We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Autumn White a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Autumn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard
First off I want to say that there are a lot of really great Realtors in the Boulder County area. What I keep hearing from my clients is that my approach to real estate is unique. I believe that the search for finding a new home, or selling an existing one should be more fun than stressful. I think the enjoyment of real estate is an element that oftentimes gets left out of the process because it is also a big life event that requires many, often fast-paced decisions, a lot of money and dynamic market conditions. My feeling is that anyone desiring to buy or sell a home has many things going on in their lives, like, jobs, families and other daily stressors simultaneously with the home buying or selling process. My approach is that I’m an advisor helping my clients navigate a process they may not know much about, but first and foremost it is a very exciting time in their lives and that should be celebrated. I recently attended a networking event and when I finished explaining my process and approach to real estate I got a bunch of blank stares, until multiple people responded, “buying a house can be fun?!” This confused me because I always enjoy the process and make it a goal that my clients do as well. Real estate is not just a transaction for me but rather a way to connect with people and help them through a life transition with a smile.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado and grew up in the mountains outside of town. When I was in high school I often had extra time before an activity and instead of going home for a little while I would drive around and look at homes. I would go to open houses with my stepmom on the weekends. I have always been interested in the real estate market and almost got my license when I was newly out of high school. I decided at that time I wasn’t quite ready as I wanted to go to college and experience more of life before jumping into a career. I circled back to real estate about 20 years later as I was going through a major life transition with a divorce. After my divorce, I was looking for a career with some flexibility because I wanted to be able to pick my young daughter up from school everyday. The flexibility of being able to make my own schedule more than makes up for working some evenings and weekends. Even years later this is especially important to me as I’m a full time single parent and am constantly striving for balance in my work and home life. Real estate is the perfect fit for me as I get to help others, creatively solve problems and connect with amazing people. I found my true passion, even if it took me decades to accept this is what I should be doing.
I work mostly in Boulder County, but as I work by referral I have a large radius that I travel. I work with all types of clients, first time home buyers and sellers, investors, high-end luxury clientele and more. I am able to provide referrals for real estate professionals all over the world, thanks to my brokerage, The Porchlight Group, being a part of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. It is important to me to be able to offer the best service possible as I don’t take it lightly when someone places their trust in me to help them navigate the home buying or selling process. I take many classes each year to grow my knowledge and expertise as well as continuously studying our local markets. I also believe in personal development and enjoy learning, reflecting and growing as a person. I want to be a market expert and knowledgable advisor and also be an authentic and relatable human. Connecting with wonderful people is one of the great joys of my life and I feel grateful everyday that I get to work with so many great people and oftentimes call them friends after our time working together.
I am most proud of my ability to listen well to both the words and body language of my clients. I use my intuition and focused questions to help me get a clear sense of what a client is needing throughout the transaction as well as clear communication with both my clients and the agent on the other side. My collaborative approach to real estate has also proven to be an asset in many transactions. One of my favorite early memories in my career was when I had a client relocating to Colorado. We spent many long hours trying to find a home during a short visit, with no success. When my client left to return home, she told me that she trusted that I knew exactly what she was looking for and that I would know when I saw the home. I have never forgotten her trust in me and my process.
Trust is something that I value a great deal. I take it seriously when a client places their trust in me and my process. I believe in working hard and being honest and transparent and in enjoying the process. As I mentioned before buying or selling a home is a big and exciting life event and it should be treated as such.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I really put my clients needs and interests first because I genuinely enjoy helping people. The home buying or selling process is a very intimate experience and it’s important that my clients feel like I have their interests at the top of mind, and that we enjoy connecting with each other because we spend a good deal of time together during the process. I had a client one time tell me that I’m the least salesy sales person she knows. I take that as a huge compliment because I don’t view what I do as “selling”. I am solving problems and matching people with homes that fit their needs, or helping someone sell and net the most money in the shortest amount of time. I get excited helping each new client and my energy is contagious which is helpful when the process feels overwhelming. I think it also helps that I’m a Boulder, Colorado Native so I have an insider perspective and can speak to the area well.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
I’m so grateful that almost all of my business is from people I know or referrals from past clients or friends. It means so much to me that people who know me, like me and trust me choose to work with me, and that if someone has a good experience with me they refer me to their friends and family. I am never too busy for referrals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://porchlightgroup.com/realestate/agent/autumn-white/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumn.corealtor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autumn.white34
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autumn-white-ba31b72/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLVWdeUKhSVXiI68XigyDAg
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Nina Ottolino, Fara Francis, Laura Romey