Think back to every house you’ve bought in your lifetime, and you’ll notice a pattern: Each of those homes mirrored your life stage at the time. It wasn’t just all about the house or the yard or the neighborhood, it was all about a way of life!
Super savvy and down-to-earth, Realtors Toni Phillips and Kristin Ranson understand they aren’t just signing on to help you find a house; they also have the expertise, energy, and enthusiasm to guide you along a new life path! Combining 20-plus years of experience in real estate—including historic homes—the two formed The Phillips Ranson Team at Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate in 2010. Both successful on their own, and offering distinguished but varied backgrounds, these busy wives and mothers also realized they could accomplish more for their clients as a team, and strengthen their own work/life balance as well.
“Our different personalities can often pick up on something unique with a client,” says Kristin, pointing out the value of having a team of experts on your side. Together, they cover a wide range of neighborhoods in the Winston-Salem area, and are excited to get to know new clients and discover their home and life goals.
There’s that word again: LIFE!
Here’s how the two encourage clients to consider lifestyle: Do you want to live downtown with an easy stroll to restaurants and pubs? Are you dreaming of acreage to grow your own vegetables and raise a family? Do you need a home with the perfect backyard for a new puppy? Are you a fan of those “diamond in the rough” project homes that you can revive and even re-sell? Or, maybe a low maintenance lifestyle is calling your name, leaving you with free time to travel and not worry about home projects? And, if none of these match your current needs, they’ll listen and explore right along with you!
A TIME TO BUY
Both Toni and Kristin agree there are some really great houses on the market now, and buyers are looking in terms of the specific space they need for their daily life. Having spent so much of the last year at home, buyers know what they need and what their family needs. The deciding “space” might be for a home office or a nook for home school—a versatile room that can easily be transformed into what they need, and what they might need six months from now. But buyers are also focused on space for the entire family to gather, says Toni, including kitchens (the ultimate focal point!), and anywhere clients think they will be spending the most time. Neutral or gray walls still have their appeal, with buyers happy to bring color in through accessories and furnishings—with a chance to be creative!
A TIME TO SELL
If you’re in the market to sell, Toni and Kristin invite you to show them through your property. With the pandemic, Kristin says they’ve even done a few video tours of homes! So many people simply put off selling, but Toni and Kristin are really encouraging potential clients to take advantage of the market and its amazing current opportunities. As strong as this seller’s market is…they may literally encourage clients who know they are going to sell, to do it now…even if it means moving in with a family member for a short time. Or, if you have a second home, live there, and see where the strong market leads you in selling your home! For clients who need a little nudge to update a few elements of their house before listing, Marcia Wood of InsideOut Designs, works closely with Toni and Kristin to guide new clients in paint color options, furniture arrangement, and even landscaping suggestions. People have put off home projects for years, but now with the pandemic they have been home more and had time to complete those projects, giving the home they’re about to sell a proper face lift! Toni and Kristin keep sellers apprised of trends they are noticing, from colors to surfaces, and even appliances. There’s also a strong surge toward DIY, they add, but note to sellers—it needs to be a really awesome job!
The Phillips Ranson Team is located at 201 S. Stratford Road, Suite 200, in Winston-Salem, NC, 336-354-5052. Get to know more about Toni and Kristin’s backgrounds and their impeccable service, as part of Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate, at prteam.lrbrealestate.com.
