Business Focus: Kelly Lawson, Mariner Realty

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The beauty of working in a career one absolutely loves is that it brings freedom and energy daily to accomplish the tasks at hand. Kelly Lawson, a REALTOR® with Mariner Realty located in Willis, is characterized by this enthusiasm and drive as she helps each client find the new home or business location that most perfectly meets their need. As she states, “I am a relationship realtor, not merely content on completing transactions, but focused on creating relationships that will last long after the documents have been filed away.” A recent quote from a client speaks to this fact:

“Kelly is a realtor that listens to your wish list and goes out to find the house of your dreams. She is great in guiding your journey with facts and never loses patience when you want to look just one more time. I was so pleased with Kelly when she was selling our house that I asked her to travel an hour and half away to be my realtor when purchasing our new home. She could have easily said no because of the drive. Not Kelly. Within a month, we found our new home, and paperwork was initiated. If I ever have to move again, she will be my first call. It is with great respect and pleasure that I would recommend Kelly for your realtor needs.”

Kelly grew up in Bammell Forest in the FM 1960 area south of The Woodlands, and she has lived in Montgomery County since 1990. Her jobs during and after her high school years have taught her numerous skills which have been invaluable in bringing success to her real estate career. As Kelly expresses it so well, “I have been collecting skills that I would eventually use in real estate, and I credit God with guiding me along the entire way. He has been directing my path.” From selling pizza at Shakely’s Pizza during high school, working at Target and JCPenney during college, becoming a studio photographer for a printing company in Houston after college, and eventually working in the newspaper industry for 19 years, each step along the way nurtured skills she uses today. These tangible skills included marketing, social media, photography, advertising, and long and short range planning and project management. Project management has proven to be extremely useful in recent years, as well as the ability to work well with people.

Learning to listen and connect with customers through her years of selling cameras, jewelry, and commercial printing jobs has resulted in Kelly’s ability to understand and respect her clients. As she states, “Understanding is the path to respect. I remember when my kids were teenagers, they always wanted respect. We continued to tell them during those years that respect is earned, not given. Bringing that concept into real estate, I might not always have the same taste in homes as my clients, but I can understand and appreciate their likes and dislikes to the point that, when I am working with them, they become mine.”

This way of thinking is a factor in Kelly earning a Five Star rating for the fifth year by Five Star Professional, a company founded in 2003 to identify and promote professional excellence in order to assist consumers in selecting professionals known for exceptional client satisfaction and service. In fact, Mariner Realty, the boutique brokerage firm from which Kelly works, had 7 Five Star winners in 2016. “The agents and support team here are all like-minded. We all feel strongly about superior customer service and endeavor each day to go above and beyond what is normally expected,”

Kelly notes. “‘Real Estate, Done Right’ is a phrase which sums up Mariner Realty. That’s not to say that we don’t make mistakes, because, after all, we are human. But, we own up to them and work to fix mistakes before they become problems or issues.”

Going above and beyond the expected service is a constant with Kelly. Wendy Welsh, Broker at Mariner Realty, attests to the fact that Kelly gives 100% to all that she does. “Kelly is so generous with her knowledge in a wide range of fields. We go to her constantly for help with advertising and other publications. This desire to give of herself is seen, not only in a business setting, but on a personal level as well. Her generosity with her time and in sharing her expertise would be hard to match! She is a tremendous asset to our Mariner team!”

Kelly is comfortable as both a Buyer’s agent and a Listing agent. She spent 2016 training and studying commercial real estate and currently works with several clients on commercial projects. The 25 agents at Mariner Realty work as a true team, sharing their knowledge and experience to promote success within the group.

Teaming up with fellow Mariner agent Cindy Waters since mid-2016 has been a very positive step for both Kelly and Cindy. Cindy’s 17 years of experience in real estate, photography, and publishing, combined with Kelly’s IT experience, sales, photography, and social media strengths creates a strong foundation of knowledge and experience for their clients. As Cindy expressed, “I feel that Kelly and I both possess the same level of honesty and integrity and the same work ethic, and along with our business backgrounds, this allows us to offer our clients an incredible experience in real estate.” This team approach is a huge service to clients if one or the other agent needs to be away. “Our clients know who they can call and that questions will be answered by someone they know,” adds Kelly.

Kelly’s plans for the future? “I have only been with Mariner for 2 years, but I love it here. I trust that God has a plan, and I didn’t get here a second sooner or later than He planned. As I said, everything in my life has worked together to put me where I am today, as well as where I will be in 5, 10 and even 20 years, should God allow me to still be here on earth.”

Treating people fairly and analyzing processes to be efficient with time and resources were lessons learned from her parents, and these, along with her many other abilities, should continue to establish Kelly’s success in real estate for years to come. Her honesty, integrity, and work ethic are portrayed in an “I Will” list which her clients receive, a compilation of services and courtesies they can expect from her as their REALTOR®. And as your REALTOR®, you can count on the fact that she will become your lifelong friend in the process. That’s the kind of person she is, and the kind of REALTOR® you can trust!

One who loves what she does, enjoys the people she works with and for, and has the energy and enthusiasm to do real estate RIGHT—that’s Kelly Lawson of Mariner Realty.

Kelly Lawson
Cell Phone: 936-525-9589
Office Phone: 936-225-5855

Mariner Realty
13185 Fm 1097 Rd W Ste E
Willis, TX 77318
marinerrealtyonline.com