616 Real Estate Agent Theresa Robinson – loyal, genuine, hard-working, dedicated – everything you’d want in an agent.
The qualities that help a person excel in the military are very similar to those that make an outstanding real estate agent – loyalty, hard-work, perseverance, toughness, and being a stickler for rules and order. This could be why 616 Realty’s veteran agent and Navy veteran Theresa Robinson has excelled at both.
While in the military, Robinson helped a new group of sailors each week navigate life on NAS Miramar (Naval Air Station, just think Top Gun). Now a 21 year real estate veteran, she helps her clients navigate the waters of selling and finding their dream homes. Theresa is passionate about this calling on her life. “Someone mentioned that I would be good at it,” early on, but she went on to get married and raise her four children before “the stars aligned.” Even though it didn’t seem to be her calling three days into real estate training (when she wanted to quit because of her lack of knowledge and experience), she persevered and has since become an admired and sought after real estate agent.
Being a rule follower in real estate can be a challenge. But that sense of doing what is right and standing up for a cause is something that Robinson believes in and that her clients appreciate and value. Not only does she care about doing things the right way, Theresa’s loyalty and dedication to her clients is high on her priority list. “I will go to the wire for them. I will negotiate until I can’t do it anymore.”
What also makes Theresa special is she values each and every client. “I answer my phone, myself throughout the whole transaction.” It is very important to Theresa that her clients get personal, one-to-one care. “Volume isn’t the key for me… I want to take care of my clients. I am motivated by people and not by money.” While one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is helping young people find their dream homes, it’s extremely difficult when she has to tell them that their offer hasn’t been accepted, “…seeing people miss out on a home they fell in love with is hard.”
Along with all those attributes, part of Robinson’s success can be attributed to being under the 616 Realty umbrella. Along with having good agents, Robinson says 616 Realty has a lot of things going for it. “It’s affordable, there are a lot of perks, and the office people are amazing.” Theresa signed with 616 Realty and Scot Kellogg when they opened in 2011, back when they had to use “folding chairs and an old door as a table” instead of the award winning office the firm has now at 1171 Plainfield Avenue in northeast Grand Rapids. “Working with Scot has been great. He has a gift for being able to balance. He is a genuine, good-hearted man trying to make a living for his family and helping his agents do the same.”
Robinson offers some advice to first time home buyers as well as to homeowners looking to sell. “To have a good experience, first time home buyers must connect with a realtor who has the heart of an educator because it is an education.” Her advice to sellers, “you need to connect with that real estate agent who has your best interest at heart … who is going to give you guidance on what are the best things to do and not to do to get your home ready to sell, then let the agent take over from there.”
When Theresa isn’t passionately working for her real estate clients, she is working hard to improve the lives of military veterans. When she is really lucky, they intertwine. “It’s icing on the cake,” when she can help a client who is a veteran find a place to lay their head or to help them get the care they need through various veteran service agencies. Robinson has had leadership roles as the Commander of an American Legion Post, Commander of United Veterans Council of Kent county and has organized the Memorial Day and Veterans Day Parades in Grand Rapids. Helping the lives of women in the service is a particularly important aspect of her volunteer work.
Along with helping veterans and people find their forever homes, Robinson also loves spending time with her family and her four grandchildren. If you are interested in speaking with Theresa Robinson about your real estate questions and needs don’t hesitate to contact her at (616) 291-9231 or theresarobinson920@gmail.com
