Greetings from Buyers Advantage Group Realty
"A customer in the beginning, a friend for life...."
This is the watchword that embodies the spirit of our work and the client relationships we are devoted to sustaining. It is the philosophy we have dedicated our lives to pursuing, and we would be honored to have you be a part of it. We sincerely welcome you to become our customer, our Triangle neighbor... and lifelong friend!
Co-Founders of Buyers Advantage Group Realty, LLC
Barbara Gressens
Broker, CRS, CLHMS, SRES, NAEBA
3737 Glenwood Ave, Suite 100
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Office: (919) 573-6150
Direct: (919) 524-4299
Fax Number: (919) 573-6151
barbarag@buyersadvantagegroup.net
Formerly a Midwest baby from the snowy banks of Lake Michigan with love for the Cubs coursing through my veins, I have come to love the Triangle's culture and values. Prior to my arrival to the Triangle, I have been privileged to have traveled in and out of the United States, studying architecture, art, various cultures, and at times, a little vino. Originally contemplating a career as a teacher, one semester with eighth graders set me straight (my hat's off to all Teachers everywhere!). After re-evaluating my future, I turned to a career in home building. My career in the housing industry started in the early 80's working with builders in the Maryland/Northern Virginia areas. I have experience every aspect of new construction from home design/plan development to site superintendent to purchasing manager to operations and systems management. In all of those 18 plus years in new construction, I never contemplated working in the sales side of the industry. I just could not get past the idea of serving two masters, my employer and the customers who thought I was their sales agent when in fact I only would have been representing my employer (the builder).
While building homes in the Triangle area, I was introduced to the Exclusive Buyers Agency concept and was able to see first hand the exceptional level of service the exclusive agency principals provided their buyer clients. Over eight years ago, I became an exclusive buyer agent and shortly there after open the Triangle's second Exclusive Buyer Agency with my business partner, Marge Bish. We have proudly put together a professional group of industry leaders to help our clients through the home buying process. Our goal is to provide not only the best buying experience available in the Triangle but also a source of information for any home related services.
Please take the time to review our web site which is full of good information for any person preparing to start the steps in the buying process. Knowing your options and understanding your choices will allow you to make the best decisions for your future. We at Buyers Advantage Group Realty hope to have the opportunity to share our services with you. We are here to be your advocates. Please contact us at anytime if you think we can aid in your home search.
Marge Bish
Broker, CBR, CRS, CLHMS, SRES, NAEBA
3737 Glenwood Ave, Suite 100
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Office: (919) 573-6150
Direct: (919) 796-8513
Fax Number: (919) 573-6151
marge@buyersadvantagegroup.net
In the early 80's while living in Southern California I became infected with the "Real Estate Bug" and have never recovered. After a couple of years living in California, I returned to Western New York which had been home while raising a family and Arabian horses. This gave me many contacts to pursue in starting real estate again in that area.
In 1988 I relocated to the Raleigh area and again practiced real estate as a traditional agent. When an opportunity arose to do exclusive buyers agency in 1992 I felt I had found my true calling. Just as many agents prefer working with sellers I have always preferred the buyers side, and it was a natural next step for me to achieve certification as a Certified Residential Specialist.
Listening to a buyer’s needs and wants are my prime focus. I strive to obtain for each and every client the right home in the right location to meet their individual requirements. Real estate is an ever changing, always learning career. Each client has unique criteria that warrant understanding and evaluation. Moving is a major life change for anyone and those changes need to be addressed with each individual in mind.
Katie Dunkle
Client Coordinator, NAEBA
3737 Glenwood Ave Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612
Office: (919) 573-6150
Fax: (919) 573-6151
agentassistant1@buyersadvantagegroup.net
I was born in Philadelphia, PA, but grew up in Charlotte. I consider NC home, having lived and worked in Raleigh and the surrounding area for over 25 years. I will tell you that I don’t every want to live anywhere else! This is where my three children and four grandchildren were born, are growing up and being educated. This is where they will ultimately decide: Are they going to be Tarheels, Blue Devils, or Wolfpackers? I love the weather, the culture, and the friendly people. I love NC for so many reasons.
Most likely they are the very same reasons our local clients would not consider living anywhere else and why our new families choose to relocate here. North Carolina is simply “A Better Place to Be.”
