SOGO Homes: When it’s about helping people from every walk of life realize their dream

By Laura Briedis

When coming up with the company name for his new real estate brokerage, Aaron Peterson wanted to stress equally helping homeowners sell their homes and helping others who dream of becoming a homeowner.

It’s in his DNA. It’s in his heart.

SOGO Homes—an acronym for Sell One, Give One—is based on the innovative business model that for every house the company sells or buyer it helps find a home, it will donate a portion of the commission to be gifted to a single mother in need as a down payment toward home ownership.

“I hope people choose to list their home with us because of our charity component, but also because they will actually profit more as well,” Aaron says.

Homeowners save money with the company’s flat-fee rate. Instead of paying a percentage of the sale in commission, SOGO Homes has a $4,800 flat fee that includes everything from helping homeowners set the listing price to photography to marketing the home to negotiating the final deal.

As an added bonus, Aaron has 20,000-plus followers on all his social media platforms, so homeowners who list their home with SOGO Homes get added exposure when trying to attract new buyers.

“Homeowners in Portage Lakes found me through my Instagram videos, and I just listed their waterfront home for $750,000, and they are projected to save $24,000 in real estate commissions,” notes Aaron, who volunteers every Tuesday evening at a local nonprofit that offers equine therapy, and once a month serving coffee and donuts at The Chapel in Green. “I also just closed on a ranch home in Uniontown that sold for $440,000. Those homeowners saved $12,000 in real estate commission.”

Even though the commission is discounted, Aaron stresses the service is actually elevated.

“Most people think when they pay less fees, the service will also be less,” he says. “But the reality is we are a full-service real estate company that goes above and beyond from start to finish.

“We treat every client the same regardless of the price of their home. So go with your head, go with your heart, go with SOGO. You will save money while helping others.”

Giving Back
Nominate a first-time homeowner who could use some help securing down payment funds, and SOGO Homes can help make home ownership a reality for them.

When this local brokerage firm was founded this year, a big part of its company mission was to give back. As its name implies—an acronym for Sell One, Give One—a portion of the real estate commission for each house sold will be used to help single moms achieve their dreams of home ownership.

“Homeownership sets you on a new path and helps you start building generational equity,” says Aaron Peterson, local real estate agent and founder of SOGO Homes. “We are here to help deserving single moms and make their lives easier.”

“We are asking the community to nominate moms who can benefit from our program,” Aaron says. “In addition to paying their down payment, we also can coach them through all the steps involved in home ownership, from finding the right home to choosing the best lender and discovering the best rates.”

If you know someone who is looking for a home but needs assistance with the down payment, email aaron@gowithsogo.com to request an application form. Limitations apply.

To list your house or for more information, call 330-984-0909. Follow Aaron’s adventures in real estate on Instagram @AaronAPeterson.