, buyer demand, rental activity, inventory, and the practical considerations that come with owning property there.
How many transactions have you completed recently?
Years in the business matter.
But so does current activity.
Someone may have decades of experience, while another professional may be deeply involved in today's market. Ideally, you want to understand both the depth of their experience and how actively they are practicing today.
How familiar are you with this property type?
A REALTOR® who primarily sells inland single-family homes may not regularly encounter the issues associated with an oceanfront condominium, waterfront property, vacation rental, or investment property.
Ask about the experience that applies specifically to your transaction.
What happens when something goes wrong?
This may be one of the most important questions you can ask.
Real estate experience isn't built when every transaction goes perfectly.
It is built by navigating inspections, appraisals, financing challenges, negotiations, condominium reviews, deadlines, unexpected issues, and difficult conversations.
Over time, experienced professionals begin to recognize potential problems earlier.
And that perspective can be incredibly valuable.
Experience Creates Perspective
The National Association of REALTORS®' own research also highlights the relationship between experience, transaction activity, and business generated through past clients.
NAR's 2026 Member Profile reported that the typical individual agent completed nine transaction sides during 2025, while agents with six or more years of experience generally completed more transactions and generated greater sales volume. More experienced professionals also tend to receive a greater share of their business from past clients, reflecting the importance of relationships and reputation developed over time.
There is a reason experience matters.
You can't shortcut it.
You develop it one transaction at a time.
One difficult inspection.
One unexpected appraisal.
One complicated condominium review.
One multiple-offer negotiation.
One financing problem.
One closing at a time.
Eventually, you start recognizing potential problems before they become actual problems.
That may be one of the most valuable things an experienced REALTOR® can bring to the table.
Your Beach Property Deserves More Than a Real Estate License
A real estate license is a starting point.
The right REALTOR® can bring something much more valuable to the relationship: experience, perspective, local knowledge, and the ability to help you navigate the unexpected.
At The Windrow Group, we’ve spent more than two decades helping buyers and sellers navigate real estate throughout the Maryland and Delaware coast.
We've worked through strong markets, declining markets, foreclosure markets, bidding wars, historically low interest rates, rapidly rising rates, changing lending requirements, and countless other market conditions.
Markets change.
Technology changes.
Contracts change.
Financing changes.
But one thing remains constant:
Experience matters.
When you're buying or selling a secondary home, vacation property, or investment property at the beach, don't simply ask:
"Do you know a REALTOR®?"
Ask a better question:
"Who has the experience to advise me?"
Because when hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars are involved, the REALTOR® you choose matters.
The Windrow Group
Advisors, Not Just Agents.
Invest in the Beach Lifestyle.
Serving buyers and sellers throughout Ocean City, Ocean Pines, Berlin, Bishopville, and Maryland's Eastern Shore, as well as Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, and the Delaware beaches.
Data note: The 2026 transaction percentages cited at the beginning of this article are based on the MLS resale dataset supplied to The Windrow Group and should not be interpreted as an official National Association of REALTORS® transaction report. MLS reporting can exclude commercial transactions, leases, exclusive or non-MLS transactions, and transactions whose production is credited differently within real estate teams.
