Although the start of a New Year can stir up feelings of nostalgia, especially when we realize we’re finally out of leftovers, heading back to work is something I always look forward to. In fact, it’s taking down the tree that’s the tough part!
I’m exceptionally thankful to be able to dive head-first into 2020 as a Niagara REALTOR®. I’m tackling January feeling well-rested and excited; celebrating another year in my career makes me reminisce about my move back to Niagara (after a decade in Toronto) the decision to turn a passion into my career.
I owe the strengths I have as a REALTOR® to my extensive sales experience. Even though I’ve spent the bulk of my professional career as a sales manager in the auto parts industry, I always knew that my skillset was (and continues to be) my ultimate asset. A fresh start didn’t mean I had to relinquish my sales talents. On the contrary! I was confident that, by having a specialized set of skills, I could offer my real estate clients something different.
Cultivating my “old” sales experiences allowed me to enjoy success as a REALTOR®. Which singer says: ‘you live, you learn?’ While this oft-heard Alanis Morissette lyric might strike you as cliché, it encourages us to keep honing our skills rather than to rid ourselves of them. I say, let’s cultivate our abilities, not abandon them. The adrenaline of the New Year makes it easy to think we can leave things behind with 2019. But, I “took” many things with me when I made a fresh start! Here are some of the skills that I transferred from sales into real estate:
A commitment to innovation
I’m always seeking out new ways to update and reinvent my approach to real estate, whether it be creating a virtual tour of your home, designing a brochure, or staging your home with pieces I’ve curated myself. My desire to learn lets me provide customizable and cutting-edge service.
As a sales manager, I was responsible for consistently producing innovative strategies to ensure client satisfaction and to target specific areas of growth. Now that I’m a REALTOR® I’m still responsible for producing innovative strategies that take my business, and your experience, to the next level. And that means getting on board with new technology and taking some risks.
With an innovative approach, I can help you develop and adapt a plan that incorporates market trends to make your home stand out to buyers, or to fine-tune aspects of your search so you can get closer to your dream home.
My “concierge-style” service
You may be wondering how a concierge would fit into real estate. But the concierges I’m referring to aren’t the ones who assist you in hotels and even hospitals. A concierge provides a vital service: they give recommendations, provide additional information, and give you everything you need to help you find your way (and have a great time!) in unfamiliar territory.
Providing concierge-style services has enabled me to secure client accounts in sales and has helped me create rewarding relationships in real estate, too. It gave me the customer-first philosophy that serves as the core of my work today.
Because the process of selling or buying a house for sale is as personal as it is professional, it’s my responsibility to make sure that you don’t just have your dream home (or get your dream asking price!), but that you feel supported and informed throughout the process. I’m proud to be your primary resource for anything and everything that is ‘Niagara real estate’.
Results Driven
If you’ve made a resolution for 2020, it’s probably because you want to see results in one area of your life, like your home or career, or maybe it’s because you want to see some changes in yourself. As a former sales executive, I’m motivated by results all year long. I’ve devoted decades to managing teams, outlining strategy plans, and developing growth programs to get the best results for my sales teams and my company.
As a sales manager, I needed a keen sense of where and when to compromise (and who to compromise with!) in order to influence the outcome of the sale. It was imperative to present my clients’ facts in a way that was both objective and irresistible! Remember: there are two sides to any sale, and it is essential that each side achieves favourable results. Being in sales has made me a skilled negotiator who understands the benefit of visualizing both sides of a deal.
Not much has changed since I became a REALTOR®; I’m still determined to negotiate, regroup, and redecorate until you reach your desired outcome! I rely on my communication and attention to detail to make sure that we’re on track to close a sale on your terms.
Let’s talk about your fresh start . . .
How have you kicked off the New Year? I’m sure you’ve heard by now that some of the most common New Year’s Resolutions are related to health and fitness? No matter what your goals are for the year, make sure that they’re realistic, specific, and most of all that they bring you joy!
So, if you’re heading back to work in the New Year to a career you love but find that, at the end of the day, you’re:
- heading home to a house that you’ve fallen out of love with, or
- you’d rather be house hunting than HIIT training,
Then contact me to make your new home resolutions become your reality; I’ll help you flex those real estate muscles this year!