Fleming Realty has been helping homeowners for many years

Written By JOSHUA SANTOS

Fleming Realty Inc., brokerage has established itself as a prestigious real estate company with over 80 years of combined experienced.

The boutique realty firm, led by Sarah Fleming, has provided prompt, personal service to every one of their clients, whether they're buying, selling, leasing residential town and country properties and commercial buildings. 

“Real estate appealed to me because its different,” said Sarah Fleming, broker of record and owner of Fleming Realty Inc., brokerage. “Every purchase is different, every sale is different, every customer is different, it's all unique. Every single deal is different in some way.” 

“I'm constantly learning, I'm constantly on my toes and, to me, it's more of a people job that I just prefer. I absolutely love it.”

Established in 2008, Fleming recently celebrated the company's 10th year anniversary. Over the course of a decade, the business has grown from just herself to now having five other associates working with her.

“I've never once actually recruited somebody. Everybody at Fleming Realty have come to me and said ‘Sarah I'd like to work with you.' 

Her firm has sold townhouses, multi-million-dollar homes and leases on apartments among many other properties.

She had listings in Caledon, New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio, Orangeville, Richmond Hill, Sarnia and Sudbury.

She has been able to adapt to changes within the industry by becoming technology orientated in how she conducts her business.

“I would say 100 per cent of our business is done now either directly at the customer's house, or out and about,” said Fleming. “Most of our stuff is on computers and we can do it all remotely, as opposed to actually needing a physical office anymore.”

Her accomplishments have led her to being named as the Caledon Business of the Year in 2014, by the Caledon Chamber of Commerce.

“I was a humbled,” said Fleming. “That was a shock. I didn't even know people had even nominated me. It was complete shock but it was very humbling to know that people think that highly of me. I had only been in my own business, six years on my own at that point. It felt like such a young company on my own. I can't think of other words but proud and humbled.”

Prior to entering the real estate industry, Fleming worked for several years with an international brand, selling insurance. She would go door-to-door trying to help people.

“I enjoyed helping people and making sure they were protected,” said Fleming. “I did a disability for self-employed individuals, kind of like a worker's compensation because they don't have that. It was specialty insurance, not life insurance.”

She felt like she needed a change but wanted to continue to sell policies. That lead her to real estate where she said there are some similarities as well as differences.

“I never sat in an office in insurance,” said Fleming. “I went out to construction sites and I went door-to-door. That's one similarity. I don't have a problem going out and meeting people and talking to people.” 

“With insurance, it taught me to maintain a good personal relationship with my clients. I'm always in contact with my clients. I'm always in contact with them on a regular basis to let them know I'm here if they need me, if there are any changes, have their lives changed, is there anything I can do, I keep them up to date on new issues that are happening.” 

With a technology first approach, she sends out newsletters, makes phone calls and keeps in touch with her clients by dropping in to see them. She's able to work remotely with them on a deal whether they're out of town, or away on vacation in a different country.

She can also meet with them and sign documents in person, should they choose that route.

Her entrepreneurial spirit and competitive nature stem from her being the youngest of six children. 

“Being the youngest of six is a little competitive,” said Fleming. “I'm always vying for somebody's attention, so to speak, when I was growing up. Whether it's mom or dad or older brothers or sisters or whoever. We were very competitive.”

“I was also very competitive in curling. It's just my nature to always strive to be the best. Not necessarily perfect, nobody will ever be perfect, but I always strive to do the utmost for myself and for clients. I'm always bettering myself. I read positive influence daily, I work on myself and how I project things and how I react to things. I think working on myself is more important because that will portray how my clients see me.”

Fleming is an active member of the Brampton Real Estate Board (BREB) and volunteers on the Professional Standards Committee. She is also a proud sponsor of Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), an associate member of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) and Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA)

For more information, visit www.FlemingRealtyInc.ca, call 416-400-6599 or email Fleming at sarah@sarahfleming.ca