“Find a niche and build your business from there.”
Lewis is a rainmaker in the competitive FSBO market. She looks FSBOs squarely in the eye, she says, and convinces them that she knows more than they do. Last year she closed 97 units—more than 30 percent of which were FSBOs—for a total of $13 million in sales. That was good enough to rank her No. 4 in commissions out of almost 2,800 Century 21 practitioners in the surrounding South Texas and South Louisiana region.
Knowledge is power: Lewis makes sure buyers and sellers know she’s the answer person for questions on schools, shopping and recreation, and financing options. She gives out buyer and seller packets with detailed checklists and frequently asked questions. Lewis also has a toll-free number through Century 21 Mortgage that gives her buyers access to free loan approval within 10 minutes.
Forever yours: Lewis never takes the relationship for granted, she says. After a sale, she gives buyers a homeowner’s portfolio with her name imprinted on the front, packed with important documents, such as copies of their appraisal, inspection, surveys, important documents, and the business cards of competent area service providers. When she lists a house she sends a thank-you both before the sale is made and after.