Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michaela Burkett. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Michaela, thanks for joining us today. Showing clients you appreciate them is something I think most folks want to do – but it’s not always clear how to do it in a meaningful way. What’s one of the best examples of client appreciation you can share with us?

Honestly, the best thing I’ve ever done to show a client I appreciate them starts long before we ever walk through a front door — it starts the moment they give me their time.
Think about it: real estate is almost never just about real estate. Someone reaches out to me because their family is growing, or they’re retiring and ready to downsize, or they just got a new job and their whole life is shifting. These are massive, emotional, life-defining moments — and they chose to bring me into that. That means everything to me.
So from the very first conversation, I’m genuinely paying attention. Not just to square footage and budget, but to what’s actually going on in their life. What’s driving this move? What are they nervous about? What does the other side of this transaction look like for them? When someone feels heard from day one — really heard — that’s where appreciation lives. Not in a closing gift or a hand-written card, though those things matter too.
Time is the one thing none of us can get back, and the second someone shares theirs with me, I take that seriously. I want every person I work with to feel like they’re not just a transaction on my to-do list — they’re a person going through something big, and I’m genuinely honored to be part of it.
That, to me, is the foundation of client appreciation. Everything else builds from there.

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 background and context?

I’m a REALTOR® serving the Charleston, SC area — but, real estate is just one piece of who I am. I’m also a wife to a firefighter, a mom to the most incredible baby girl, a dog mom, and a surfer who genuinely believes Folly Beach has some of the best energy on the East Coast. All of those things shape how I show up in this business.
I got into real estate because I believe it doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating — and for too long, I think people have felt like it was both. Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest decisions of your life, and it usually comes wrapped around another big life moment: a growing family, a career change, a fresh start, a long-awaited retirement. I wanted to be the person who makes that process feel manageable — even exciting — rather than overwhelming.
I work primarily across Charleston and the surrounding communities: James Island, Johns Island, West Ashley, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Folly Beach, and downtown. I work with first-time buyers, growing families, people relocating to the Lowcountry, and everyone in between. I’m SC Housing Certified, which means I can also help buyers access down payment assistance programs that a lot of people don’t even know exist.
What sets me apart? I think it comes down to this: I treat people like people. I’m not chasing a transaction — I’m building a relationship. Being married to a first responder has given me a deep appreciation for community and for showing up fully for the people around you. That bleeds into everything I do professionally.
I’m most proud of the moments when a client tells me they felt genuinely supported throughout the process — not just informed, but cared for. That’s the standard I hold myself to.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Charleston, I want you to know: this doesn’t have to be hard. I’m here to simplify the process, tell you the truth, and be in your corner from day one — long before we ever step foot in a house.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Without question — referrals. Every single time.
There is nothing that means more to me than a past client thinking of me when someone in their life is ready to make a move. That’s not just a business compliment, that’s a personal one. It means they trusted me enough with one of the biggest decisions of their life and trusted me enough to send the people they love most my way. That’s everything.
Referrals are the core of my business, and honestly, they’re the part I’m most proud of. Because they don’t come from a perfectly curated ad or a catchy caption — they come from a real experience. Someone felt supported, felt heard, felt like the process was in good hands, and they wanted that same feeling for their friend, their sister, their coworker going through a big life change.
That cycle of genuine care is what I’m building this business on. When I think about the kind of REALTOR® I want to be — and the kind of brand I want to have — it’s one where people want to send their people to me. Not because I asked, but because the experience spoke for itself.
So if you’ve ever referred someone to me: thank you. Truly. You have no idea how much that means.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Caring. Really, genuinely caring.
I know that sounds simple, but I think it’s rarer than people realize. A lot of people can do this job. You can get a license, learn the contracts, know the market. But not everyone can do this job well — and even fewer can do it well while making every single client feel like they matter beyond the transaction.
That’s the standard I hold myself to, and I truly believe that’s what has grown my business more than any marketing strategy or social media plan ever could.
When you treat people like family — when you show up for them fully, communicate honestly, and actually care about what’s on the other side of that closing table for them — they feel it. And when people feel that, they talk about it. They remember it. They come back, and they bring people with them.
The strategy isn’t really a strategy at all. It’s a commitment. A commitment to never letting someone feel like a number, to always making the process feel human, and to showing up the same way whether it’s a $200,000 purchase or a $2,000,000 one. Every person deserves that level of care.
Real estate is a relationship business at its core. The agents who treat it like a transaction business might find short term success — but the ones who lead with genuine care? That’s where sustainable, meaningful growth lives. That’s what I’m building, and I’m proud of every client relationship that’s brought me to where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stan.store/MichaelaB
• Instagram: michaela.b_chsrealestate

Image Credits

Krissy Millar