b"Sister Knows Best at Least When it Comes to RealtorsWorking with Victoria Carter I N G HBY ELLEN DONKER D ON MIF EParker and Theresa Collins moved to Maplewood in April.T heresaandParkerCol- you need in astreet. Parker says, There were kids playing lins were perfectly happystreet hockey in the street, which is like how I livinginHobokenwithgrew up in Delaware. They joke that this per-theirtwoyoungdaugh- fect suburban scene was staged for their arrival.tersandworkinginThe couple immediately submitted an offer on the Manhattan.Butduringrealtor. house, trying not to be too invested in the outcome since the past few years, whenThis past winter, Cart- the market was so competitive. Theresa says, There is a lot of emo-their jobs didnt require them to be iner showed the couple five houses andtion. You almost need somebody to remove that emotion and be like, heres how the office very often, Parker says, Weit was the one on Headley Place thatto make this happen. And so [Victoria] walked us through the objective steps just started to realize it would be reallyresonated with them. Parker says, Itthat needed to happen to kind of combat lovely to have a house and a yard andwas just perfect. It was mostly done.some of the emotion in the process.more space. Theres very little work we needed toAlthoughseveralpartiessubmit-The Collinses initially started theirdo,whichrightnowinthecurrentted offers, the Collinses got the house. search in Montclair but then broad- economyitsveryhardtogetworkParker says, Once we had come to an ened it to include Maplewood. Park- done on a house. agreementjust working with her team, ers sister had lived here a few years agoTheresaconcurs:Eventhewayit felt like we had to do very little work. It so they were already familiar with thethey had decorated the house felt likewas seamless. Adds Theresa, We didnt town. Theresa says, We were lookingour style. They had just outfitted it thehave to do a whole lot in terms of coor-forrecommendationsforrealtors way we would have outfitted a housedinating or managing any of the process. and shes like, Theres only one personand I told Victoria, This is our house. It was just kind of handled for us. Every-to work with. I was on the oppositeThe Collinses also fell in love withthing from start to finish, she was able side of her. And I can tell you, shes thethe location. Their back yard bordersto recommend the right people for us to one you want. OrchardPark,alovelyoasiswithawork with.So having represented the buyers ofplayground, tennis courts, and plentyThe couple closed on the house onVictoria Carter came recommended the sisters house, Victoria Carter wasof grass, plus the house is on a dead-endApril 13 and have settled into their workby Parker Collins' sister. She helped the couple find their home in Maplewood.the one to whom the Collinses turnedand family life. Theresa chose her favor-for help with their search.ite roomthe sunroomfrom which to Theresa says, From the minute wework. Parker has his office on the third floor. metVictoria,itwaslike,shesactu- And when they do have to commute into the city, Theresa says, Ill take the ally my kind of person. This womanscooter or walk to the train station, its 10 minutes, and then its a 35 to 40 min-issobuttonedup.Sheknowswhatute ride into Penn. And then its a 10 minute, #1 train down to SoHo for me. werelookingfor. WedidnthavetoAnd for him (Parker), he can just walk to the Empire State Building.overly spell it out. She just gets it. SheThe Collinses are enjoying their back yard and have found their neighbors knew the stage of life were in. She justto be very welcoming. Theresa says, [We] couldnt picture [ourselves] in any of knows this area so well. She knows allThe family especially enjoys their out- those houses, the way we pictured ourselves in this one. Lucky for them, that the realtors. And I think thats whatdoor space. picture is now real life. finding home /37"