Introducing Sue McSwain

Day-tripping: Moving with Your Hard Floors: New Kent Family Pet A Solid Choice Celebrating the Region’s Most Influential Real Estate Professionals Teeing Up for Success Sue McSwain REALTOR®, MS, SRES, SFR, ABS, SRS Sharing what she loves about her community and all it has to offer

DID YOU KNOW?A FEW FUN REAL ESTATE FACTS In Scotland, Warren Buffet Monica’s A couple sold apartment homeowners paint is one of the richest an acre of land in their front door red men in the world from “Friends” is North Carolina to when they pay off and he still lives in estimated to cost Apple for $1.7 their mortgage. the same house he $3,500,000. million. They paid bought for $31,500 $6,000 for it. in 1958. The White House Aspen, Colorado The landmark is valued at $110 “Hollywood” sign million. has such high real estate prices that in originally read 2011, the cheapest “Hollywoodland” listing was a and was constructed $559,000 trailer. in 1923 as a publicity stunt to Builders in China sell real estate. are able to build a 30 story skyscraper in only 15 days!

Rainmakers are selected based on their sales Sue McSwain accomplishments earning them a spot among the top 20% of Liz Moore & Associates’ top REALTOR®, MS, SRES, SFR, ABS, SRS performers. I LOVE WILLIAMSBURG In addition to sales volume standards, BECAUSE Rainmakers share client-centric philosophies, a dedication to being masters of their craft, There’s so much to do and a commitment to giving back to the communities they serve. SUPERPOWER I am thrilled to have been selected as the Remaining calm under stress featured Rainmaker for the month! and ferocious tenacity Sue McSwain PROUDEST MOMENT Getting my Masters as an adult HOW I START MY DAY With a kiss and a walk ON MY BUCKET LIST Travel FAVORITE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY Sailing We have worked with other REALTORS® & they don’t compare. Arlene & Steve Harris

Rainmaker Spotlight: Sue McSwain Sue really Sue McSwain is a dynamic, take-charge person who jokingly refers to herself as a power enjoys taking freak. “I like being the head honcho, I do!” she confesses with a laugh. That’s not a bad thing: in the business world it’s called having leadership skills. the time to chat and “I retired from corporate AT&T in 2009 and spent the next couple of years as a volunteer getting to for a really cool nonprofit organization,” she says. “I was responsible for bringing the First know her Tee program to our little neck of the woods in New Jersey. It teaches kids the game of golf, and through that, nine core values that include integrity, honesty and sportsmanship.” clients, and in Those qualities, personally applied, make Sue highly esteemed in her current career. many cases Sue got into real estate eight years ago, not really intending it to be something she’d keeps them as pursue long term. “We knew we wanted to sell our home and move to Virginia, and I was forever friends. confident I could do that myself.” She discovered that there is a considerable investment in time, money, and study necessary in order to gain a license and learn what’s needed to succeed. “The more I got into it, the more I liked it,” Sue remembers. After interviewing several brokers when she arrived in Williamsburg in 2012, Sue chose to join Liz Moore & Associates after attending a sales meeting. Used to working for a huge company with layers of paralyzing bureaucracy, she was impressed. “I thought, ‘How refreshing l! This woman can execute a plan as soon as it’s decided.’ Liz makes it happen.” Another deciding factor for Sue was the level of educational opportunities offered. “With Liz, it’s all about equipping her agents to do the best job they can through subsidized classes and training such as how to become an appraiser. I liked that I’d always be learning.”

Once Sue moved south, she found things at her new job to be quite different. “In New Jersey, it was extremely competitive,” she remembers. “There wasn’t the feeling of closeness and camaraderie I found here. It’s just a totally supportive team of great people.” She fit right in immediately. In addition to her coworkers, Sue found it easy to find new friends through her job. She really enjoys taking the time to chat and getting to know her clients, and in many cases keeps them as forever friends. “They will say to me at closing, ‘I’ll miss you!’ and I tell them, ‘No, you won’t have a chance! We have client events all the time and I keep in touch.’” The McSwains love living in Williamsburg, and in Ford’s Colony in particular. They’re members of the country club, and Sue volunteers as the secretary for the community’s activities committee, and prior to that, the communications committee, but golf is her thing. “I like playing with women because they’re so encouraging, so I try to play LGA golf almost every Tuesday. My handicap is high, 28 I’m getting better, but the scorecard doesn’t always reflect that.” Consistency is key, Sue says, and despite flashes of fairly brilliant play, she’s not there yet. “That’s what keeps golfers coming back,” she declares. “It’s addictive.” Sue seeks balance in her life. Regular golf and twice-a-week yoga practice keeps her fit and moving. A lively neighborhood book club keeps her mind active as well as her body. When possible, the McSwains attend early services at Williamsburg Community Chapel, where Sue appreciates the choir and enjoys their pastor’s relatable sermons. Tim and Sue have been married for 20 years. “He has two grown children from a previous marriage, and we currently share Cari, a fluffy, overweight but adorable, black and white cat, at home,” she says. After retiring from his C-level suite position, Tim is now working as a flight instructor at the local Williamsburg airport. “It’s his first love,” she says proudly of her husband. “He’s been involved in general aviation since he was 16 years old. In fact, he recently received an award for more than 50 years of safe flying!” To go from a newcomer with no connections at all when the couple moved to Williamsburg to one of Liz Moore’s top-selling rainmakers today speaks volumes about Sue McSwain. It proves she is a hard worker and good at what she does. “I do have to hustle,” she says. “There is no part-time to this job. I’m always networking or studying, trying to generate business. I’m in the office most weekdays and often have showings or an open house on weekends. I love what I do, but my advice to those considering going into real estate is that unless you’re prepared to work hard, you will not have much success.” For Sue, hard work has certainly paid off handsomely, but that alone wouldn’t have done it. Honesty, integrity, and perseverance come into play in her second career, just like it does in the game of golf.













Congratulations, Sue!