The same thing can be said for the Buyer’s Advantage Group. It too is a better place to be, for both agents and clients. After working in general real estate brokerage for several years, I came to the conclusion that, for many, a career in real estate was about building the business of the agent and his or her associated firm. It is a numbers game with the goals always to increase the numbers. The number of clients, the number of transactions, the number of referrals, and, yes, the number of bank deposits. The problem as I see it is that, to successfully increase those numbers, something has to suffer. What suffers is the ability to provide the level of care and service I feel each client is entitled to regardless of what stage of the process a client was in.
To me, being a real estate professional is about being a trusted consultant and advisor; an advocate for each client throughout the entire home-buying process. I am very pleased to be affiliated with a firm that shares my goal.
Barbara and Marge have entrusted in me the important job of supporting this very philosophy. As the office’s Agent Assistant/Client Coordinator, I will be a source of information for our clients as well as assure that their transactions move along smoothly and worry free. For our agents, I will be providing the office support they need to keep them available to do what they do best – provide the superior level of service that our clients have come to expect.
John LaFalaise
Realtor, NAEBA
3737 Glenwood Ave Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612
Office: (919) 573-6150
Direct: (919) 723-0492
Fax: (919) 573-6151
John@buyersadvantagegroup.net
I am originally from Brooklyn, New York. In 1986 my family and I relocated to south Florida and now here I am in lovely Raleigh, North Carolina. I was dragged kicking and screaming to Florida by my parents and I always stated that I would go back, although I love Brooklyn, which never happened.
As an adult I had always been intrigued by owning real estate, and in 1999 my wife and I decided to purchase our first home, but we did it with out the help of any real estate professional, a big mistake. The market in Florida then began to grow so fast that the first time home buyer, especially, was priced out of the opportunity to own.
When we decided to relocate to North Carolina, I experienced buyer agency first hand and it was the best decision we made, yes I was a client before I joined as an agent. I knew that I wanted to be a part of making that dream of home ownership a reality for as many people as I could. I greatly appreciate Buyers Advantage Group for allowing me to join the team and I look forward to many years of providing the same level of knowledge, professionalism, expertise and service that has come to be what our clients expect and deserve. If you would like to contact me please feel free to call the office at (919) 573-6150 or my mobile phone (919) 723-0492. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sharon Ward
Broker, NAEBA
3737 Glenwood Ave Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612
Office: (919) 573-6150
Direct: (919) 621-1701
Fax: (919) 573-6151
SWard@buyersadvantagegroup.net
I am originally from Trinidad, West Indies. After growing up there, I moved to California. I lived several years in San Jose and San Francisco. After graduating from SJSU, I began my work career in high technology companies in Silicon Valley. I moved to Cary with my family, in January of 2003. We were interested in finding a less crowded and hectic environment, and feel we have found that here.
My previous background is working in a large corporation, and subsequently going into my own business of interior design and home staging. As I became more involved with staging clients homes for the market, I was drawn into Real Estate. I started out working as a traditional agent, but I preferred to focus as a buyer's agent, and when an opportunity arose to join Buyers Advantage Group, I was very pleased to become a part of this Realty.
I strive to facilitate the home buying experience for my clients as much as I can, so as to have a succesful and rewarding real estate purchase, as well as a comfortable home.
We are prepared to help you evaluate a home, and use our expertise to advise you
with your selection process, as well as to be a resource for other home related services. After moving into a new home, I offer to clients a consultation of their interior design or re-design possibilities.
Kevin Hagen
Broker
3737 Glenwood Ave Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612
Office: (919) 573-6150
Fax: (919) 573-6151
KevinHagen01@yahoo.com
Who knows Raleigh more than a Raleigh Native Realtor? Helping everyone find a place to call home.
There are very few Raleigh natives in the area, that’s why we feel so fortunate to have Raleigh native Kevin Hagen.
Kevin was born in Raleigh, grew up in the Mordecai neighborhood, the family home is still in his and his siblings possession. He attended Sacred Heart Elementary School on Hillsborough Street, graduated from Enloe High School in Raleigh and then graduated from East Carolina University in Greenville. Kevin’s career was originally in hotel and restaurant management. He was a manager for an exclusive restaurant in the once four star Velvet Cloak Inn Hotel on Hillsborough Street.
Kevin loves animals, travel, yoga and cycling. Currently Kevin resides in the University Park neighborhood between Oberlin Road and Wade Ave. Kevin has always been able to call Raleigh home. His passion is to help everyone he meets also find a place in Raleigh and the surrounding area, that they too can call home.
