I met them early one evening several months ago. They were young, attractive and articulate. This was going to be their first home and they had questions...lots of them. They had been referred to me and as we talked about the process and what they could anticipate, I began to appreciate a keen understanding of their shared goals and purpose. Remarkable as they were newly weds who had mastered what many couples fail to achieve after years of married life.
Like all journeys, you can never be quite sure where the road will lead. We started looking for properties which could double as an investment opportunity. In a market which was still doing the upheaval dance, this was a fail-safe approach. But, as the process continued...the desire for a home of their own which they could love and share with just their family and friends surfaced strongly. Through it all, Therese Vandermeer, our Client Specialist coordinated the transaction with skill and patience.
The results were well worth it! Their new home is beautiful. It's an older home near a park which has been painstakingly and lovingly re-finished. Unique accents like gorgeous antiqued radiators plus a beautiful kitchen make the home a place which you can fall in love with all over again...everyday.
It's always a joy to help others fulfill their goals and dreams. Over the years, we've received numerous hugs, e-mails and Thank You Cards. I keep them. These letters are meaningful reminders to me about Why I am willing to do what I do. However, this letter was special. You see, it wasn't written to me.
January 21, 2008
To Whom It May Concern:
After my husband got a new job, we needed to move. Having been married just over a year, we were not planning to become homeowners so soon, but seeing that the market seemed to favor buyers, we decided to look into purchasing our first home. We received a personal referral from a close friend to consider Audu Real Estate. After our initial meeting with Lola Audu, we knew we had found the right real estate agency.
Lola was very personable and genuinely interested in our needs. She asked us what kind of things we were looking for in a home, but she also asked us what our personal interests were and where we saw ourselves in the future. We enjoyed the conversation and were impressed by the holistic approach that Lola took. In addition she explained many of the home buying process basics.
This was great as we were unfamiliar with the process. Lola stressed that she wanted us to understand every step so when the process ended, we would know how we got there. We left that initial meeting every excited about our decision to pursue home ownership.
After choosing some homes we were interested in seeing from the website, we were connected with Therese VanderMeer, one of the agents at Audu Real Estate. She communicated with us regularly by phone and e-mail in order to set up home showings. Her accessibility and professionalism were wonderful. We were on a bit of an accelerated time schedule as we needed to buy a home and move within just a couple months.
Therese worked diligently to set up showings and was very flexible with out work schedules. Any time we had a question, Therese was more than willing to take the extra time to explain things to us or look up the information we needed.
When we choose the home we wanted, Therese and Lola walked us through every step of the process from making an offer to having an inspection and finally closing. On the day we closed, we were so excited to be homeowners. Therese and Lola gave us a beautiful and heartfelt gift as well as a very touching card. We were so amazed by their generosity and the personal touches of the gifts.
We would highly recommend Audu Real Estate to anyone wanting to buy or sell a home. The professionalism, customer service, and integrity we experienced made what can be a very stressful process so wonderful. We love our new home and feel very blessed to have had the privilege of working with Audu Real Estate!
Sincerely,
Two Satisfied home owners
This is why I do what I do everyday. It's not about the size of the deal or how much money I can make. It's about helping people to achieve their goals. It's about Celebrating the Joy and Satisfaction that comes from owning a place of one's own. It's about knowing that a family or individual was well served and is happy. There's no commission big enough to deliver all of that!
*They gave me permission to use this letter & their names. However, I would like to protect their privacy.
Copyright 2008 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved
Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. We've had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients succeed in their goals of purchasing and selling property including demonstrated success in the negotiation of Short Sale Transactions. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511.
Lola,
Nice story! In my opinion this should be evident in every real estate transaction:
"In addition she explained many of the home buying process basics.
This was great as we were unfamiliar with the process. Lola stressed that she wanted us to understand every step so when the process ended, we would know how we got there."
Thanks, and I salute you for that comment!!! Thanks, Fran
Lola - Congratulations on receiving this letter and on seeing the big picture.
Ken Tharp, Iowa Equity Exchange
Lola~
Bravo-Brava!!!...and especially for this you say..."This is why I do what I do everyday. It's not about the size of the deal or how much money I can make. It's about helping people to achieve their goals. It's about Celebrating the Joy and Satisfaction that comes from owning a place of one's own. It's about knowing that a family or individual was well served and is happy. There's no commission big enough to deliver all of that!"
Lola,
Looks like they were blessed to find you and you were blessed with wonderful clients.
That is a beautiful letter, Lola. From what I can tell it was very much earned. Very nice job. Jesse
Lola,
Nice Letter! It is always a good feeling when buyers and/or sellers alike have a way of showing how great we did! :)
Maria Cutrona