Mary Lyons Weller

Coldwell Banker River Valley, REALTORS

How many years in the business: 32

Q: Give us a little bio of yourself, how and when and why you got into real estate?

In 1990 I started my career in a small office with Paul Butzer as the broker & 2 other part time agents. At that time, I was working 3 jobs while also raising a family. Even while balancing work and family, I was instrumental in transforming “Butzer Realty’’ from 3 agents to as many as 25 agents. I quickly learned that real estate was the perfect fit for me because of my work ethic and I knew a lot of people as I came from a large family all born & raised in Mankato. I have endless amounts of energy & have always worked hard at anything I set my mind to!

Q: What have been the biggest changes in the business that you’ve seen over the years:

Technology (by far) has been the best thing that could have ever happened to the way real estate is transferred from one owner to another!

Q: What do you think are the secrets to your success?

The way in which I interact with my clients – they get & deserve every bit of my attention. I am a simple, small-town gal, but I’ve always been a people person. I believe that my strong work ethic & willingness to go the extra mile are evident in my production, year over year.

Q: How have higher prices, rising interest and low stock changed the landscape and how you approach your job?

Over the years, the price of homes has continued to increase, but it still proves to be a very lucrative investment to make for many. The interest rates are all relative as historically we are still seeing some of the lowest housing rates in the market.

Q: What are some of the key questions buyers and sellers should be asking real estate agents?

SELLERS – “What offering strategy do you recommend?”

BUYERS – “Is this home well priced for our current market conditions?”

Q: What things are buyers and sellers unprepared for or mistakes they make coming into the process?

I think the biggest mistake is not listening to the expertise & guidance from their real estate agent.

SELLERS need to take the necessary time preparing all areas of their home prior to listing & to look at their home from a buyers perspective, viewing the home for the first time.

BUYERS need to be prepared & aligned with a reputable financer with full preapproval in place prior to making an offer on a home. There is a lot of competition out there, many of which are cash buyers these days!

Q: What would people be surprised to know about you?

The majority of agents typically move at least once, if not twice, to different offices over the course of their career. I started with Butzer Realty in 1990 & have never switched. It was in 2004 when I purchased the Coldwell Banker franchise with Karla Haley Malone & changed the name to Coldwell Banker Welcome Home Realty. On Dec. 1 of this last year we merged our company with the Olson family & are now part of a much larger Coldwell Banker affiliateColdwell Banker River Valley, REALTORS.