{"id":53,"date":"2023-03-06T17:41:59","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T17:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pittcc.mycareerfocus.org\/fall-2023-volume-1-issue-1\/53-2\/"},"modified":"2023-04-09T00:10:04","modified_gmt":"2023-04-09T00:10:04","slug":"garris-sold-on-real-estate-profession-after-pursuing-her-lifetime-interest-in-the-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pittcc.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2023-volume-16-issue-1\/garris-sold-on-real-estate-profession-after-pursuing-her-lifetime-interest-in-the-field\/","title":{"rendered":"Garris Sold on Real Estate Profession After Pursuing Her Lifetime Interest in the Field"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s concluded that it\u2019s more than likely a part of her genetic makeup.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s degree in business administration and master\u2019s in accounting. She owned and operated a bookkeeping\/accounting business prior to making the decision to enroll in Pitt Community College\u2019s pre-licensing real estate course and pursue her lifelong passion.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cJim Weese was an excellent instructor and fully prepared me for taking the exam required for licensure,\u201d Garris said. \u201cI was very happy that I passed the exam on the first try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garris said the information she learned through her PCC training was \u201cvery important\u201d but only the beginning of what real estate agents must know to help clients buy and sell homes confidently. Since earning her broker\u2019s license in 2010, she\u2019s learned a lot about the business and says she\u2019s 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\u2019 schedules, and they know how to operate within a budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince real estate is a commission-based business, you may have some months with several transactions, but you may also have months with fewer transactions,\u201d she explained. \u201cFewer 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garris says one of the best parts of being a real estate agent is that no two days are alike. \u201cEvery day brings about new opportunities and also new challenges,\u201d she said, adding that a typical workday includes everything from showing properties and attending a home inspection on a buyer\u2019s behalf to developing a marketing plan for a new listing and attending community events for networking purposes.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201c(Real estate) isn\u2019t an easy career, but if you work hard at it, it can be very rewarding, both personally and financially,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 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,\u201d she said. \u201cRealty ONE Group is an agent-centered, lifestyle real estate brand built on the belief that everyone matters, and everyone has a voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 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,\u201d she said. \u201cYou must also be determined and focused.\u00a0Strong negotiation and problem-solving skills are also a bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n

For anyone considering a real estate career, Garris offers the following advice:<\/p>\n