LISTENING TO YOUR NEEDS

Laurie Loparo makes home buying a positive and stress-free experience

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

Laurie loparo is all about making the home - buying experience an enjoyable process and that starts with careful listening. Loparo wants her buyers to lead the conversation while she thoughtfully absorbs all they convey. As she listens, Loparo is assessing her clients’ needs, their timeline for the purchase and move-in, their priorities, their budget and, most certainly, their taste.

And as she gathers the details, she is weighing the listings she anticipates will be appropriate against those in which her clients have expressed an interest. Open communication and continuing conversation about the properties being explored is key to Loparo’s success in helping clients find just the right new home and community.

Loparo considers that, for most people, a home purchase only occurs at a few junctures in their lifetime and at the front end of that process clients often don’t know what they do and don’t want until they see it. She also knows this is likely the largest purchase they may ever make, and the enormity of that requires careful consideration.

knowledge, and this is where Loparo excels. Her professional knowledge, years of experience and continuous training factor into successful outcomes for her many customers.

An Ohio transplant, Loparo made her way to the area via a job transfer in 2001. She studied social work at Ohio State University, and her education and experience in social services have served her well, with her counseling expertise translating seamlessly into real estate sales. The Lowcountry turned out to be the perfect place for Loparo’s family to put down roots. They love the beaches and parks, recreational activities, the great schools, as well as the region’s social scene. Loparo is especially connected to her church and numerous local charities. It is her pleasure to give her time and share her financial good fortune with the SPCA and the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as with local food pantries and schools. One of Loparo’s favorite pastimes is serving as a docent at Middleton Place, one of the Charleston area’s most important historic landmarks, which is now a museum and gardens.

Loparo also brings to the table numerous advanced real estate credentials, having completed studies related to best current practices for assisting both buyers and sellers. A special service Loparo offers to sellers is an extensive marketing plan. Also of note is her certification as a Military Relocation Professional. Loparo loves working with military families and has a personal connection to their needs and challenges, having helped her son’s family relocate on several occasions during his career in the Air Force.

As a full-time, licensed Realtor since 2004, Loparo achieved success as a “Rising Star” her first year in business. She has gone on to win awards every year since, either as part of a Top Producing Team or as an individual recipient of the coveted “Realtor of Distinction,” having earned this honor each year since 2012.

“Clients need to have seen enough properties to feel confident they have found the ‘right one,’ because a house is more than four walls. There is much to consider—the neighborhood, the location and many other factors—all of which play into whether a particular listing is the home for the years to come,” she says.

Because the Charleston tri-county area is large and has a diversity of lifestyles, Loparo feels it’s important to carefully assess a client’s priorities, then guide them toward those areas that will best meet their needs and expectations.

Having lived in the tri-county area for over 20 years, through its growth and its ups and downs, Loparo’s familiarity with the region affords her that inside knowledge that can help narrow down the home search, making the process less frustrating and ensuring clients connect with the most appealing and appropriate listings. Loparo recognizes that every client has unique needs, and she focuses on areas and properties she knows will hit the mark in satisfying them.

Finding the right home is just the first step in the process of purchasing a home. The details of getting to closing are equally important and often challenging, requiring finesse in finding the right financial products for each client. From contract to negotiations, loan options, inspections, repairs and closing attorneys, all of these crucial steps require expertise and

“My clients trust me with their friends and family, so I cannot disappoint them. I refer to them as ‘My People,’ and I treat them accordingly. My job is to ensure they end up in the home of their dreams and that they enjoy all Charleston has to offer as much as I do,” Loparo says. *

Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire. CAROLINA