Kellie Leighton is a Realtor with United Real Estate working in Houston.

Every week, we ask a Houston real estate professional for their thoughts on the top three stories from the week before. This week, we spoke with Kellie Leighton, a Realtor with United Real Estate. 

Houston Agent (HA):Real estate, while a business of sales, is largely a business of people. How do you ensure you’re meeting the needs of your clients?

Kellie Leighton (KL): Listening, good communication and educating my clients are key to ensuring that I meet my client’s needs. Also, participating in a third party survey is an added way to know how you are performing and will allow you to always strive for improvement. My client base has built over the past 10-plus years since I began my career in real estate; therefore, the majority of my business is derived from past clients and personal referrals; this is the best compliment.

HA: There are several outlets for marketing a home, many of which are free – to an extent. How do you make sure your listings stand out?

KL: You have heard the quote: “you get out of it what you put into it.” That has always been a belief of mine. In my business, I do utilize the so called “free” marketing, who wouldn’t, because it is free and adds to the home’s exposure to potential buyers. However, I also pay for several things in order to expand the exposure for my clients. For example, using a QR code allows you to reach the savvy clients who want to know immediate information including details and photos. The QR code is created and can be applied to all marketing such as the property sign, flyers, etc. Other paid features include a vanity email, website, showing services and creating virtual tours. Of course, this is only to name a few; there are other features that I use to ensure my listings stand out. Although, sometimes it is as simple as paying attention to detail, spending the time to accurately and completely enter data into the MLS, and uploading the maximum number of photos with verbiage. When marketing a home, you need to take advantage of your resources and give your listing maximum exposure. The bottom line is that I truly care about my clients, and it has proven strong because I have had a wonderful decade and I am excited about the next 10 years. After all, I couldn’t do this without the trust and kindness of my clients.

HA: In a recent article we point out how new construction trending towards more expensive properties is hurting national affordability. Have you experienced this trend first-hand, and if so, how has it affected your business?

KL: It hasn’t affected my business and I work with all price points, believing that everyone deserves excellent representation. For me, this trend has driven those buyers who would prefer new construction to rethink their home-buying criteria to include resale homes that are in their price range. Of course, the rising sales prices has also hit resale homes and it is a little more difficult finding a home under $200,000 so when you do find one it generally ends up being a multiple offer situation – that is where my education and experience comes into play.