The Brunswick home selling and buying market may never be the same
By Ken McEntee
In a competitive housing market, it helps to work with a real estate agent who knows how to find a competitive edge.
Kevin Ball, co-owner of Re/Max Omega, in Brunswick, remembers reporting breaking news to fellow agent Sheila Watson a couple decades ago. The expanding company they worked for had relinquished the inherited phone number of a popular real estate firm it had recently acquired.
“The number was on refrigerator magnets all over town,” Kevin recalls. “Sheila called me and I told her that the number was available and said, ‘I have to get that phone number.’ She swiftly called the phone company and got it herself.”
As Kevin relates the story at a conference table in the office, Sheila—new co-owner of Re/Max Omega—sits a few feet away, smiling.
“That old number, 330-225-7777, still rings at my house once in a while,” she says.
After joining Kevin as an agent at Re/Max Omega 10 years ago, Sheila, now a licensed broker, became co-owner of the company in January. Kevin was there from the beginning, joining Re/Max Omega when the franchise was established in 2005. Before that, Kevin and Sheila worked together at the other realty—each of them consistently finishing among the top three selling agents in Brunswick.
“Having Sheila here in her new role is exciting,” Kevin says. “We’re looking to grow and we’re looking for more agents to come and join the office. We’d love to add eight more agents to the 14 agents we have now. We have two people taking their real estate test in May.”
Sheila has over 33 years experience as a Realtor, top producer and is currently working on her BA in Real Estate Studies/Organizational Management. “I needed 60 college credits to get my Broker’s license and decided to continue school to the the Bachelor’s Degree too. I love what I do,” she says.
Office Administrator Heidi Richissin says Sheila has always brought a lot of energy to the office.
“She is very well respected and has always been a person who has everybody’s back,” Heidi says. “Even before she was in management, she was like the mother of the office—always helping everybody to succeed.”
For 20 years, Sheila’s competitiveness helped her to grow the Brunswick Cross County Youth Football League (1996-2015). As a founder and president, she helped the league to grow to more than 500 players and cheerleaders. Today, she says, many of those kids are now her clients.
Now is an ideal time to buy a home, Kevin insists, partly because of the low mortgage rates. However, he cautions, beautiful homes are being snatched up quickly.
“Inventories across the country have been low during the last three years,” he says. “When you find the home of your dreams, you have to be ready to make your move.”
Re/Max Omega, he says, is well positioned to help.
“Nobody in the world sells more real estate than Re/Max,” he says. “Our average agent sells 18 houses a year versus six for the whole industry.”
One reason may be the personal attention they provide.
“In an age where everything is done electronically, we still take the time to sit down with the client and go over the purchase agreement or the listing agreement,” she says. “We’re very serious about making sure our clients understand everything and know what they’re signing.”
Another Re/Max Omega competitive advantage is its in-office lender, Tom Ward, of Nations Lending, who can help to be sure you’re pre-qualified for a loan before you make an offer.
Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career with a powerful and innovative real estate brokerage, or looking for an effective agent to sell your home or find you a new one, you can reach Kevin by calling 440-527-0199, or Sheila, at 330-416-6181. Both Kevin & Sheila reside in Brunswick. Re/Max Omega is located at 1321 Industrial Park North, Suite 800, in Brunswick.