Putting her heart in every transaction
For Howard Hanna Realtor Linda Febus, the job of finding her clients new homes is personal
Jill McDermott, Linda Febus and Cindy Timm function as a personalized team to help clients find their dream homes. Photo by MELISSA MARTIN
MEDINA – It’s no secret that first-floor master suites, whirlpool tubs, walk-in closets and modern kitchens continue to be some of the most highly sought after features in in the real estate market today.
Even though most prospective home buyers have a laundry list of features they’d like to see in their new homes, being able to separate the must-haves from the might-like-to-haves remains one of the most difficult tasks in the home-buying process for both Realtors and homebuyers alike.
When it comes to simplifying that task, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services Realtor Linda Febus has two key advantages working in her clients’ favor: nearly four decades of experience in the greater Medina area real estate market and an extensive arsenal of online tools designed to help home buyers whittle down the list of available homes that are just perfect for them and their families.
“The first thing I ask all of my clients is to make a list of their wants,” Febus said. “I ask them to take time to really consider what the most important features are to meet the needs of their family. In some cases that can be the area and a good school system. In other cases, the most important for homeowners is to have a lot of acreage, while others prefer not having any to maintain at all. Everyone’s needs are so different and being able to find a starting point is key.”
Tools of the trade
With so many details to consider when making the biggest investment of their lives, Febus knows that keeping clients focused on what matters most to them is key to a smooth transaction. Working in the Medina real estate market for 39 years, Febus is the first to admit that the wide array of tools she can offer her clients through Howard Hanna Real Estate Services helps simplify the process.
“Howard Hanna has spent quite a bit of time creating a variety of different resources to help agents better serve their clients, starting with a high-tech website that’s available on computers and in a mobile app,” Febus said.
Not only does the site feature independent search engines as well as information on Howard Hanna’s one-stop-shop for mortgages, titles and insurance, but it also offers clients a chance to keep their own online house- hunting journals.
That mobile application, known as the Hanna Homefinder, allows clients the opportunity to keep track of properties, log any questions they may have about the process as well as keep track of the home features that are essential to their needs when it comes to selecting a property to buy.
“I’ve found that this is particularly helpful, especially when it comes to first-time homebuyers, many of which are unable to articulate just what it is they are looking for in their first homes,” Febus said, noting the app is equally beneficial for empty-nesters who are often looking to downsize but don’t want to give up any of the features that make a house feel like home.
Because the Hanna Homefinder is also accessible to agents, Febus said the information contained in her clients’ online profiles often becomes invaluable when helping her to decide which homes to show first and which homes to rule out altogether.
“It’s no secret that everything has become very techy these days, but this app helps me to keep a personal touch on the overall process,” she said. “Not only can I gauge their style and personal preferences, but I’m also able to use it to find out what my clients’ hot buttons might be.”
The power of three
Though technology aids the process, Febus said she considers herself to be relatively old-fashioned when it comes to working with her clients.
“Above anything else, communication is vital,” she said. “While I communicate by text, email, phone or in whatever manner my clients prefer, the goal is to constantly keep those conversations flowing and to continue to build that interpersonal relationship that is an invaluable part of this process.”
Aiding Febus in building those relationships are her personalized team of assistants, Jill McDermott, who has been with her for more than 20 years, and Cindy Timm, who has been with her for more than eight years. Both McDermott and Timm are also licensed Realtors. Febus said that having additional help not only affords her clients the ability to have their questions answered in a moment’s notice, but also helps her book appointments and ensure that several sets of eyes are on the marketplace to find each and every one of her clients their perfect home.
Sometimes that process takes just a matter of hours. Other times, it can be as long as two years, Febus said.
“Because buying a home is one of the biggest decisions people make in their lifetimes, I’m willing to go as long as it takes to find the right fit,” she said.
The good news for Febus’ clients is that her knowledge of Medina County is virtually unmatched. She and her husband have lived in Medina for more than 50 years and have raised two children in the community. In addition to selling real estate in Medina County since 1978, specializing in residential sales, Febus is also an annual recipient of the “Circle of Achievement” award, which is presented to the 25 top achieving Howard Hanna agents.
“(Linda) has an established reputation as being a thorough, honest agent who has the best interest of her clients at heart,” Timm, who is Febus’ assistant, said. “She has a vast knowledge of the Medina area and is a Realtor her clients turn to time and time again.”
Febus recalls fondly the time a client repurchased the home she sold for him.
“He jokingly told me as he was moving out that if the house came back on the market again to let him know,” she said. “And wouldn’t you know it? A few years later, the house was up for sale again and I decided to contact him. He laughed at first but he called me back a few days later and wanted to go see it again. A few days later he bought it back.”
