BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES
Meet Our Owners
Kathy Reid Realty
It was fate when Kathy and Steve first met in Psychology class at Kent State University. Steve sat next to Kathy after telling his friend “That’s the gal I am going to marry.” Steve had an academic and football scholarship and was majoring in education and science to be able to teach Junior High and High School kids.
Kathy had worked after high school at a prominent Savings and Loan which led to taking banking and finance classes at Dyke Business College. She got a job opportunity to work as a teacher’s aid for a kindergarten teacher in the Cleveland Public Schools. There she realized that she loved children so much and wanted to be an elementary teacher. It motivated her to enroll at Kent State majoring in Education. After being on campus for two years Kathy and Steve got married, moved to an apartment and continued their classes.
Buying a home really motivated them to become a Realtor. Their home search brought frustration and disappointments. A first attempt at purchasing was to buy a student rental home. The lender turned down the property because it didn’t appraise for the high purchase price. When the real estate company Realtors heard about it, they said “We told the sellers it was overpriced.” Kathy remarked “But you didn’t tell us.” Who did the Realtor work for? An Agency disclosure was needed.
The couple had borrowed $5,000.00 from Steve’s parents who took a loan on their home to be paid back quickly. The second attempt was in a low inventory market and they had to move fast. Selecting a bilevel home on a half-acre began many unbelievable challenges. First the lender challenged Kathy’s working and having children and then the challenge of getting possession from the sellers who had lived there a long time and were getting a divorce. The major challenges came with the house. First it had to be deep cleaned to the point of soaking the built-ins in lye to get the grease off. Next the gas company came and said the garage was illegally installed over the gas line and the neighbors told of rumors that the house was sinking. “We met the challenge of patching walls with bebe gun holes, painting, ceramic tiling, laying slate in the entry and improving a half-acre landscaping which required many unknown skills and research to do it,” said Steve. “A property disclosure and inspection would have been a big help.” Soon they had the desire to help people better when buying and selling real estate. Kathy and Steve passed the test and became part time Realtors while still being educators in several counties. To help sales they painted, cleaned, seeded lawns and more.
Their next adventure was to buy a home with a high-volume builder who had immense systemized paperwork and processing steps to closing. They stopped them when they didn’t follow the signed plans and processes as accepted. From this they learned an ideal systemized plan to help all clients.
They both became award winning teachers earning the Martha Holden Jennings Award for Outstanding Teachers. Kathy helped the Educational Research Council with programs and Steve coached just about every sport and was a physical education and science teacher.
Kathy took an extended leave of absence to meet family tragedies and have a set of twin babies. After a long absence it was difficult to get a teaching job and they needed the money. Thus began Kathy’s full-time career in real estate. From the beginning she had the goal to meet people’s needs. It was difficult at first keeping all the balls in the air and she found herself crying and wondering if she could do it. Gradually taking one step at a time, trying to learn as much as possible and taking advice from mentors led her to an Award-Winning Career fostered by obtaining many real estate designations.
Kathy won national recognition as a Relocation Specialist and New Construction Specialist which opened doors in major corporations, relocation companies and home building companies. She had a great opportunity to be the exclusive representative of Prestige Homes, a First Place Renowned Builder in many areas. Steve went on to get a master’s degree to be a School Administrator. He eventually retired from teaching to a full-time career in real estate as Broker and Certified Trainer. He was an active member of the Local and State Board of Realtors to help The Professional Standards Committee and Chair the Committee for Equality and other areas to help the profession.
Their great accomplishment of starting Kathy Reid Realty was a dream journey for Kathy and Steve who both had a passion to help people. Thanks to their three sons Dan, Brett and Shane who had the same passion and became award winning realtors, the company grew very fast.
