connectwithcharlotte recently caught up with favorite gal Rhonda Gibbons, an associate broker with Charlotte Premier Realty. Affectionately known as “Help Me Rhonda,” this Charlottean helps home buyers and sellers through the real estate process with cheerful enthusiasm. Having spent twenty plus years in the fashion/apparel industry with such companies as Levi Strauss, Vanity Fair and Ralph Lauren, Rhonda decided to make the transition from the runway to the driveway four years ago. connectwithcharlotte asks Rhonda about her side of the industry, the real state of the housing market and why our city is so darn popular!
cwc: Rhonda, where are you from, and how long have you been in Charlotte?
Rhonda: I grew up in Central Virginia, in the Roanoke/Lynchburg area. I came to North Carolina to attend Elon University, majoring in Business and never went back--I’ve been here ever since. I came to Charlotte with a job opportunity, not knowing anyone. I hate to say how many years ago that was! No, it was 1979. I’ve seen the transformation of Charlotte. I’ve gotten married here twice. With my second husband Michael, I have two great step-children, Ryan and Emily, who both attend Catholic High School.
cwc: Is there an aspect of the real estate business or a type of client that you specialize in?
Rhonda: Well, most of my business is referrals. But I have found a niche with the influx of people relocating to Charlotte. There are extra steps to that real estate process. I meet people from all over. I believe we average 60,000 people moving here each year. There is a huge influx because Charlotte is a great place to live. A strong economy, affordability of homes, climate and a great atmosphere are bringing people from Florida, California and the Northeast.
cwc: Is there an overriding reason why people are moving here?
Rhonda: I believe it’s a combination of reasons. People are looking for a nice place to live, a place that’s affordable with a nice climate; the whole package. As a metropolitan city, Charlotte has a lot to offer. Companies are moving here, bringing jobs.
cwc: What are your hobbies outside the real estate industry?
Rhonda: Several years ago, my husband Michael and I bought a road bike and biking has become a major focus. You go through phases in life. Years ago, I lived on Lake Wylie and was into waterskiing. When I turned thirty I got into golf. At fifty, I bought a road bike! I got this backwards. I’m thinking maybe I should have bought the bike when I was thirty and taken up golf at fifty! We have had a lot of fun and have developed a great group of friends around biking.
cwc: Don’t you have a team?
Rhonda: We kept running into friends who had purchased road bikes, or people who had friends who had gotten bikes. We decided to form a team to go out and ride together. We rode early on the weekends because it was safer. Then we decided that we needed uniforms! Michael created MojoRiding and we wear bright pink and green uniforms, with black. People can really see us on the road! There are about 70 members of all different levels, from hammerheads to beginners who just bought a bike.
cwc: What’s an average distance for a ride?
Rhonda: The newer members ride 20-30 miles. Some of us ride 40-50 miles. It’s fun to participate in events of 75-100 miles which are mapped out, with rest areas. We enjoy riding, but have social and charitable events, as well. We ride in 24 Hours of Booty, a cancer, specifically brain tumor foundation fundraiser. The Booty Loop is a three mile running loop in Myers Park. A foundation began five years ago when one man rode the loop for twenty four hours to raise money for cancer. Now we have 1,400 riders. The foundation raised over a half million dollars last year. MojoRiding was the #1 fundraiser, gathering over $50,000. We’re seeking to top that this year. We also do an MS ride, traveling 200 miles in two days. This year we’ll ride from Charlotte to Greenville, spend the night, and then do a loop into the mountains, ending in Greenville. It’ll be a lot hillier than riding to Myrtle Beach, which we have done in years prior! We’ve raised over $50,000 for them also. MojoRiding has adopted a section of Colony Road, to keep clean. We helped build a Habitat for Humanity house last year. We’re close and it has been great fun. cwc: Wow! Aside from being a humanitarian, what would you say is your biggest accomplishment in real estate?
Rhonda: I would say that my biggest accomplishment happened yesterday. Yesterday I had a closing with some obstacles to overcome, right down to the wire. We were able to iron them all out. If my client walks out with a smile, that is my latest, biggest accomplishment. Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll have another one! cwc: Charlotte is getting a lot of positive national attention in regard to real estate. Do you see challenges on the horizon, or will the trend continue in the right direction for us?
