By Andrew Kolbenschlag
It’s no secret that the housing market has been hard hit by the current economic climate. According to SBR Realty, however, the dream of owning a home is alive in Trenton.
SBR co-owners Shelly Bryant-Reed and Fareeda Stokes founded the company in 2008 with the mission of empowering and educating clients during the real estate experience. They seek to build trust with their clients and nurture a sense of community in their neighborhoods.
The two women were born and raised within the city of Trenton. They say that after trying corporate careers, they realized that real estate would afford them more of an opportunity to give back to their community. “I didn’t find the corporate world to be rewarding for me,” says Bryant-Reed.
“I didn’t find that I was doing anything to help people. I decided to get my real estate license, (and) it turned out that I really enjoyed what I was doing for people. It was very rewarding to see, at the end of a transaction, a family’s dream come true.”
Fareeda Stokes says that when she got into the business, she quickly realized that most people had little idea how the process of buying or selling a home worked.
“What I found when working with clients is that a number of people had no idea what the process was,” she says. “They just knew that they had purchased a house, but they didn’t really understand.”
SBR Realty now makes education the cornerstone of their realtor-client relationships.
“I like to sit down with the clients up front,” Stokes says, “and go over everything, so that they have a clear idea of what to expect when purchasing a home.”
SBR’s educational approach, according to Stokes, includes alerting consumers to government assistance programs, encouraging renters to own property instead, and teaching clients how to use real estate investments as a stepping-stone to building wealth.
Stokes and Bryant-Reed say their efforts to empower homebuyers have resulted in SBR having a “vibrant” presence and reputation in the community. The company hosted a block party on Passaic Street in Trenton on Aug. 6.
“We had numerous people, lots and lots of kids enjoying the festivities,” says Bryant-Reed.
Fareeda Stokes says that the purpose of the block party was twofold: encourage renters to buy homes and cultivate a sense of community.
“It was good seeing the camaraderie of the community and how people living in the community really have a neighborhood feel amongst them,” she says. “Having everyone come out of their homes, having people who currently rent in that neighborhood realize that they can actually buy these homes and it could be cheaper than the rent that they’re paying. We try to educate people and change the neighborhood, and this was a great way to get out in the community and impact people.”
As for the economy, Bryant-Reed says that while they don’t see the economic downturn coming to a close just yet, “business is still moving. There are still people who have faith in the home buying process and willing to take that step forward. Real estate is and always will be a great source for people to be able to build wealth.”
Stokes agrees, saying that there is a silver lining to the current economy. “Now is the time, really, for people to be purchasing property,” she says. “People are really able to get in here and start creating that level of wealth for themselves. Now is the time to start.”
SBR has a several current promotions going on that offer clients the opportunity to get into a home without a prohibitively expensive initial down payment. They hold free seminars to share information about programs and services with the public. In addition to real estate, SBR performs notary services and certified public adjustments.
SBR’s office is located at 849 West State Street in Trenton. They can be reached by phone at (609) 392-0600 or via e-mail at info@sbrrealtypros.com. More information about SBR’s programs and services can be found at sbrrealtypros.com.
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