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Hi, I'm Clay Yoder
I’m a lifelong resident of Longview, TX. Longview has been very good to me, I have great friendships, business connections and family here in the beautiful Piney Woods of East Texas.
As I write this it’s the end of April and after a good ol’ East Texas thunderstorm last night, today is a typical beautiful Spring day. To use the old cliche’... SPRING HAS SPRUNG here in East Tx! The colors are about to come alive, and the fish are biting.
I started my sales career in the furniture industry working at or managing local furniture stores, the names of which East Texans would recognize.
I was actually approached by a local Real Estate broker at the ripe old age of 22 while working at Havertys Fine Furniture. A local broker, we’ll call him “Skip,” came into the store to look at furniture.
We spent an hour and half together that evening as we walked around the store visiting.
We landed in the recliner section.
Skip purchased a La-Z-Boy recliner that evening then came back the next day to get a second one for his girlfriend. He also wanted to visit with me about getting my real estate license.
I was intrigued but felt like I was where I needed to be but assured him I would keep it in mind.
“Where I needed to be,” that proved to be true as I had the opportunity to work for a man that I respected because he was professional, driven, motivated and served our Haverty customers well.
The time I spent with that manager proves to be invaluable to me up to this very day. Jerry taught me the most important thing in business is to serve your clients well, and by example he taught me how.
10 years later I decided to take what I learned in the furniture industry and opened my own store, a store Longview, Tx needed at the time. I opened an infant furniture store called Cribs Galore.
Yes, that’s right a 34 year old dude opening and actively running an infant furniture store.
It was a great time, a great job. It was such a happy time in my customers' lives. I really enjoyed it.
After 8 years I closed Cribs Galore and took a year or so off to figure out my next step career wise.
Then one day while watching my son at soccer practice I noticed a friend I had not seen in a few years. He was practicing with his team one field over.
I walked over to say hello to Skip, the broker I met when I was 22 who first approached me about becoming a Realtor®.
He asked what I was up to since closing the store & invited me to lunch the next day.
There was a third friend there that day on the soccer field listening to our conversation.
He later told me that as I was walking away Skip told him “He’s going to be a realtor.” He was right.
Three months later I had my real estate license. It has proved to be my best decision ever career wise.
To say that I love my career as a Realtor® is an understatement. I truly enjoy walking my clients through the selling or buying process with high standards put on honesty, integrity & service.
My last text before I go to sleep is usually about real estate and my first text in the morning is too. I have a very strong work ethic that I inherited from my Dad (see you when I get there Dad I miss you) and I’m self motivated.
Having been a Realtor® for 10 years I’m experienced on the in’s and out’s of the contracts, amendments, addendums and all the other documents we deal with during a transaction.
Sometimes I wish I could go back and rework the first 5 deals I closed.
Meaning, there’s something to be said about experience.
My Clients’ wants, needs and expectations become my wants, needs and expectations and I will work tirelessly to ensure they are met.
I’ve been called a “go-getter” by past clients and the brokers I’ve worked with. I guess that’s true because I am highly driven to get to the closing table having met my clients expectations, oftentimes going above and beyond those expectations.
I’m supposed to write about the obstacles I have overcome.
Truth be known, every real estate transaction has obstacles to overcome. Some minor, others not so minor, but none that can’t be overcome. I guess that would be another reason why experience is important.
Oh you know what? I do have a specific obstacle, I don’t get to go fishing as much as I’d like.
When I’m not having fun working real estate you can probably find me on a local lake, or at one of the local High School sporting events.