Cathy Browne is probably one of the most attentive, easy-to-talk-to Realtors you will ever meet. Of course, that’s because she feels communication, no matter what the deal or location, is super important. It’s no surprise then, to find that Browne, who once was a flight attendant for Delta, is one of the highest-performing Ebby Halliday Realtors in her Preston Plano Parkway office.
A top-notch marketer and an agent who knows how to find the best deals for her clients, Browne has a lot to be happy about, especially her numbers for 2013. We hope Browne has an equally amazing 2014, too! Find out more about this incredible Ebby Halliday agent who knows Allen and Collin County like no one else after the jump!
CandysDirt.com: Where are you from?
Cathy Browne: I grew up in Auburn, Ala. (War Eagle!) I moved to Dallas from Atlanta, where I was a flight attendant for Delta and traveled both domestically and internationally.
CD: How did you get into real estate?
Browne: Delta closed their base in D/FW Airport, and my mother (a broker in Hilton Head, S.C.) suggested I try real estate. There are a lot of similarities in that you are meeting and talking with different clients, builders, VIPs, and other agents all the time — good communication is the key. I loved it right away!
CD: You specialize in luxury sales in Allen and Collin County. Tell us: what are some unique challenges that Realtors face in this market?
Browne: Right now, the biggest challenge is finding inventory. I sold every listing I had in December, and am putting new listings on now. We have clients who can’t find a home, so some clients are choosing to build.
CD: Where is home for you in Dallas?
Browne: I live in West Allen. We really love the area–the schools, the homes, our neighbors, and the small town atmosphere. It’s also very convenient to get to Plano, Dallas or wherever we need to go.
CD: And you drive a….let me guess, Mercedes Benz?
Browne: I love my Lexus RX350. I usually have kids, dogs, signs, etc., in the car with me! There’s a joke about our parking lot at Ebby looking like a Lexus dealership!
CD: What was your best/highest sale?
Browne: $800,000, a gorgeous, designer’s home on 3 acres.
CD: Likewise, what was your most challenging or memorable transaction?
Browne: There was one that turned into a triple deal! After one of my sellers got a contract on their home, they went to dinner with friends and jokingly asked “Does anyone want to sell us their home?” and another couple raised their hand and said “We do!” We worked out a deal for them to buy their friend’s home, and then I had to go find that family another home in Allen quick. It was crazy!
CD: How quickly have you turned a house?
Browne: I have sold several to the first buyers who viewed them, and some before they went on MLS.
CD: How much did you sell last year?
Browne: I am always highly ranked in my Ebby Halliday office, and expect that 2014 will be another great year for me. Last year started out slow, but ended with a bang! I was named the #1 Top Individual for December!
CD: What words of wisdom do you often share with clients?
Browne: I ask them to come up with their “wish list,” tell them not to worry or stress out, and that I will be there with them through the whole process–all the way to closing. And even afterwards to provide vendor contacts and support!
ICD: f you ever change careers for an encore, you’ll …
Browne: I might become a writer and write a book! It will be called “So You Want to be a Realtor?” and I’ll put all the crazy stories and experiences I’ve had in there! When different things happen, my agent friend and I always look at each other and say “That is one for the book!”
CD: Do you have a second home? If so, where?
Browne: We own an ocean-view timeshare in Ko Olina, Hawaii, and we love going there as a family every year. It always reminds me of my wonderful Delta layover days!
