“It’s amazing how it goes,” said Kim Guild, president of The Guild Group with Keller Williams Realty. “I became a mother 21 years ago. I became a Realtor one year after. Discovering my two greatest joys in life so close together sure made time fly by fast … and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.
“Do you know how they say to leave your job at the door when you come home each day? I don’t think a passionate Realtor is capable of it. This is a lifestyle – not a job – and I love it because it always gives me something to think about. It always gives me something to strive toward, too. And after two decades of success on both sides of the closing table, it always gives me something to take pride in. I treasure every happy memory I share with my clients.
“If you want to excel in real estate, then you’d better do a whole lot more listening than talking. Every question I ask is another chance to learn what truly matters to my client. Why do you want to move? What are you looking for on the other side? What scares you the most? Sometimes people say ‘spiders,’ but even information like that can prove helpful on my mission.
“You’ve got to take the happy with the sad in this business. On one day I might help newlyweds find the perfect nest to feather for their growing family. On the next, I’m liquidating marital assets. Either way, I ask the questions that keep my client’s sights set on their goals. I wouldn’t go so far as to call what I do therapy. But I listen. I advise. I share joy and sorrow, because I can’t help but deeply care about whomever I’m working for. Empathy: It can’t be dialed down.
“It’s also not enough to guarantee the best return on investment. That’s where experience makes the greatest difference. After decades of home sales, I’ve learned exactly which repairs and renovations are going to have the most dramatic effect on the price at closing. I explain the punch list I create to each client, and provide whatever assistance they need to fully leverage it.
“Need a painter, roofer, electrician, or any other contractor? I can recommend the Twin Cities’ best because I’ve worked with and vetted them all before. Not sure which light fixtures, faucets, carpeting, and other features you should choose? Let me handle it. I know what buyers like best. Don’t have time to meet with a plumber? I do. Just hand me your key and I’ll see to the rest!
“My hope is to build a lifelong and rewarding relationship with each of my clients. Hand-written birthday cards. Barbecues, holiday parties and happy hours. Just stopping by out of the blue with your favorite treat (which I surreptitiously found out about months earlier). These are all ways I continue to show my appreciation to my clients. They’re small gestures, but small things add up to big ones. Ninety percent of my business comes from referrals – more than three times as much as the average Realtor.
“To me, that’s the greatest mark of success. Earning clients’ business is relatively easy. Earning their trust is quite another thing altogether. When one of my clients refers me to their neighbor, parent, friend or child, I know they’re genuinely confident in my abilities.”
Kim works with traditional buyers and sellers from all walks of life, and specializes in luxury and senior housing as well. As a certified relocation real estate agent, she regularly partners with clients who are planning to move to the Twin Cities area or in need of a great agent in another market. theguildgroupmn.kw.com
“I became a mother 21 years ago. I became a Realtor one year after. Discovering my two greatest joys in life so close together sure made time fly by fast … and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.”