Meet our new North Carolina managing broker, Karie Arem!
In 30 seconds or less, who is Karie Arem?
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and moved to North Carolina in 1996. I’m officially considered a “southerner” now! I got married in Hawaii to my sweet husband, Eric, in April of 2021. I’m a mom to my two awesome adult kids and my family is what drives me to do my best every single day. I’m a dog mom, gardener, DIY’er AND I get to do what I love by helping my clients with all of their real estate needs! I have always lived by, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life,” and I LOVE what I do.
What inspired you to start your real estate career?
When I worked for attorneys many years ago, I handled the real estate closings among other things. Real estate was always my favorite part of the job. A top notch Realtor® in my area once told me “Karie, you would be a great Realtor®. If you ever decide you want a career change, let me know.” I did, but went on to non-profit because it was safe. I was raising kids and scared to take the plunge into real estate and a commission based income. I ended up in non-profit management for 16 years. When the time came to make a change, I took the plunge!
What was a moment or time period you knew you had a passion for helping clients achieve their goals?
I don’t have a specific moment. I have always loved helping people. I have a passion for people and doing whatever I can to make their lives a little easier or a little better. Being in non-profit, it was what I did every single day. I love real estate and I always have. However, I can tell you the moment I knew it was the right career for me. It occurred during my first closing, when I handed my first time home buyer the keys to his new house and he cried. He didn’t think it was a possibility to ever achieve home ownership and we made it happen. That was the moment. I will never forget it.
That this is not an instant gratification business. Sometimes you will work with a client pricing their house, searching for homes, etc., and then they decide it’s not time to buy or sell. You stay with them, you keep in touch, you be there, nurture them, be their advisor, and let them know you care about their needs and not your own. One day, when the time is right, they will come back to you and use you as their Realtor®. You will still need business in the future, so don’t get discouraged if someone needs to wait.
Low inventory. Charlotte, North Carolina, is a hot spot and many people are moving here. We need houses! Another nuance is due diligence fees. This is a non-refundable deposit that buyers pay to sellers while they conduct their due diligence on the home. If the buyer backs out, they lose the money even if it’s due to a bad inspection. It’s hard to convince people to give a large non-refundable deposit and the size of this deposit has gotten out of control, in my opinion. There is no set amount or percentage, but we are seeing deposits priced at several thousand dollars on average priced homes. The luxury market is much higher, and if you want to win in a bidding war (which is still happening) you have to go big. The good news is, if the deal closes, it does get credited at closing.
New Realtors® often struggle with lead generation, what would your advice be to a brand new agent in building their business?
Get on social media. People look online for everything now. Be the person they can relate to. 50% business and 50% personal posts. Let the world know you’re a Realtor® and taking on new clients.
What peaked your interest about the managing broker opportunity with Worth Clark, and what ultimately lead to helping WCR expand to the Carolinas?
First of all, the transaction based brokerage is where it’s at. Second of all, virtual to me is the only way to go. I love helping other agents, so being a managing broker is just what I have been led to do. When I saw WCR had a need for a managing broker, and it was both transaction based and virtual, I started researching the history of the company and what they offer. I love the challenge of bringing a new brokerage to my state. It was a no brainer, I had to apply!
Talk to the recruiters. You will be instantly excited about what they offer. You will love the people! The support is unmeasurable and I am always just a phone call or text away to answer any questions.
Watching it grow. Watching us become a big name in the place I call home. Showing agents that there is a place to be that cares about us, has incredible support, has systems in place that make our job much easier, and is focused on helping us all grow while allowing us to keep the money we work for. I get to be a part of that growth while continuing to help people. To say I’m excited is an understatement!