Rhonda: I think Charlotte is absolutely going to remain positive. For one thing, real estate in a lot of areas went through the roof, such as in Miami and Las Vegas. They went sky high. If you’ve got this big hike, it has got to come down. Every time these pricing reports are released, it puts fear in people. “Oh my, real estate in Miami came down 30% last year!” Well, it had gone up 150%! It has got to come down. If you’re looking at the big picture, it makes sense. In contrast, Charlotte has been going along at a nice, steady pace with 5% increases every year. There wasn’t a big hike, so we have stayed steady. That’s one reason we’ve looked like a shining star. Also, Charlotte has gradually expanded as a city in a very positive way. We’ve had some good planning, not going too quickly. That helps. And the economy, which has remained steady, is a factor. I read recently that Texas, Georgia and North Carolina are the economies that are thought will have the strongest growth in the next couple of years. Uptown is huge. They’ve got so much going on. There are more cranes there now than we’ve ever seen. Charlotte is expanding in every direction! I think real estate here in the next few years is going to be awesome.
cwc: What is the best part of your job and what do you enjoy the least?
Rhonda: I love helping people with one of the biggest investments they’re going to make. I love helping them find the perfect home for their lifestyle; a home they’re going to love. It’s an awesome feeling. That’s the best part. The most challenging aspect of my job is to help people keep their focus; and staying on top of communication back and forth. Going through the real estate process is very emotional. I didn’t think I was getting into drama when I got into real estate. But it is so emotional. Moving can be one of the most stressful things a person goes through. People relocating are trying to get a handle on a house, the neighborhood, the money, the job. They have so much going on while trying to sell the place they’re in. It’s a lot of drama! In managing all of that, I try to bring a peaceful atmosphere.
cwc: It must be a great reward, bringing each client through to the closing.
Rhonda: Yes, it is awesome! The smiling faces of the people; they’re so excited. I stay in contact with all my clients and they love it here.
cwc: You’re with Charlotte Premier Realty. What is Charlotte Premier Realty’s best kept secret?
Rhonda: We have grown to a team of six people and work through ReMax. We have great aspirations for our team. We want to be the hub of information for clients, present and past. We’ve developed a new website, talkcharlotte.com, which is an active website. We still have the traditional home search site, but talkcharlotte is live with a blog, discussing what is going on in Charlotte. It’s great for anyone who wishes to get a sense of the city, perhaps considering a move. It’s appropriate for people who are actively looking to move here and for those who are local. We’re building a directory of services, which is a wealth of information for our clients who are already here. A haircut, dry cleaners, recommended plumbers—we’re asking our clients who they’ve had good experiences with. By offering this service, we keep active and in contact with potential clients, current and past clients; keeping in touch with everybody.
cwc: What is the best advice you’ve ever received, Rhonda?
Rhonda: Go with your gut. Go with your gut feeling. Working with clients who are going in and out of homes, it is very appropriate. Even in my own life before real estate, I was considering a move to Atlanta. I found a house I really liked, brought the contract home, but couldn’t sign it. It just didn’t feel right. I can remember walking into a lot of homes in Charlotte…one day walking in and it felt right…that was the one. That’s the way I want my clients to feel. Try to connect with your gut feeling, in any area of life.
cwc: Given that advice, do you ever find that clients start by looking for one type of house or area and end up in something, or somewhere completely different?
Rhonda: It’s a process, especially for those relocating. They learn as they go. I have a funny story of a client who moved here from D.C. wanting to be in the country. We laugh about it. She felt she had been cramped up in the city with so many people around her that she wanted some space. Looking for an acre or two, we went to five different counties. We ran into goats and all kinds of stuff. After the third day she said, “Show me just one property in Charlotte.” That’s the one she ended up buying. Funny, it was on an acre of property, off Providence Road. She later said, “I really do like having that Starbucks around the corner. Maybe I’m not the gal I thought I was!” You may think that you know what you want, but you have to come experience it. It’s not all about the house. That’s hard for those who aren’t familiar with the area. Often, they want to focus on the house, but I encourage them to think about their lifestyle. What do you want around the corner? What do you want to see when you walk out the door? What do you need to be close to?
Look for Rhonda and MojoRiding in bright pink and green, or check out Charlotte Premier Realty.
