Sally obtained her Broker’s license in 2011 at the urging of a fellow Broker.   She gained experience working as a co-broker alongside other brokers in the Cumming and Suwanee offices for a few years.   Meanwhile DeAnn Golden, Managing Broker of the Dunwoody BHHS office was promoted Senior Vice President/Regional Manager. Obviously, Sally and Toni were well acquainted, so it was no surprise when Toni called her to return to the Dunwoody office to become Managing Broker!  Sally returned to Dunwoody on February 18, 2020, then went straight to the BHHS convention in Nashville.  Then the world stopped for Covid.  Sally got to know her agents (sixty-five of them at the time) over Zoom and/or wearing masks. 

We spent a long time talking about how insane the residential real estate market has been during the pandemic.  Sally says it is a learning experience every day.  Sally no longer sells or lists properties herself…her job is to strictly support her sixty-seven agents and help them navigate and grow their business and meet their goals.  She collaborates with them to develop business plans by learning WHY they are in real estate, WHAT they want to achieve, and HOW they plan to get there.  She is described as “available, flexible, self-motivated etc.”.  Helping agents reach their own goals is her most prioritized role.  She wants her agents to enjoy what they do and live their personal lives to the fullest.  Sally repeated a few times, “Being a Realtor is so much more than just having a license”.  Sally is an excellent counselor for her agents because of her vast accumulated knowledge.

Toni told me to ask Sally about her morning routine.

Sally grinned and told me about the healthy routine she learned from the CEO of BHHS.  She prioritizes MEDS every day! 

I asked Sally:  “Why should potential clients choose one of her Dunwoody BHHS agents if they want to buy or sell a home in our community?”

Sally reminded us:  BHHS is one of the most recognized names in the real estate industry worldwide.  She confirmed it is extremely helpful to be under such a large corporate umbrella and able to benefit from all the resources within it.  Her Dunwoody agents KNOW the market because they LIVE in it.  They offer the highest levels of service and integrity.  All the BHHS agents are members of the Atlanta Board of Realtors and therefore held to the highest standards in the industry.  Sally has fostered an office environment where her agents are willing to help each other, train each other and develop strong working relationships with each other.  Case in point – Jodi Halpert (the Dunwoody BHHS TOP individual producer of 2021) walked in to share a few recent transactional stories with us.  Jodi has written a “multiple offer response” to provide to agents who have bid offers on properties but did not win.  Bidding wars are happening with MOST properties for sale now.  Jodi shared excellent feedback received from agents thanking her for her integrity and service to her clients and other agents. 

On a side note….Peggy and her husband worked with Jodi Halpert in 2018 to sell their former home and buy a new home around the corner.  Jodi’s knowledge of the Dunwoody market, her relationship with the other agent, and expertise in contracts/negotiations, all facilitated a seamless experience.  Jodi’s connections in the community allowed her to sell Peggy’s existing home off market without having to stage or show!

When wrapping up, we asked both Jodi and Sally:  “What’s changed in the last 5 years in Dunwoody Residential Real Estate?”  With wide eyes and expressive commentary, they started sharing excitedly…

• Everything has changed!
• The market has exploded!
• Technology and social media changed how business is done. 
• The sales process is now all electronic.
• So many homes have been bought “sight unseen” or even via FaceTime. 
• Agents meet clients at homes rather than riding in cars with them due to masks and germs.
• Bidding wars!
• Offers with no inspections or contingencies.

Both Jodi and Sally say the most important thing for agents to realize right now is to follow the directions on a listing.  If agents do not follow the listing directions, their client could be moved to the bottom of the bid list despite the quality of the offer!

A few fun facts about our new friend Sally:  She lives nearby in the beautiful Aria property in Sandy Springs off Glenridge.  She has two grown children.  One close to home and the other across the country in California.  She loves all the local flavor in Dunwoody … especially NFA Burger,  Novo Cucina, Carbonara Trattoria and the new Bar(n)...all in Dunwoody Village.  In fact, our conversation happened during lunch time, so we stopped by to say hello to Billy Kramer at NFA and enjoyed burgers and tots.  Can you believe it was Peggy’s first time ever to have an NFA Burger?!  It will not be her last.  We liked Sally so much we plan to go grab her for lunch often!