Hidden Gems: Meet Stu Barnes of Stu Barnes Real Estate

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Stu Barnes.

Hi Stu, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
After graduating from East Carolina University, I moved to Raleigh, NC, selling cell phones for Alltel. I eventually opened my cell phone store with a business partner. When the cell phone industry leaned more towards automated sales, I decided I needed a change and received my real estate license.

Real estate is a tough business, and building up your client base takes a long time. I spent 4-5 years building my sphere of influence, which I am still building 20 years later.

The real estate industry, at least the residential sector, has always had ups and downs. You can have great months, and then you can have lousy months. Every transaction has its challenges, and it is up to the agent to make their best efforts to complete the sale. With that said, it is always in the best interest of your client whether the transaction is completed or not. Sometimes, it is better to walk away from the deal if it compromises your client’s best interests.

After working with several franchised real estate firms, I decided to start my own firm. It was about 18 years ago when Stu Barnes Real Estate was formed. In my view, I did not like having a huge corporation behind me pushing deals to work or having quotas to meet, which in turn can mean compromising a client’s best interests. There are many business models where several agents or employers from a real estate firm are involved in a transaction.

I have discovered that by being a one-man firm, I can handle all aspects of a transaction, and this makes it easier for a deal to run smoothly; too many people involved can leave things left behind or forgotten. Again, it is all about the client and their best interests, and I can make that happen by handling all aspects of the transaction from my side.

Today, even in these unprecedented times in real estate, I am happy to assist my clients and help them achieve their goals. I live in Holly Springs, NC, about 20 minutes from all areas of the Raleigh Suburban Market. I have been married for 18 years, and my wife (school teacher) and I have 3 children and two dogs. Life is good, challenging, but good.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
A smooth road in real estate is an oxymoron. There is never a smooth road. A common struggle any real estate agent faces is getting business. Once you have clients and start to get busy, there are always bumps in the road. In today’s market, the biggest challenge is inventory.

We have a very low inventory supply coupled with higher interest rates from the previous COVID years. With low inventory, from a listing agent’s perspective, it is very hard to get listings. When there are fewer homeowners wanting to sell their homes, listings are few and far between. From a buyer agent’s perspective, noting the same challenges above (low inventory and higher interest rates), it is much harder to get buyers under contract.

In some areas, when a listing hits the market, you may have a day to get to the house for a showing, then pull comps, be told there are multiple offers after one day on the market, and then explain to your buyer that if you want to buy this home they have to pay OVER list price and if it doesn’t appraise… well you have to pay the difference. There are many other challenges in both roles, but inventory and rates are the main ones.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Stu Barnes Real Estate?
I formed Stu Barnes Real Estate 18 years ago. The main reason I started my own firm was because, from the inside, I saw it was more about sales awards and status versus truly representing a client to make things work for them.

By being my own identity, I have the flexibility to save homeowner’s money by providing a “Sliding Scale Commission Structure.” This business model allows me to offer lower commission fees as home values continue to rise. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act makes it very clear that the commissions are negotiable. By abiding by this law, I can only help my clients achieve their goals.

Any big plans?
My plans for the future are to keep on doing what I do. Being a husband and father are my top priorities.

Keeping true to this allows me to relate to the public and others as a human being, which in turn makes me a better real estate agent. I am looking forward to the market getting back into a natural rhythm and not making it so stressful for all parties involved.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.StuBarnes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stu_barnes_real_estate/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StuBarnesRealEstate/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stubarnes1/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_iLYfShWDMrd22GDYpVHaQ