As our country continues on its economic recovery, every sector, from retail to financial institutions, to the real estate markets, are seeing the benefits. In real estate, many experts are predicting that sellers will continue to control the market as 2018 comes to an end and 2019 begins. With housing inventories lower than they have been in years, it becomes even more important to have an agent working on your behalf, focused on communicating and keeping you abreast of your situation. Karen Wood, of Realty ONE Group, wears many hats in her role, from marketing to selling. There are several things that set Karen apart in her industry, and they all begin with her partnering with Realty ONE Group.
Find Your Passion and Do What You Love
Karen Wood, a native of Kernersville, NC, has been working as a real estate agent for three years. When deciding on a career, this wife, mom of 6 kids, grandma to two, chose real estate because it gave her an outlet to work with what she loves. “My passion is for helping people prepare their properties to sell, which involves sharing market trends and coordinating the process. I love viewing homes and having the vision to see them at their highest potential, then translating that into priorities for the seller based on their budget,” said Karen. When working with buyers, Karen applies the same vision and love of viewing property to help buyers see potential in a home that may not look like what their vision was. “With options limited in a market like we have today, tight and low inventory, it’s important to see more than what meets the eye for a buyer,” Karen commented. Karen also enjoys working with clients in selling their second homes. “I am a local resource that works directly with the seller and my team of agents in the areas [where] they want to sell, so they have a local contact and relationship and aren’t forced to find an agent long-distance. I bring a higher level of customer service, communication, and local resources to the area [in which] their home is located; from the Triad to the High Country counties or Ashe, Allegheny, Wilkes, and Watauga,” explained Karen. While Karen could’ve chosen to work with any real estate brokerage agencies, she chose Realty ONE Group, a local franchise owned and operated by Teresa Overcash.
A Shared Belief in the Importance of the Client
Realty ONE Group approaches the real estate business a bit differently, and many see it as the future of the real estate business model. “The traditional real estate business model is that an agent goes to work for a brokerage firm and with that association, the agent splits anywhere from 25-50% of their commission with the firm. As an agent you pay to be part of the firm, allowing you to access office space, marketing, etc. The Realty ONE Group concept is that the agent gets to keep 100% of their commissions, with the company getting a small transaction fee. Teresa Overcash, the Realty ONE Group franchisee owner of three offices, in Wilkes, West Jefferson, Winston-Salem and our new office opening the first of next year in Greensboro, had the foresight to see how this way of doing real estate was not only good for the agent, but very beneficial for the client. Our marketing for properties is done through the technology readily available through our company. With the offices we currently have, properties in five different MLS listings are available to us. We have a brick-and-mortar [building] where agents can meet with clients and for a minimal fee have an office, should they feel like they need one. The Realty ONE Group business model is perfect for the entrepreneurial-minded, independent and business-oriented agent, allowing agents to be proactive in their client relationships, rather than reactive,” Karen elaborated.
Since day one, in 2005, when Realty ONE Group was founded, the company’s mission has been to create a real estate brokerage model that works for their professionals and not the other way around, allowing the agent to work wholeheartedly on behalf of the client. “Realty ONE Group began with the idea of being the UNBrokerage firm, being untraditional in their approach to the real estate industry. In just over a decade, Realty ONE Group continues to grow without losing the sense of our main belief and philosophy, where everyone and everything matters and everyone has a voice, especially our clients,” stated Karen.
Realty ONE Group is located at 150 Charlois Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC. For more information and to contact Karen, call 336-403-3675. Realty ONE Group is always looking for agents interested in making a change in their approach to their business.
Realty ONE Group agents will be at the Dixie Classic Fair in October at the WTQR and WMAG tent, ready to meet you and answer any questions you may have.
