Real Estate Partners Chattanooga has tapped Diane Burke to be the managing broker of the company’s “East” location. Burke will continue to grow her personal real estate business with her business partner, Christa French, while serving as managing broker, says Darlene Brown, president and founder of Real Estate Partners.
“I was fortunate to hire Diane into this business, so it’s especially meaningful to have her join our company both as an agent and in her new management and leadership role,” Brown says. “She ‘walks her talk,’ and possesses the experience, as well as the leadership and management skills, necessary to be an exemplary managing broker.”
Burke succeeds Sue Shaw as managing broker of the nearly 25-agent office, which is located on Shallowford Road.
“We owe Sue a huge debt of gratitude for her service as managing broker. Sue will be focusing on her personal real estate business and mentoring her granddaughter, Samantha Shaw, who recently embarked on her real estate career,” Brown says.
Strong female leadership is one of the factors that prompted Burke to make the move to Real Estate Partners and seek a management role.
“I grew up around the real estate business and knew Darlene by reputation. She was the only person I interviewed with when I began in real estate 15 years ago,” she says.
“As my managing broker, she set the foundation for me in my real estate practice. When she started her company, I followed her success and watched with admiration the company she built and how she built it.”
Burke says reaching a point in her career path in which she wanted to “give back” to her chosen profession also played a role in her decision to become a managing broker.
“I’m proud of the business I built and the way I’ve built it, and want to give back to my profession, instill ethics, best practices and accountability in agents who are new to business, and be a resource and sounding board for experienced agents.”
Prior to her real estate career, Burke spent 16 years in the corporate franchising industry. This provided her with an extensive background in customer service.
A certified relocation specialist who holds the Accredited Buyer Representative designation, Burke has built a real estate business with two distinct and very different market sectors - first time home buyers and relocation.
“There’s nothing more satisfying than working with a first timer and holding their hand as they go from being nervousness, to learning, to asking questions,” Burke adds. “It’s very fulfilling to be at the closing table and see their excitement. It keeps me motivated.
“I now have a lot of those first timers – my babies, as I call them – buying their second and third homes with me. It truly is a blessing to be a part of their life decisions.”
Burke draws on her management and systems side when working with corporate relocation clients.
“My corporate career gave me a strong systems background, so working with clients to make corporate moves is a niche I love,” she says. “Their needs are more unique than the average client. They might need a more extensive list of services. We work hard to lessen the stress of clients making moves either into or out of the Chattanooga area.”
A Chattanooga-area native, Burke says she likes that Real Estate Partners is a “hometown” company.
“Real Estate Partners is the Chattanooga area’s leading locally owned, independent real estate company, and the only company of its kind among the top five real estate companies in town,” she says.
“I like that we’re Chattanooga grown and operated. We are a part of our local business community, which we support and serve. All our tax dollars stay right here, and we have a network of local business vendors we utilize as well.”
With 109 real estate professionals, Real Estate Partners Chattanooga has three offices – Downtown, East and Signal Mountain. The company completed 2018 with over $318 million in sales and an average sales price of $286,925 – the highest average sales price of any of the top 10 Chattanooga area real estate companies, according to the local MLS.
Contact Burke at 423 774-7703 or dianeburkehomes@gmail.com.
Source: Real Estate Partners
Chattanooga