Lisa Cairns with RE/MAX Plus in Baltimore: A Listing Agent for Downtown and Harbor Properties

Lisa Cairns operates as a listing agent and transaction coordinator with RE/MAX Plus, a franchise office in Baltimore that positions agents within the national RE/MAX network while anchoring to local market knowledge. Cairns specializes in downtown neighborhoods and inner-harbor properties, working with sellers who want representation from someone embedded in those submarkets rather than a broad-territory generalist.

What a listing agent does and how RE/MAX structures it

A listing agent represents the seller, prices the property, markets it, manages showings, negotiates offers, and coordinates inspections and closing. Cairns handles these tasks as an independent contractor under the RE/MAX Plus umbrella, meaning she retains a split of the commission (typically 5 to 6 percent of the sale price, divided between listing and buyer's agents) after paying RE/MAX a desk fee or percentage. This structure differs from a traditional brokerage where agents are employees; RE/MAX agents keep more of the commission but pay fixed monthly costs regardless of sales volume.

On a $400,000 sale in Baltimore, the total commission is often $20,000 to $24,000. The listing agent's split—before RE/MAX's cut and Cairns's operational costs—is typically $10,000 to $12,000. Buyers pay nothing directly; their agent's commission comes from the listing side, funded by the seller.

Listing services and what to expect from a downtown specialist

Cairns's strength is in downtown Baltimore and harbor-adjacent properties: Federal Hill, Canton, Fells Point, Harbor East, and the central business district's residential inventory. She photographs properties, creates listing descriptions for the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), hosts open houses, and manages the showing schedule through the MLS portal.

For pricing, a listing agent runs comparable sales (comps) in the neighborhood, adjusts for unit size, condition, and recent renovations, and recommends an asking price. Cairns would compare a Canton rowhouse to others sold in Canton within the past three to six months, accounting for differences in lot size, interior updates, and parking. Overpricing delays sale or prompts a price reduction; underpricing leaves money on the table. A second opinion—a home inspection, appraisal, or consultation with a second agent—costs nothing and is standard.

Marketing varies by office. RE/MAX Plus likely lists the property on Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com through the MLS feed within 24 hours of listing. Cairns may also run targeted ads on Facebook or Google if the office supports digital spend, or photograph the property for her own website or social channels. Premium services—3D tours, drone photography, professional staging consultation—depend on whether Cairns bundles them or refers to contractors.

How to choose between a downtown specialist and a multi-neighborhood agent

Cairns's focus on downtown and harbor zones means she knows those streets, recent sales, and which properties move quickly. If you are selling a Federal Hill rowhouse, she can tell you whether $595,000 is realistic based on three recent sales blocks away. A generalist who covers all of Baltimore County and the city equally may rely more heavily on MLS data alone and have less intuition about neighborhood nuance.

The trade-off: a generalist or larger firm might offer more marketing budget, a bigger buyer network, or backup support if the primary agent is unavailable. Cairns and a single-agent or small-team model work best if you want direct access to your agent and trust local knowledge over infrastructure.

Compare Cairns to another Baltimore listing agent by asking about comps in your specific neighborhood, how they price (data-driven or gut instinct), how they market (MLS only or paid ads), and their average days-on-market (DOM) for your property type. A broker like Keller Williams or Coldwell Banker operates franchises with larger teams and shared resources; a solo RE/MAX agent offers more one-on-one attention.

Who benefits from working with Cairns

Sell a downtown property and want an agent who lives or works in the neighborhood. Need someone who can answer "What did the unit three blocks north sell for in February?" without consulting the MLS. Expect a responsive, accessible agent who isn't juggling 50 active listings.

Cairns suits sellers who are comfortable working semi-independently; you'll do your own staging prep, coordinate contractors, and handle some logistics. She may not be the right fit if you need hand-holding through every step, prefer a larger branded firm for peace of mind, or are selling in a suburban or county neighborhood where her expertise does not apply.

First appointment and the listing agreement

Contact Cairns to request a comparative market analysis (CMA), a free service where she pulls three to five recent comps, analyzes condition and sales price, and recommends an asking price. This meeting takes 30 to 45 minutes and answers whether your home is priced competitively without obligation.

If you move forward, you sign a listing agreement specifying her commission (usually 5 to 6 percent total; the seller funds the listing agent and buyer's agent), the listing period (often 90 days with renewal options), and what happens if you accept an offer or cancel early.

Hours, contact, and verification

RE/MAX Plus operates standard business hours; Cairns works on client schedule, meaning showings and open houses happen evenings and weekends. Verify current contact information and availability on the RE/MAX website or by calling the Baltimore office directly, as agent contact methods and specialties evolve.

Cairns's specific value lies in knowing downtown Baltimore's micro-markets well enough to price accurately and marketing to buyers already shopping those neighborhoods, rather than casting a wide net across the entire region.