For as long as she can remember, Heather Garris has been keenly interested in real estate. As the daughter of a real estate investor/broker who owned several rental properties, she’s concluded that it’s more than likely a part of her genetic makeup.

A Pitt County native, Garris grew up in Grifton, graduated from Ayden-Grifton High School and attended East Carolina University (ECU), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s in accounting. She owned and operated a bookkeeping/accounting business prior to making the decision to enroll in Pitt Community College’s pre-licensing real estate course and pursue her lifelong passion.

“Jim Weese was an excellent instructor and fully prepared me for taking the exam required for licensure,” Garris said. “I was very happy that I passed the exam on the first try.”

Garris said the information she learned through her PCC training was “very important” but only the beginning of what real estate agents must know to help clients buy and sell homes confidently. Since earning her broker’s license in 2010, she’s learned a lot about the business and says she’s discovered that good agents possess a solid work ethic and are comfortable meeting new people. They are also willing to work nights and weekends to accommodate their clients’ schedules, and they know how to operate within a budget.

“Since real estate is a commission-based business, you may have some months with several transactions, but you may also have months with fewer transactions,” she explained. “Fewer transactions equate to less commission income. You must be disciplined to save and budget your money to make sure you can cover not only your living expenses, but the expenses related to your business, like advertising, in those leaner times.”

Garris says one of the best parts of being a real estate agent is that no two days are alike. “Every day brings about new opportunities and also new challenges,” she said, adding that a typical workday includes everything from showing properties and attending a home inspection on a buyer’s behalf to developing a marketing plan for a new listing and attending community events for networking purposes.

“(Real estate) isn’t an easy career, but if you work hard at it, it can be very rewarding, both personally and financially,” she said.

After three years of full-time real estate service, Garris opened a brokerage in Greenville in 2021 with her husband, Scott Corbin, who is also a licensed real estate agent.

“… We wanted to open a brokerage that was unlike anything else in our area, which is what drew us to the Realty ONE Group brand,” she said. “Realty ONE Group is an agent-centered, lifestyle real estate brand built on the belief that everyone matters, and everyone has a voice.”

Garris says more than a decade of real estate experience has shown her that listening to those voices is probably the biggest key to success in her line of work.

“… You must be a good listener to ascertain what things are important to a buyer or seller [and] to help you deliver excellent customer service to that client,” she said. “You must also be determined and focused. Strong negotiation and problem-solving skills are also a bonus.”

For anyone considering a real estate career, Garris offers the following advice:

• “Develop resiliency.” — Real estate can be a tough business, and agents will likely spend a good deal of their time talking to people and showing properties they may not ultimately sell. But no time is wasted since those experiences still offer opportunities for learning and developing relationships.
• “Create a business plan and stay accountable.” — Being a real estate agent means also being a business owner. Agents are responsible for continually finding new sources of business and nurturing them. They must create a plan for success and stay true to it, while consistently working to improve their business.
• “Provide superior customer service.” — Responding to a client’s questions and concerns in a timely manner is crucial. Agents must also let them know how much they appreciate the opportunity to meet their real estate needs.

As a listing agent, she says her job is to market a client’s home in the best way possible to help him or her sell it for the highest market value achievable at the time. “… But your job is also to help your client through the negotiation and closing process,” she continued. “You have to help them evaluate the offers as they come in, so they can choose the one that best suits their needs.”

On the flip side, Garris says her primary responsibility as a buyer’s agent is helping a client through the process of purchasing a home, from start to finish. “There are many steps along the process, from making an offer to closing, and as a real estate agent, our clients are counting on us to provide them with trusted, professional guidance throughout the journey,” she said.

Despite its many challenges, Garris has found her calling in real estate and genuinely enjoys guiding clients through a significant and often stressful step in their lives. She said the most appealing part of her job is helping people who are new to eastern North Carolina discover why it’s such a great place to call home.

“I get great pleasure out of helping people find the perfect place for them to raise their growing family, spend their retirement years, and spend so many other important milestones in their lives,” she said.