When Joanne Cembrook moved from Virginia to West Virginia, she realized she was doing a heavier lift in listing her former home than her real estate agent was. It’s no wonder – Cembrook had herself been an agent before taking a two-decade-long hiatus to pursue other passions. During that time, Cembrook remained keenly interested in the market, so much so that she decided to get licensed in her home state, as well as Virginia and Maryland following the experience with her Realtor. Upon her return, Cembrook joined RE/MAX as it was the company she had been familiar with 20 years ago when she first joined the industry. After taking time to really think about the type of support her business needed from a brokerage, Cembrook, who produced $10M in volume in 2020 after re-entering the industry 3.5 years ago, made the move to Keller Williams.
“When it comes to technology, we weren’t even sending emails when I left the industry in 2001. They were brand-new. So I really had to teach myself everything and found that if I really wanted to grow and take my business to the next level, it was crucial that I got the kind of training, development, and support offered at Keller Williams,” Cembrook says.
The elite technology combined with in-depth training and legendary culture made for a smooth transition for Cembrook’s business. “I’d already read The Millionaire Real Estate Agent and hired a transaction coordinator and knew that Keller Williams was the place for teams. There are so many different models out there, and I knew that Keller Williams was really set up for people who wanted to build and grow teams. Now my teammate is soon to be licensed, so we’re on our way. The whole transition has been completely seamless.”
For Cembrook, real estate runs in the family. Both of her parents were brokers, and she grew up assisting her mother, who was the top local agent in their town. That is what had originally led Cembrook to pursue real estate, before she ventured away from the industry to become a professional figure skater and the director of a skating facility.
Now, joining the new era of real estate, she is excited about learning Command and having all her technological tools right at her fingertips. Right now, she is already diving deep into training opportunities and is blown away by the constant opportunities to learn and grow and get better at her job. “I’m most impressed by the communication I get from Keller Williams, both corporate and my market center. Everyone is so proactive.”
Because of the unique location of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which is an easy drive to Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Loudoun County, Virginia, Cembrook delights in showing newcomers all the activities and opportunities in her area. Now that she’s with Keller Williams, she can easily conduct business in all three states with only one broker, a move that has lightened her load tremendously.
“More than ever, I truly love what I do. I swore I would never get into real estate because I remember many times my mother being on the phone while we had family events going on, but then I discovered why she did it. She was so motivated about making people happy by finding the right home for them. It’s the same for me. Our market is so challenging right now, so I’m driven to use my skills to get my clients in a property they love, even during multiple-offer situations. It’s just such a rush!”