Interview with Alicia Shinn of RE/MAXX Preferred Properties
Key Details
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What’s your elevator pitch – a glance of your business in 60 seconds.
Bethany Web Design features Alicia Shinn, RE/MAX Realtor. Real estate may be her career, but the house she will help you buy or sell is your home. It deserves and will have her fullest attention and greatest effort. No one will work harder to serve you.
How did your business get started?
After working in sales for 5 years I felt that it was time for a change. Creating a personal connection with buyers and finding a product that was best for them was something I was very good at. So after considering a variety of careers that would enable me to do that I landed on real estate. Finding the right home for people and guiding them through the selling or buying process is something that is unbelievably rewarding. I have made lifelong friends along the way and will get calls and texts about how amazing a neighborhood is, and changes made to their house that made it home. Knowing that at the end of the day my clients have the best possible option is what keeps me going and why I don’t see myself doing anything else.
What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Being a new agent is not easy. The most difficult challenge is number one finding buyers and sellers. And number two creating trust when there isn’t years of experience behind you. The first problem was addressed by being very active on social media and contacting everyone I knew to let them know I was now a real estate agent. As for trust I made it a point to be completely honest with all of my clients from the get go. I explained to them that regardless of the question I would have an accurate answer for them even if I didn’t currently have that answer. From the beginning I challenged myself to learn as much as possible about the business, to ready real estate books, listen to podcasts, and shadow other agents. So while I didn’t have the experience I had a lot of knowledge and was not afraid to ask questions and observed those who did. I have learned so much from just being in this industry every day and from the situations that I’ve dealt with over the past several years. Treating people with respect and honesty will come back in a great way over time.
How does your business benefit the community?
Taking care of the people in my community is a huge priority for me. I have lived here for over two decades and I’ve seen this city grow and flourish in ways I couldn’t have imagined when moving here. Finding and selling a home is one of the biggest transactions anybody has in their lives, so it is extremely important that it is handled well, and that the people involved are protected. Being an agent that my buyers and sellers can trust implicitly to be honest, to communicate clearly and guide them through the process from the beginning is how I can benefit this community and it’s an honor to have that trust with so many wonderful people.
What’s your favorite joke?
What does a house wear? Address.
