Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherry LeBlanc.
Hi Sherry, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After I graduated from UT, I started my career path in social work. I took a position at the Capital Area Food Bank (now Central Texas Food Bank) and quickly moved to heading the Programs Department as the Programs Director. One of my greatest achievements was starting the Mobile Food Pantry program, taking groceries to towns around Central Texas suffering from extreme food insecurity. This is when I really became acquainted with all of the towns surrounding Austin. While working there, I was also singing in a band called Love Inks and fully involved in the Austin music scene.
After buying my first home, it really hit me how stressful the home-buying process was. Along with that, I was watching a lot of the music community get priced out of Austin rent. These are the two things that really sparked my interest in real estate. I felt I could use the tools I learned in social work to help make the process less stressful for people and help empower people to break out of the increasing rental rates. In 2010, I quit my position at the food bank to tour full-time with my band. This was when I started studying for my real estate license. I also began researching tools like USDA loans and down payment assistance programs, that could help people I know invest in real estate and stop paying rent.
From the time I got my license until now, my focus has been on first-time home buyers. Many of my sales are in Elgin, Lockhart, Taylor and other towns surrounding Austin. This is because those areas typically have lower price points for houses and many times qualify for zero-down loan programs. About 50% of my sales are in the areas around Austin and 50% are inside Austin City Limits.
In 2020, I decided to get my broker’s license to further my education and start my own company. I began Love Street Realty in 2020. Earlier this year, I merged my company with Allure Realty as a team, mainly because I missed the social aspect of having co-workers.
After a decade of working in this industry, I have worked with everything from luxury to land, commercial to investment, and of course, the backbone of my work is still assisting first-time homebuyers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Real estate is an unpredictable industry, so there is always the uncertainty that comes with the moving market. The pandemic was a huge shift, with almost every property going under contract in 72 hours, and well above the list price. It was hard for me to stomach that my clients would have to sign an appraisal waiver, agreeing to pay over market value to purchase a home. It was a great time for sellers. This lasted from roughly April 2020 until mid-2022. Now that the market is leveling back out, the playing field is much more even.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My true passions are interior design and historic preservation. A lot of clients come my way because they trust my design eye and style. Over the years, I’ve developed the ability to walk into a house and see the small changes that could be made to really make it shine. I believe I’m primarily known for my love of historic houses and my ability to seek out some of the most charming homes throughout Central Texas. I would love to eventually evolve into design work along with real estate, merging the two worlds that mean so much to me.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I am probably more of a risk taker than most people, as I was raised with a true ‘you only live once’ approach to life. My biggest risk is probably my personal home in Northwest Austin. It was built in 1875 and was close to being a tear down when we bought it. The process of restoring this home has been a true labor of love and really strengthened the bond between my husband and I. It has paid off in that it is truly our dream home and a safe haven for our family. When it comes to clients, I am less of a risk taker and always do the due diligence to make sure their investment is sound. I think in real estate, taking a risk can be one of the most exciting and rewarding things you can do.
Contact Info:
- Website: lovestreetrealestate.com
- Instagram: @lovestreetrealty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherryLeBlancRealtor
- Other: https://sherryleblanc.alluretx.com
