Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Madden.
Hi Kimberly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I made a drastic decision to change careers and relocate to Atlanta back in 2014. I had been working in Information Technology as a Network Engineer. Real Estate had always been an extreme interest of mine, but I didn’t know how I would be able to comfortably change careers. One day, I just decided to do it uncomfortably. I got a phone call from a friend in Atlanta who was a property manager for a property that wasn’t performing well financially. He asked me if I would come to work for him. I took a pay cut. I went into sales as a leasing consultant. While I was in that role, I decided to take the real estate Pre-Licensing course. It was very tough because I took night classes for 6 weeks. My days started at 6 am. I’d go to work for my full-time job. I’d drive an hour to class after work, and most nights I didn’t get home until around 11 pm. Simultaneously, I was learning the roles of assistant manager and property manager at the property I was working for, just so I would feel more prepared for my next step in real estate. Once I was licensed, I worked mostly with tenants looking for private rentals. That led to being mostly a first-time home buyer agent. I turned a lot of my renters into buyers, and I also used to host open houses for other agents to get more buyers. I did that role for a few years. I was a little intimidated by the listing agent side, but everyone knows the listing side is the best side to be on. You have so much more control over your price point and location. I got hired by one of the nation’s largest home builders as an on-site new construction agent in 2018. However, the role was in South Carolina, so I had to move again. Not only did I learn more about the listing side during that time. I became a better sales agent overall, and I gained a new interest in the construction side of real estate. I left that job and returned to Atlanta in 2020. I took a few listings, but I decided to do something more non-traditional when I got back. I re-branded myself as an off-market property specialist. I wanted to gain more relationships with flippers, developers and general contractors. Eventually I want to start working on my own projects, but right now a lot of investors depend on me to find them great deals on homes that need work or land that can be developed. I really like this side better because I get to see things created and restored. I used to watch my grandfather restore homes, so this side really touches close to home.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. I came into this blindly. There are no entrepreneurs in my immediate family. I feel like I learned all of my lessons the hard way. I let fear get in the way a lot of times, and I didn’t have much motivation outside of myself. If I could do it all over again, I’d start either on the new construction side or at least as a listing agent. I think that was my biggest mistake. I let my fear get in the way of taking that step as my first step.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work as a residential and commercial acquisition specialist for real estate investors. I am known for finding the best off-market deals for my clients. Not many females are doing this, and I am really good with the numbers. I am also very creative and efficient with the contracts. I think that is what sets me apart.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love everything about Atlanta. I love the people, the culture, the business opportunities, and the overall sense of pride in the city. I think what I like the least is the traffic.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kimberlythecloser
- Other: kimberlythecloser@gmail.com
