The ownership of a company you do business with often reflects a great deal on the kind of service and attention you can expect from it. Amanda Alejandro, who owns The Realty Shop St. Louis with her husband Jay Steinback, notes local corporate ownership of a firm such as theirs can translate into seamless coverage of clients’ needs and expectations.
“It matters that we are owned and operated here in St. Louis, and that we are female-owned,” says Alejandro, who has more than 16 years of experience as a real estate agent and entrepreneur. “During this spring market, consumers have a lot of questions about complex topics like inventory saturation, interest rates and inflation. They can be sure they won’t see any gaps in service when they do business with us. I think women are known for their ability to do a lot of things well simultaneously, and I really try to bring that versatility into the business.”
Alejandro says The Realty Shop helps clients with everything they need for a successful transaction, including arrangements for a loan, deed transfers, home photography and videography, as-is home purchasing and other services. The company serves clients who are buying, selling, renting, building a house, refinancing and getting insured.
She says consumers who contact The Realty Shop to buy or sell a property can always expect a courteous response, see properties when it works for them and be confident they are dealing with an agent who understands local and national sales activity. “As competitive as the market still is these days, it’s possible for opportunities to be overlooked,” Alejandro says. “But you won’t miss out when doing business with our company. Homes still are getting four to seven offers each, and they still are going over list price on average. We track all of the area offers that are being made each week, so we know what contracts have been accepted, and we can see which offers are most successful. Our company has a weekly contract acceptance rate of 96%, which is much higher than the average.”
A major reason behind The Realty Shop’s successful formula is the high level of customer convenience it offers, according to Alejandro. “We recently were licensed to add a title company, so we now will be processing titles internally, and we have other business units coming online as well,” she notes. “By the end of the year, our new mortgage company also will be in operation.” Some experts predict interest rates will see a double-digit rise, so the company feels it is important to have all related services under one roof to keep the process easy and affordable for clients, she adds.
“Here’s how I often explain our business to consumers,” Alejandro says. “If you were looking to make a significant purchase like a car, would you go into the private marketplace and deal with an individual who doesn’t have the resources to vet the car and make sure it’s the right buy for you? Chances are you’d feel more confident visiting an established, reputable dealer, because there’s a team to help with sales, financing, service, maintenance and everything else in one spot. We believe that same kind of one-stop convenience brings success in the current real estate market.”
The Realty Shop is a full-service, Creve Coeur-based real estate brokerage that provides turnkey home buying and selling services. Pictured on the cover: President and brokerage owner Amanda Alejandro. For more information, call 314.372.0324 or visit realtyshopstl.com.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo Courtesy of The Realty Shop
Pictured at top: President and brokerage owner Amanda Alejandro
Photo courtesy of The Realty Shop
