Today we’d like to introduce you to Marsha Bailey-Woodard.
Hi Marsha, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I am Marsha Bailey-Woodard, a Realtor/Broker in the Columbia Metro Area and The Greater Charlotte Area with eXp Realty. I’ve always contended that I fell into real estate by chance. I was working with a temp agency when they called me one morning to say there was a need for a receptionist at a title company for two weeks. Car titles were the only titles I was familiar with. When I arrived, it became clear that this was not the case. Soon after, I was hired as the receptionist for one of the title insurance companies.
Over the years, I worked my way up from receptionist to real estate paralegal. I handled everything from title issues to settlement processing and post-closing. I have worked with many banks and corporations in the Real Estate Owned (foreclosure) world, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and others. In addition to my real estate experience, I worked as a mortgage loan processor for a major bank and agricultural lender for many years. Working in the real estate industry for a long time exposed me to many real estate agents and loan officers, piquing my interest in becoming a real estate agent. Working with people from all walks of life and seeing how happy they were when they bought their first home was always a joy. I vividly recall working at a real estate auction where a single mom and her young son, about 4 years old, were bidding on a property, and when they won, the little boy jumped up and yelled, “We won the house!” That made my heart happy. Since then, I’ve had numerous encounters with single parents looking to purchase a home for their family. After considering becoming an agent, I enrolled in the course in October 2015. I took and passed the salesperson class at a real estate school in Columbia and took the state exam in December 2016. I had a 2-week deadline to take the exam, or I would have to start over. I took the exam and passed it on the first try. I kept my license inactive for nearly three years after receiving it. Being a real estate agent and working for the company I was working for at the time was considered a conflict of interest. But in January 2020, I decided to take the plunge and focus on my long-term goal of working in real estate full-time. I am selling real estate full-time and working for one of the top real estate schools in Charlotte, NC.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It has been a challenging road. Real estate is a costly industry to get into. You will have already spent thousands of dollars on classes, exams, Realtor Dues, MLS Dues, and fees to join a broker before you complete your first transaction. Then there are expenses like business cards, signs, headshots, and so on, which became difficult to afford as a single mother. Furthermore, the time required to grow my business would detract from the time I would have to spend with my children.
Moreover, many believe you will make money once you become an agent. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Working in the real estate industry requires long hours, driving all over town, being rejected in some form, and trying to gain new clients. The life of a realtor may appear glamorous, but it is anything but when you first start. But, as I always say, anything worth having is worth working hard for, so I’m not giving up.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do?
My primary goal in my real estate career is to assist as many people as possible in achieving their dreams of becoming homeowners and to assist my sellers in receiving top dollar when selling their homes. Because of my extensive experience in the real estate industry, from mortgage to closing, I can expertly guide my clients through the process. At the end of the day, having happy and satisfied clients makes all that I do worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.baileysellshomes.
com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/soldbymarshab - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/soldbymarshab - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/@soldbymarshab
Image Credits
Denise Benson Photography
