We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maria Villani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maria below.

Maria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents have always been on the same page regarding their goals and how family is at the forefront of that big picture. They worked hard and continue to do so, always with the mantra that family is most important and so is time spent together. They also encouraged me to pursue my dreams and travel.

This has played a monumental role in my life as I’ve chosen this career as a real estate professional. The ‘mental load’ and ‘work life balance’ is something that keeps me on my toes daily. When I’m not serving and helping those around me in my professional life, I am constantly striving to be present and maximize my time with family. The control and flexibility of my schedule is something I would not have in a different career.

As a young adult I traveled the world and lived on the West Coast for 5 years. In my twenties I did not think I would return home but I genuinely could not be happier to live 6 minutes from my parents and have my children have such a special bond and closeness with their maternal grandparents. With travel and adventure often comes excitement, trepidation, the unknown, but always new beginnings. This translates to real estate as well, and it’s an honor to guide clients during all of these times and be a part of their story.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Maria (Peklo) Villani. I am a 39 year old South Korean adoptee who grew up in Howard County. I was in the hospitality industry for a long time and around 2015 I tagged along at a few walk throughs and office meetings of a local brokerage in Anne Arundel County but I knew I’d eventually want to be based in Howard County. It took a few years and I got married and had a baby when I decided the timing was right for me to get licensed. I affiliated with a national and international brokerage (Coldwell Banker) and learned invaluable lessons from my mentor and broker manager. I was an independent agent and not on a team and while I will always be grateful for my time there I did feel something was missing. An extended family member suggested I meet with Wendy Slaughter and the rest is history. I made the move during the pandemic in April 2020 and I have found my forever brokerage and team.

Having lived most of my life in Howard County and familiar with many of the surrounding counties I am a local and savvy resource for buyers and sellers. I’ve recently become certified as a NAR (National Association of Realtors) Pricing Strategy Advisor to assist sellers during the pre listing and listing phases and keep current with the always shifting real estate market. I am also certified as a Military Relocation Professional. Many of my husband’s fellow firefighters and their families are also active reserves / have also served in various branches of the Military and it was my goal to be a reputable resource to help those who serve settle into local communities. Lastly I have also taken strides to make small changes and live a more sustainable lifestyle and am certified as a NAR Green designee. Perhaps it was living on the West Coast for several years but I am definitely interested in helping like minded individuals live a more sustainable life, waste less, and implement the technologies that can make for a healthier, more eco friendly home. Wanting more information on retrofitting a home or who to contact for more information on a LEED certified new build? I can help with that as well.

With so many moving parts to a huge transaction such as buying or selling a home, there are stressful times for sure. My goal has always been to help clients feel confident, calm, and knowledgeable so that when the unexpected might happen, they are prepared and have the proper tools to address events which might be out of their control. I was on the buyer side of a FSBO (for sale by owner) transaction before I became licensed and while we reached the end goal of buying our house, it was fraught with uncertainty and stress. I wish I had a real estate agent to help navigate the many ‘are you kidding me?!’ moments that occurred.

I’m most proud of being a small cog in this dream team machine that is The Wendy Slaughter Team. It’s not a cliche, we truly are passionate about helping our clients who often turn into friends, giving back to the community, and living life to the fullest. “Putting people before profits” is one of the many components that makes up our business model which is why founders Wendy Slaughter, Debbie Gottwals, and broker attorney Diana Khan created Elevate Real Estate Brokerage. The fact that we GSD (get shit done) and always have our clients’ best interests as our focus is why 91 % of the teams’ business comes from referrals.

It’s a privilege to be a part of a team that embraces the authentic, honest, and hardworking parts that make a great human being who also happens to be a real estate agent and in turn creates a lasting impression from the first meeting and long after smiles at the settlement table.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

One of my favorite sales stories is my first listing. It’s sort of a David and Goliath metaphor, with the large well known brokerage being Goliath and me being lone David. I received a call from my parents’ neighbors who were quite unhappy with their listing agent at the time, and wanted me to represent them. They described me as a ‘go getter’ which I would say is accurate coming from them as they have known me my entire life.

I ended up gaining the listing after they had severed their previous agency agreement with ‘Goliath’. They wanted to stage the home themselves, as the home is rather large so it’s difficult to envision once you’re there with just blank rooms. The previous brokerage had said they would stage it, then left it empty. The home sold and while the road to settlement was filled with some bumps they are happily full time in their new house and were able to close the chapter on a high note, as opposed to a disappointing one due to the false promises and lackluster customer service they had received prior.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I am a big fan of handwritten notes, and I love doing pop bys throughout the year. I try and keep in touch via email as well for my busier clients and make sure that things are going smoothly long after closing. Our team has great ideas for connecting with the community and previous clients a like. November is a busy time and we also do a handwritten note at the beginning of each new year. Pop bys tend to be more sporadic and typically tied to special holidays but I think that helps foster brand loyalty and remind clients of what an awesome time we had working together and in turn keeps me top of mind for whom I can assist next (their friends, family etc)!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thewendyslaughterteam.com/about-maria
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maria_villani_realestate
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariavillanirealestate/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariavillani83/

Image Credits
Photo 1: Eileen Delaney Photo 2: Kim Zaruba Photo 3: Allie Martin Photo 4: Wendy Slaughter Photo 5: Ericka Rocke Photo 6: Donna Weaver Photo 7: Jason Slaughter Photo 8: Maria Hughes