Professional Partner: Linda Raveau

7/21/2020

Hi! Hello! Welcome! Well today I am pumped to introduce you to Linda. You could say that I have known her for sometime....Actually Linda, growing up, was one of the influences that pushed me into Interior Design as a career! With her background in design and her upper level executive work, she brings a different level of expertise to her clients. Check out her answers below!

Welcome Linda Raveau!

How long have you been in real estate?: I’ve been a full-time real estate agent since 2011. I began my career at Real Estate One for 5 years than transitioned to Re/max where I still am today.

What is your favorite part of being in the industry?: Helping people get to that next level with a purchase or sale of a home. I work with a lot of first time home buyers and it always excites me to see the joy on their faces when they get the home of their dreams.

In your experience what are the top “wants” for your clients?: I work in the Royal Oak area and most buyers prefer hardwood floors, newer kitchens with stainless steel appliances, 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 car garage, basement, and a fenced in yard.

Top “ Needs”?: It always boils down to space, so most buyers need 2-3 bedrooms, and want either a garage or basement for storage.

If you could move into your ABSOLUTE dream home tomorrow what would this look like?: I have always loved the work of Architect Sarah Susanka, and author of the book “The Not So Big House.” Her concept is that quality comes before quantity and that big isn’t always better. So my dream home would be designed and built around this concept and would incorporate more personalized spaces than my current home, such as having an art studio, or a room designated for workouts and yoga. In light of this pandemic, I think people will be home more moving forward and our living spaces will become more personalized. It will definitely be interesting to see how homes evolve in the years to come.

Check out Susan Susanka here!

What are the areas that you work the most in?:My business is pretty much equal between working with buyers and sellers and they are typically first time buyers or buyers looking to downsize. There are some agents that only focus on seller’s and have a team of buyer’s agents, however, I like working with both buyers and sellers. This way when I go to sell a home for a client, I have a pulse on how the market is moving and what buyers are looking for in a home.

What is the craziest thing that people have asked you for?: I wouldn’t say there has been anything crazy someone has asked for, but there are some buyers who are just unrealistic. I’ve dealt with some buyers who have a very low budget and want certain areas with top of the line features. I will show them houses that they desire but slowly they begin to realize they are not getting everything they want for the price they had in mind. It’s just a learning curve for them.

What spaces sell homes?: Kitchens and baths

What is the weirdest thing you have found walking into a home?: In the Royal Oak area there are many homes that are really small (below 1000 square feet). This one home installed their Refrigerator in the wall leading down to the basement, so you had to step down to the landing then reach up to open the door to the fridge. You would need a step stool to reach items in the fridge… how crazy is that!

Do you feel that clients are more open to DIY and renovations or they prefer a “move-in-ready” space?: When I began real estate in 2011 no one wanted to renovate a home, they wanted move-in-ready. As prices continue to rise and the inventory levels tighten, buyers became more open to homes that needed renovations because there wasn’t enough move-in-ready on the market. I’ve always been a fan of buying a fixer upper. This way you can personalize the home to your liking. Ultimately with move-in-ready homes, you are buying someone else’s taste and most of the time there is still something you won’t like that you’ll change… so why pay for it.

Tell us something unique and interesting about the experience you provide for your clients?: Prior to getting into the real estate business, I worked as an administrator for upper level executives organizing and managing their businesses, and I was very good at that job. I did it for over 30 years. So transitioning those skills into the real estate business has made me very efficient with the processes. The real estate business is a very complex business with many moving parts and I'm known for getting my buyers and sellers through the process rather smoothly with the least amount of pain. And as a little bonus, I have been an artist all my life and have a degree in interior design which I’ve used to help clients prepare their homes for the market or buyers looking to do renovations. I’m able to share with them the knowledge I have and what’s going to get them the most bang for their buck.

How do you feel about the Professional Partner Program? I love the program and have referred The Collected program to my clients. There is definitely a shift happening and I can see more people doing renovations to their homes that are interested in getting help and this is a perfect option.

Connect With Linda TODAY!!

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