Q: Can you share with us what made you decide to have a career in Real Estate? 
EL: I have always had a love of real estate and design, so in my 20s I took a part time job working for a builder in North Raleigh. I would sit in the model home on a Saturday and get to know the families that came in. That’s when I really fell in love with the idea of it as a career. It took me almost 20 years to get here, but I knew I wanted to help people and build relationships at the same time and helping someone with one of the biggest decisions of their lives is a special kind of relationship. I am so glad that I found a whole team of professionals at The Rachel Kendall Team that has the same set of systems and beliefs.  

Q: Can you share with our audience what Buyers & Sellers can expect when they work with you?
EL: More than anything, I want my clients to feel like they are the only person I am working with, because that’s how I would want to be treated. Even though I may be working with six other families, they know that they can call me anytime, and that they are supported by a whole team of incredible people committed to educate and guide them towards our shared goal. The Rachel Kendall Team believes in helping families create homes one house at a time and our buyers & sellers can expect to feel like they are the only ones.

Q: How do you help buyers compete in a tight market?
EL: I get creative! Maybe that means looking at the “coming soon” listings and putting in a very strong offer before it hits the market or calling homeowners in a neighborhood that just had a listing sell in one day for over asking, I have even been looking back at the listings from a month ago that are still sitting on the market and just need a little TLC. If I can save my buyer $20,000 in due diligence then they can put that money towards some new flooring and paint and make it the home they want. It has been tough in the Raleigh market for buyers, but if you have an agent that can think outside the box and won’t give up just because it’s hard, good things will happen.  

Q: If we interviewed all your past clients … what is one common word that comes up when they describe working with you?
EL: Patience. In this profession if you don’t have patience, then you are in the wrong career. I love the process of meeting my clients where they are, whether they are a year away, or a week away from moving. I enjoy sitting down with them to explain the buying and selling process, how I will fit in and what they can expect from me, and what I need from them. I personally like to do this before I ever show them a single home. Of course, not everyone has the time for a full consultation, but I find the ones who do sit down and take the time to learn from me and educate themselves have a much smoother experience.

Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience?
EL: Accountability. Accountability to myself, to achieve my goals, for my clients so they know that I am 100% available, and for my team, so we can celebrate each other’s successes and lift each other up if we fall. 

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?
EL: Find yourself a good mentor and soak up everything you can from her. Ask questions, be curious. Never be afraid to fail because it is only a failure if you don’t learn from your mistakes. 

Q: After high school, where did you feel your career path would take you? 
EL: I was a professional ballerina with Carolina Ballet right out of high school, so I honestly didn’t see myself as ever having to decide on a career. I’d worked so hard for so long and my path was set, but after a bad knee injury and a baby I couldn’t see myself making a living as a performer anymore. I think the dedication and drive I had as an artist has helped me immensely in my real estate career and I will always see myself as an artist and entertainer.

Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance?
EL: I am a big believer of an IDS, Ideal Weekly Schedule. With “Ideal” being the key word. My days don’t always allow for family time, but I try and carve out a little time on my IWS to spend with my husband, Chad and my son, Logan. He’s 17 now, so he’s not always up for “mom time” but it’s important for me that he knows I am there if he needs me, even if it’s just to buy him new shoes. It was more difficult to balance when he was little, but I made it a goal to take him to school every day, which was our time to talk about what was going on in his world and it kept me in the loop. 

Q: What would be the title of your autobiography?
EL: Putting the “Real” in Real Estate. Anyone who has worked with me knows that I am an open book, so to speak.

Six Things About Emily Lovin

1. What's your favorite family tradition? 
We get the whole family together for every birthday. My mom and dad, my sister, her husband and their three children, me, Chad and Logan. Even during Covid, we had socially distant birthday parties. I love that.  

2. What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?
Beyonce 

3. Best and worst flavor ice cream? 
Best is Chocolate, Almond Coconut and worst is Coffee

4. What’s your favorite quote or saying? 
Be the person your dog thinks you are. 

5. What would your perfect vacation look like? 
White beaches, turquoise water, a house on stilts over the water with a private chef, also an open bar and our own private yacht for excursions. 

6. Favorite City? 
San Francisco