Lessons from Local Leaders:

Sharetta Tatum

“Agent K” in the Real World: How Sharetta Tatum Guides Families Home with Clarity, Courage, and Care

There’s a moment in every real estate journey when the stakes feel sky-high. Boxes are packed, calendars are tight, a lender is waiting, and you’re wondering if this will really work out. That’s the moment Sharetta Tatum shows up the way her clients know her best — steady, prepared, and absolutely unflappable.

Licensed in Virginia and Maryland and a long-time member of the powerhouse Jane Fairweather Team in Bethesda, Sharetta is more than a Realtor. She’s a guide who treats the process like what it truly is: a life transition that touches family, finances, and futures.

From “Starving College Student” to the Calm at the Closing Table

Sharetta didn’t stumble into real estate — she built her way into it, brick by brick.
In college back in 1998, a community business owner noticed her grit and offered her a role she’d never heard of: title abstractor. Overnight she was neck-deep in courthouse records, searching deeds, mortgages, and liens in New Jersey. After graduation, she returned home to Maryland, where she kept sharpening that skill set in another abstracting company, then became a loan officer.

When the market crashed, she stepped away — briefly — into retail leadership with Sears. But when customers argued over the price of a shirt, something clicked. “I’d rather help families make the biggest decision of their lives,” she realized, “than debate a tag.” She returned to real estate and spent 15–17 years in title, mastering the toughest files on the desk — short sales and complex transfers — and earning a reputation for getting impossible deals to the finish line.

A Realtor noticed. “You can do more than this,” he told her, and introduced her to the Jane Fairweather Team. Mid-interview, Jane herself walked in, listened to a few answers, and said, “What are we waiting for? Get her upstairs and get her to work.” Twelve years later, Sharetta’s still there — and still answering questions before anyone finishes asking them.

Why She Does This Work (and Why It Matters to Her Clients)

For Sharetta, real estate is not a transaction — it’s a journey. And it’s personal.
She knows what housing insecurity feels like. She’s faced it in her own family. That experience fuels her mission: use homeownership to build stability and long-term wealth.

“Home is where the heart is,” she says. “If you can own your home, you can own your future. You can build on it for your children.”

That belief shapes everything she does: the late-night calls to calm nerves, the careful explanations, the way she insists that clients understand the why behind every signature.

Clarity, Compliance, and Compassion — in That Order

Clients and colleagues call her the Contract Compliance Queen for a reason. Deadlines, contingencies, disclosures — she tracks them all like a pilot in the cockpit. If a financing contingency expires in two days, she’s already on the phone with the lender, the other agent, and her clients with a clear status update and a plan.

Her core values? Ethics and camaraderie. She believes good agents “play fair in the sandbox” because every deal has two families on either side of the table. She negotiates hard — but she negotiates fair. And she communicates relentlessly so no one is surprised on settlement day.

Title company partners often say the same thing: “When we see Sharetta on the email, we relax. It’s going to be clean and on time.”

Every Hat in the Industry — and Why That Helps You

Few agents bring Sharetta’s 360° view. She has lived the work from title abstractor to settlement agent, loan officer, transaction coordinator, and now Realtor. That means when most buyers feel like they’re being “handed off” to ten different people, her clients feel carried through by one trusted guide.

She answers the questions most people don’t even know to ask — not just from contract to close, but before the offer is written:

• What down payment makes sense and leaves room for childcare and emergency savings?
• What’s the realistic life expectancy of the roof and HVAC, and how do we budget for it?
• If you’ll likely move in 7–10 years, what choices protect resale?

For families, that clarity isn’t just helpful — it’s empowering.

Agent K: The Nickname, the Nerve, the Follow-Through

Yes, Agent K is a nod to Men in Black (she’s a proud sci-fi nerd). A friend once joked it stands for “Agent Kick-…,” and honestly, the shoe fits — because persistence is her superpower.

She tells clients a story about a calm river that turns into a waterfall. “You can see it coming,” she says with a smile. “So we prepare — life vests on, everyone ready. And when we go over, I’m still holding your hand. Then it’s smooth again.”

That’s Sharetta in a sentence: anticipate, prepare, and stay with you to the end.

Financial Literacy, First

Not every buyer has the same path. Some come from generational wealth; some are building it from scratch. Sharetta meets each family where they are. She encourages separate savings for the home itself (repairs, systems, surprises) and treats the inspection as a financial planning tool, not a hurdle.

She wants her clients — even those who don’t buy today — to leave with the knowledge to buy wisely tomorrow. Many do. They circle back months or years later and say, “Agent K, I’m ready.”

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What It’s Like to Work With Sharetta

• Expect transparency. She’ll tell you exactly what’s happening and why.
• Expect teamwork. Lenders, title, inspectors — she aligns everyone and keeps them aligned.
• Expect fairness. She advocates fiercely without steamrolling the other side.
• Expect preparedness. Timelines aren’t suggestions; they’re promises she intends to keep.
• Expect care. She never forgets there’s a family — not just a file — on her desk.

And when you think back on the experience? She hopes you remember how pleasant it was — even when the journey included a waterfall

Why People Seek Her Out (Even When They’re “Just Asking”)

Clients call Sharetta for advice even when she’s not their agent — because they trust her judgment. She’ll walk you through reverse mortgages, short sales, or a simple first-time purchase with the same calm precision. If the market says “not yet,” she’ll help you create a plan that says “soon.”

Ready to Talk to a Pro Who Treats You Like Family?

If you want a Realtor who knows every inch of the process — and treats your goals like her own — you’ll want to meet Sharetta “Agent K” Tatum. Bring your questions, your hopes, and your timeline. She’ll bring the plan, the people, and the follow-through.

Because home isn’t just where you live. It’s how you build your future

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