Agent Spotlight on Annette Abernathy
Get to know Annette Abernathy! Annette has been a Realtor since 2009 and specializes primarily in residential real estate. When asked her favorite part of being an agent, Annette said she loves assisting buyers and sellers in all their Real Estate needs, and seeing the smile on their faces when they find the perfect home. Over the past 16 years she has met and become friends with many of her clients. Through births, deaths, weddings, divorces, Covid and just doing life together, each one of her sales and clients has left a mark on her heart. Annette said, “I attribute the success of my career to my ability to meet every client on their own level of needs. Whether a $20,000 property or a billion-dollar property I treat all clients the same and have their best interest at heart.” As a single mother of 3 kids, Annette loves that Real Estate has offered the flexibility to allow family time and vacations which is very important to her. She loves to travel and see the world! Some of the top dream destinations on her bucket list are Japan, China, and Paris. Annette loves the beach, but also enjoys the mountains for a day hike or just to relax. She enjoys spending her free time kayaking, hiking, and sightseeing in the western NC mountains. Locally, Annette loves the lakes, waterfalls, hiking, the river walk, city walk, restaurants, and theaters the Catawba Valley has to offer. She said, “there is so much to do!” In her free time Annette also enjoys volunteering at her church and at local non-profit organizations. To work with Annette call 828-238-5652 or connect through her website www.annetteabernathy.realtyexecs.net. Agent Spotlight Questions Q - What do you like best about living here in the Catawba Valley area? A - The lakes, the rivers, waterfalls, hiking, the river walk, city walk, restaurants, theaters, etc. There is so much to do! Q - What is your most memorable sale? A - Not one really stands out. Over the past 16 years I have met and became friends with alot of my clients. Through births, deaths, weddings, divorces, covid and just doing life together, each one of my sales and my clients left a mark on my heart Q - What do you enjoy doing in your free time? A - Kayaking, hiking, and sightseeing in the Western NC Mountains Q - What would you be doing if you were not helping people buy or sell homes? A - Volunteering at my church, traveling, volunteering at local non-profits Q - If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? A - Move to Hilton Head but NC part time of course. I like having the best of the NC beaches and mountains Q - If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? A - Sky-diving and/or hang-gliding Q - What do you love most about your job? A - Assisting buyers and sellers in all of their Real Estate needs, and seeing the smile on their faces when they find the perfect home. Q - What is a dream that you want to make come true one day? A - Peace in the world Q - Who are some of your biggest influences? A - My God, my kids and friends Q - Where do you see yourself in five years? A - The same place I am right now, here in Hickory, NC close to friends and family Q - What’s your favorite type of food or cuisine? A - Southern American – biscuits & gravy with a side of grits Q - If you could pick any superpower, what would it be? A - I would want to be a Jeanie in a bottle, able to grant wishes Q - If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? A - I have a lot on my bucket list. Japan, China, Paris, etc. I want to see the world Q - What is something no one knows about you? A - I love Curious George. I kept my stuffed version from the age of 3 years old until now Q - What’s your favorite company/ business/ organization in town or nearby? Why? A - Restaurants, Hickory offers a large variety of brewery’s, cuisine, venue’s to fit anyone’s taste palate. Check out our Featured Listings!
Agent Spotlight on Ann Means
Get to know Ann Means! Originally from Hickory, Ann brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. With deep roots in Hickory, she has a strong understanding of the area. Ann loves Hickory because it is such a clean city with much to do and an incredible new River Walk. Ann has over 38 years of sales experience. She spent 20 years in pharmaceutical sales before transitioning to real estate in 2006. Over the past 18 years, she has established herself as a trusted and reliable agent helping both buyers and sellers. Ann prides herself on having a strong work ethic providing top-notch service. Ann mentioned one of her most memorable sales was helping a couple find their dream home after a process of viewing over 40 homes! Outside of her professional life, Ann enjoys working out and socializing with friends. She loves the flexible work schedule of the real estate industry, but if she wasn’t busy helping buyer’s and sellers she would love to travel more often. When asked about her dream destination she said, “I would like to go to Portugal - it is a beautiful place and economical.” Along with her real estate roots, Ann also said she would love to learn more about home improvement. To work with Ann Means call 828-612-9002 Agent Spotlight Questions Q - What do you like best about living here in the Catawba Valley area? A - Hickory is such a clean city with much to do - love the new River Walk Q - What is your most memorable sale? A - After showing this couple over 40 homes, they finally found their dream home Q - What do you enjoy doing in your free time? A - Going to the gym and working out or socializing with friends Q - What would you be doing if you were not helping people buy or sell homes? A - Traveling Q - If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? A - Invest and travel Q - If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? A - Home improvement Q - What do you love most about your job? A - The flexibility of working hours Q - What is a dream that you want to make come true one day? A - Find the man of my dreams Q - Who are some of your biggest influences? A - My family and friends Q - Where do you see yourself in five years? A - Retired Q - What’s your favorite type of food or cuisine? A - Salads Q - If you could pick any superpower, what would it be? A - To read people’s minds Q - If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? A - I would like to go to Portugal - it is a beautiful place and economical Q - What is something no one knows about you? A - I can’t think of anything Q - What’s your favorite company/ business/ organization in town or nearby? Why? A - Greater Hickory Christian Cooperative Ministry – because they help people in need CHECK OUT OUR NEWEST LISTINGS
