Rising Stars: Meet Kerri Gardner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerri Gardner.

Hi Kerri, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ten years ago, I made the decision that I needed to go back to work after being home with our 3 kids for almost 12 yrs. Real Estate was something I was interested in, and at that time my husband I were wanting to start flipping homes. In 2011 we bought our first home to flip. After that experience I knew I needed my North Carolina license so we could pursue flipping homes and start selling residential Real Estate on a full-time basis. Those first two years in my new Realtor career I enjoyed very much. Back then in 2011, I would send out cards, about 25 or more a week. Then follow up with a call to my friends and business connections. These business connections were made during the five years I was a member of a BNI group/groups from 2007 to 2012. That’s how I started to receive regular referrals and closed several deals. During 2013 my husband was offered a new job in Austin Texas, so we moved out of state. We returned to Raleigh in the summer of 2017. I had been working in Corporate since our move to Austin in 2013, by the Fall of 2018 I knew I wasn’t happy in Corporate and needed to return to Real Estate. It wasn’t until Fall of 2019 that I gave notice to my Corporate job and enrolled in Real Estate school to earn my Real Estate License again. The Pandemic hit just when the Real Estate class started in March 2020. As we are all aware, the Pandemic closed everything and put us all on zoom. It was a tough year, everything was closed, we had months of waiting before Real Estate students could schedule our testing. When we were finally able to take our test, mind you wearing masks and keeping 6-foot distancing, I passed the test, passed the State exam, and received my license by August 2020. It’s been a whirlwind year. I’ve started my business with marketing and advertising online only. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Newsletters, and my website are the only forms of social media I use. I’ve built a wonderful following and have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people online that have become my clients, and ultimately my friends. The Pandemic changed how Real Estate agents pursue building their careers. For me it has always had to be through Community and Relationship building. Like most people, I do not like Cold Calling or Door Knocking. I prefer building relationships that will last a lifetime.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like life, as a small business owner, it’s never a straight line to success. It’s zigzags, there is, and will always be bumps in the road physically and mentally.

My biggest obstacle starting my Real Estate career again was Covid-19. Covid19 changed everything. Real Estate classes were now online, which is a very different experience from being in the classroom.

Some people can teach in a classroom, but not all can teach an online class. Our teacher’s favorite word was “click”, meaning next screen. We read from slides basically. This was not useful at all. Also, a 3-month Real Estate course took longer due to Covid19.

Everything took longer due to everything being closed. Background checks which normally took days to a week, now took weeks, or in my case, 2 months. Scheduling State Exams also had delays. All these delays pushed the actual start of my business out several months.

Starting a new career, especially self-employed in Real Estate is not easy to begin with, then add Covid19.

Getting clients when you cannot physically meet people is difficult. I adapted by turning my focus to social media and online marketing in order to gain new clients. It was a very slow start, but now see daily results and have already acquired new clients.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Being a Realtor, my business is truly building relationships.

Yes, Realtor’s list homes for sale, Realtors help buyers buy their first, second, third etc. dream home, and there’s a lot of paperwork along the way making all that happen with the help of your clients.

For me though, I’m a relationship person, I actually like getting to know my clients, finding out all I can about them, their wants, needs, likes, hobbies etc.

By the time their house is sold, or they’ve moved into their new dream home, we’ve become great friends. That’s my favorite part of my career.

My family and I are relocators. We moved here from my native home Massachusetts to Raleigh, North Carolina almost 16 years ago.

My family and I knew no one, had no family here, no friends, knew nothing. It was very exciting, but also very daunting.

We did not have a good experience with our Buyer’s Agent at the time. Our agent made no attempt to get to know us, what we were looking for, or show us properties within our budget. She was more concerned with showing us properties where she would receive an extra kickback from the builder. I thought to myself during the entire process, “If I ever became a Realtor, I would treat my clients the way I wish I had been treated.”

That’s why when I did become a Realtor, I wanted to focus on couples, families, retirees, job transfers etc. moving into the Triangle. People relocating just like we did, with not knowing the area, not having any other family etc. here to help them. It’s my job to help them, I take great pride in that.

I consider myself a Relocation & Listing Specialist. I also of course work with clients moving within the Triangle and surrounding areas too. It’s very important to me that you are treated the way I wish I was when I first moved here.

Selling and buying a home can be a very stressful time in your life, but it doesn’t have to be. I want to ensure I will support you through this next chapter in your life, make it as stress free, and have some fun in the process.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Currently there is a lack of inventory in the housing market, making it a seller’s market.

With all the new construction starting up again, I expect the situation to change over the next year to having an abundance of inventory turning it into a buyer’s market.

Also, with covid restrictions being relaxed, easy accessibility of the vaccine, especially for children ages 5 to 11 years old, people will be more comfortable with making plans to move again.

Contact Info:
• Email: hello@trianglearealiving.com
• Website: http://www.trianglearealiving.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerrigardnerrealtor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KerriGardnerRealtor/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbyS3y6RzgKvLOIugFRtVsg

Image Credits
Images by Gray O’Neal