HomeVestors may be most famous for its “We Buy Ugly Houses” billboards, but this real estate franchise is a community opportunity at its core. By Kelsi Trinidad
HomeVestors may be most famous for its “We Buy Ugly Houses” billboards, but this real estate franchise is a community opportunity at its core. The brand has built a legacy around helping others, and it all began with company founder Ken D’Angelo.
“He taught us how to care for others,” said Senior Manager of Franchise Development April Nealey. “How to look outside of ourselves and look around and say, ‘What does this person need and how can I be helpful in fulfilling that need?’”
Nealey is celebrating 10 years working with HomeVestors, and this legacy based around aiding people has motivated her in the work that she does.
“I can talk to a room of a couple hundred of our franchisees and I can tell them from my point of view,” she explained. “From my point of view, I answered the phone and this person said this. I responded this way. And I moved them from where they were to where they wanted to be, but one day it struck me that there’s another side of that story. And that’s the seller’s story and how I get to be a part of that.”
Some sellers are going through difficult situations, such as the loss of a loved one, and they need help moving forward. HomeVestors franchisees play a part in getting those people through some of the toughest times of their lives by treating them as a person first and a seller second.
Nealey approaches her work with a genuine desire to be of service to her community in a manner in which she can feel proud. Even if her offer isn’t one that appeals to the seller, she is always willing to put the needs of the seller first by finding out what would work best for them.
“You’re building a legacy,” said Nealey. “One family at a time, one community at a time, franchise by franchise.”
Kelsi Trinidad