Who You Hire Matters
There are nearly 83,000 licensed Real Estate agents in North Carolina. Some are full time agents who pour their hearts and souls into creating the best possible experience for their clients. Those agents work tirelessly to stay abreast of what's happening in their local market, they network well and have spent years honing their negotiation skills. The really great ones know that no matter how long they have been in this business, there is always much to learn because it is an ever changing industry with new laws, new expectations, and new obstacles to contend with year in and year out. Some of those 83,000 agents are part time or hobby brokers who may sell a house or two per year, they do this as a hobby to help friends and family, but their main focus of their "work day" is not gaining expertise as a REALTOR®. Who you choose to work with when you are ready to buy or sell a home is one of the most important decisions you will make in the process. Having an agent with a lot of experience, or even a new agent who has significant support from their brokerage is at the top of the list of qualities you should look for. Here are some questions we think you should ask before you hire anyone to represent you for this important financial (and emotional) transaction. 1. How many clients have you helped to buy or sell a home? Even if the answer is not one that builds confidence in their experience, you should not automatically write them off! You may have found a super star who sells dozens of home each year and their experience speaks for itself. Or, you may have just stumbled upon an up and coming rookie who has little experience, but who works at an office with a very involved broker-in-charge and a support staff who give you a team to work with as opposed to just a newbie. Just make sure they either have experience or support. Both have the potential to serve you well. At Realty Executives, our rookie agents have a very involved broker and and in-house marketing specialist there to provide all of the support needed. 2. What is your communication style? What can I expect from you? Throughout the buying and selling process, there is much information that needs to get from one party to another. It is important to know on the front end what you can expect from your agent. Will they send you weekly communication on showings, feedback, and changes in the market? What happens if an offer comes in and your agent is "off" or out of town? How do they handle communication with cooperative agents? Are they beholden to texts only or are they willing to pick up the phone to have a conversation to get the deal done? Communication is hands down one of the most important factors in a real estate transaction. How your agent communicates with you and also the cooperative agent is of utmost importance. At Realty Executives, we offer regular training for our agents to hone these skills. 3. What is your marketing strategy? Selling a home takes more than a sign in the yard. When the market is hot and buyers are flooding seller inboxes with offers, it might seem like all you need is a listing in the MLS and a sign in the yard. That might get you an offer, but will it get you the most favorable terms? Having an agent who is willing to market every property to the best of his or her ability, regardless of the market, will help to ensure that you have more choices in the offer you accept. Professional photography is a must and when appropriate, drone video can highlight a property from a vantage point you can't get from the ground. You need an agent who understands visual marketing and also knows how to spotlight the best features in your home in order to draw in offers with the best possible terms for you. At the very least, ask them to show you how they have marketed past properties and what is considered included as a part of their listing service. Do they have a marketing professional at their office? Are they willing to pay a professional for needed materials? Every REALTOR® at our office has access to our in-house marketing specialist who can create custom marketing materials to get your home sold. Example of a drone video for one of our newest listings. 4. What do you believe will be your most important role as my agent? A REALTOR® is not a salesperson. A REALTOR® is a matchmaker, a communicator, and a problem solver. Their job is to help willing buyers connect with willing sellers and to facilitate an agreement that leaves all parties feeling like they got exactly what they were looking for. A great agent will be your guide through the process and leave you satisfied that their experience, education and know-how was exactly what you needed to navigate a process that can be challenging. Make sure that the agent you hire knows that you are relying on them to guide you, to find the answers to your questions, and to see you through to the closing table. Of the 80,000 plus agents in North Carolina, you deserve to find the one best suited to you. Make sure that your personalities mesh, because you may be spending a lot of time together. But beyond personality, find someone committed to their craft. Being a great REALTOR® doesn't look the same on every agent. But every truly great REALTOR® will put you first and be committed to your satisfaction with the process. Our brokers at Realty Executives of Hickory and Lake Norman are truly great. That's why we have been voted the Best REALTORS® in the Catawba Valley over and over again. Whether you are buying, selling, or both, we are sure that we have a professional who will be the perfect guide to take you from thinking about moving to the closing table. Connect with one of our executive brokers, you'll be glad you did. Check out our home buyer's and home seller's guides for success.
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