Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Allen.
Hi Diana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Diana Allen, and my husband of 24 years and I have three boys Brandon (31-a captain in the Army), (Jake 28-does HVAC for a large school district), and (Aiden, 13), and two precious grandchildren, Harley (4) and Brayden (2). Five years ago, I retired as a high school principal from the public school system. Things have changed in our public school system, and I needed a change. We used our lifelong realtor when we put our house on the market to downsize. I was joking with him one day about becoming a realtor. He off-handedly said to let him know. And I did just that. He taught me the ropes, which is something for which I will be forever grateful.
I can see why most realtors burn out within the first few years because, without a mentor, I can’t imagine learning this job. There is a lot of glorified glamour in this job, but very few know what goes on behind the scenes. It’s not all Selling Sunsets as the reality show would like you to believe. There’s much to learn about a home’s construction, maintenance, and systems. And while realtors are not experts in any of these areas, a good realtor should have a solid understanding of these things to help your clients make an informed decision about purchasing a home. Each buyer has a certain threshold of what they can and are willing to take on in terms of the condition of a home. I help uncover those conditions, so clients know what they buy. After 2 1/2 years of learning the trade, I decided to venture off and build a business that my children could one day take over. My mentor told me the day would come, but I didn’t believe him at the time. In July of 2022, I launched my new brokerage 1 Nation Realty. Who launches a new business amid an economic downturn? I prayed a lot about it and took the step of faith.
I have two support staff on my team—Jennifer Ott (office manager/transaction coordinator) and Megan Kuegler, my daughter-in-law and marketing care specialist. When trying to determine a name for our new brokerage, I wanted it to embody the values of our team. And after outlining those values, the name 1 Nation was born. If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past couple of years, it’s the importance of God, family, and country. Our way of life has certainly been tested. However, we believe at 1 Nation Realty that owning a home is still the center of the American dream and the single most effective way to build and protect our wealth, especially in a down economy.
Visit us on our website at 1Nationhomes.com, where you can search for homes, follow us on social media, and gain all kinds of insights and tips in buying/selling a home to protect your investment and maximize your assets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As anybody starting a small business knows, there is a big learning curve in starting a business and a lot of stress due to the financial startup risks that one takes. Navigating business laws, securing insurance, and abiding by tax codes can be enough, but marketing in small businesses has also changed a great deal. Everything is advertised online now, and each social media platform has its algorithm that constantly changes. And the number of companies claiming to have the key to unlock those algorithms (at an often hefty price) can be overwhelming. But the educator in me decided early on in the game that instead of paying someone to do my marketing, I would pay someone to teach me how to do it myself. Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do?
Again, we approach buying and selling homes from an educational perspective. When I’m called to do a listing presentation for the sale of your home, I’m not just focused on how I will market your home and share with you data on what your home is worth, but I’m also going to share data regarding current housing trends. Setting the price of a home is the most important step in getting your home sold. If it’s set too high, your house sits, you have to make a price reduction, and people think there’s something wrong with it. Listing with an agent who promises to get you the best price for your home is not always the best option. My goal is that you understand how I came up with the value of your home, so we get the most money for your home and sell it in the least amount of time. The market changes monthly, and you must have an agent who understands current trends and future projections. We pride ourselves on presenting both the pros/cons of a real estate transaction so you can make the most informed decisions about your purchase. Our goal is to help people understand the process. People come to us as clients and end up becoming lifelong friends. There’s nothing more satisfying than watching families grow and prosper in their new homes.
Are books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Regarding resources for real estate, one of my favorite people to follow is Barry Habib for market trends. He follows the market closely and synthesizes multiple sources to make sense of what’s happening in our economy. I’m also a member of various Facebook groups (too many to name here), where I learn from others specifics about real estate marketing.
Contact Info:
- Website: 1nationhomes.com
- Instagram: @dialdianatoday
- Facebook: 1 Nation Homes/Diana Allen
- Youtube: https://bit.ly/3Q95yFo
- Other: Tik Tok @dialdianatoday
