I have known Tracey Keels for over 20 years through my friendship with her husband. Having been the police chief in Wilmington and my past 30 years in public law enforcement, I have always been careful about who I did personal business and associated with, a law enforcement career of experience on this topic.
I saw her progress from managing an auto parts center, where skills required were memory, transition to computerization, customer satisfaction to build return customer base. When she decided to enter real-estate, I am aware that she attended more than the basic required education. She was interested and went on to more advanced land/home sales knowledge. She has a good grasp on the current legal requirements for her job and seems to be always advancing her knowledge.
When we decided to sell, there was no question in our choice of realtor agent. Tracey met with us and educated us on the current real estate transaction process. We had not moved in 23 years and much had changed. I appreciated her education first on the basics and legal process.
Her next step was to evaluate the house and property herself and begin a strategy for sale to include pricing. We came to learn that her estimated value was accurate.
Prior to listing, she helped us with "staging ideas", property improvements we could do and ideas to increase curb appeal. She provided us with personal inside and materials to increase buyer interest. She even came and pressure washed my concrete drive, front porch, walks etc. herself - a significant amount of personally invested labor.
She helped find contractors to help with interior painting, an improved drainage/water run off to the street and small items to set out for showing. She spent hours helping with large and little details to promote the property. She had an excellent sense of buyer expectations and obvious experience in knowing how to promote and stage.
During the process she kept in continued timely communication, answered questions and made professional suggestions, all of which we agreed on after reasoning the decisions.
She has a good interpersonal demeanor, present well, has good communication skills and is a listener. Several times we had differences pf opinions. She has the skill and knowledge, listen and then communicate her reasons for a decision. She was right on the ones that were important. I conceded to her recommendations on multiple occasions. She never made me feel I was "wrong", was patient and polite in explaining her side of an issue.
While I did know her from before the home sale, I came to trust her judgment, was impressed with the significant time she spent personally to help us through a complicated, life change experience and helped reduce our frustration and anxiety during a difficult in a major financial and life change.
In closing, she exceeded our expectations and those expectations were high. She has the flexibility to evaluate each situation that come up and select her approach to problem solving - a highly skilled negotiator.
We would work with her again if needed, will miss her professonal friendship and recommend her to anyone wanting to walk away from a real-estate negotiation feeling comfortable in the end.
John & Susan Cease
870 Church St.
Christiansburg, VA 24073