Within a matter of years, the owner sold the property again. But just like the previous time, he again turned to his favorite Realtor for assistance in the matter.
“Over the years, people develop a real relationship with you,” she said. “They tell all their friends and relatives about you and eventually, you’re not only helping them find new homes, but you’re also helping their kids and even their grandkids buy new homes. It’s a good feeling to be trusted like that.”
Still going strong
After so many years in such a challenging industry, Febus is the first to admit she still loves what she does.
“I have met so many interesting people and I still thrive on the test of trying to find the right fit for my clients,” she said. “I’ve found out the hard way over the years that clients are always good at telling you what they want, yet I’m still amazed how so many of them end up with something totally different than what they thought they wanted. That’s what makes this job so much fun.”
Febus said she continues to takes the job extremely personally and her clients have come to rely on her patience.
“Each and every one of my clients can tell you that I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to my clients,” she said. “I do what I do because I want people to be happy in the area they choose to live in and with the house they decide to move into. And the only way to do that is to do my job right.”
Febus’ office is located in the Howard Hanna building located at 3565 Medina Road in Medina. The office is open Sunday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 330-722-6662 or visit lindafebus.howardhanna.com.
Even though most prospective home buyers have a laundry list of features they’d like to see in their new homes, being able to separate the must-haves from the might-like-to-haves remains one of the most difficult tasks in the home-buying process for both Realtors and homebuyers alike.
When it comes to simplifying that task, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services Realtor Linda Febus has two key advantages working in her clients’ favor: nearly four decades of experience in the greater Medina area real estate market and an extensive arsenal of online tools designed to help home buyers whittle down the list of available homes that are just perfect for them and their families.
“The first thing I ask all of my clients is to make a list of their wants,” Febus said. “I ask them to take time to really consider what the most important features are to meet the needs of their family. In some cases that can be the area and a good school system. In other cases, the most important for homeowners is to have a lot of acreage, while others prefer not having any to maintain at all. Everyone’s needs are so different and being able to find a starting point is key.”
Tools of the trade
With so many details to consider when making the biggest investment of their lives, Febus knows that keeping clients focused on what matters most to them is key to a smooth transaction. Working in the Medina real estate market for 39 years, Febus is the first to admit that the wide array of tools she can offer her clients through Howard Hanna Real Estate Services helps simplify the process.
“Howard Hanna has spent quite a bit of time creating a variety of different resources to help agents better serve their clients, starting with a high-tech website that’s available on computers and in a mobile app,” Febus said.
Not only does the site feature independent search engines as well as information on Howard Hanna’s one-stop-shop for mortgages, titles and insurance, but it also offers clients a chance to keep their own online house- hunting journals.
That mobile application, known as the Hanna Homefinder, allows clients the opportunity to keep track of properties, log any questions they may have about the process as well as keep track of the home features that are essential to their needs when it comes to selecting a property to buy.
“I’ve found that this is particularly helpful, especially when it comes to first-time homebuyers, many of which are unable to articulate just what it is they are looking for in their first homes,” Febus said, noting the app is equally beneficial for empty-nesters who are often looking to downsize but don’t want to give up any of the features that make a house feel like home.
Because the Hanna Homefinder is also accessible to agents, Febus said the information contained in her clients’ online profiles often becomes invaluable when helping her to decide which homes to show first and which homes to rule out altogether.
“It’s no secret that everything has become very techy these days, but this app helps me to keep a personal touch on the overall process,” she said. “Not only can I gauge their style and personal preferences, but I’m also able to use it to find out what my clients’ hot buttons might be.”
The power of three
Though technology aids the process, Febus said she considers herself to be relatively old-fashioned when it comes to working with her clients.
“Above anything else, communication is vital,” she said. “While I communicate by text, email, phone or in whatever manner my clients prefer, the goal is to constantly keep those conversations flowing and to continue to build that interpersonal relationship that is an invaluable part of this process.”
Aiding Febus in building those relationships are her personalized team of assistants, Jill McDermott, who has been with her for more than 20 years, and Cindy Timm, who has been with her for more than eight years. Both McDermott and Timm are also licensed Realtors. Febus said that having additional help not only affords her clients the ability to have their questions answered in a moment’s notice, but also helps her book appointments and ensure that several sets of eyes are on the marketplace to find each and every one of her clients their perfect home.
Sometimes that process takes just a matter of hours. Other times, it can be as long as two years, Febus said.
“Because buying a home is one of the biggest decisions people make in their lifetimes, I’m willing to go as long as it takes to find the right fit,” she said.
The good news for Febus’ clients is that her knowledge of Medina County is virtually unmatched. She and her husband have lived in Medina for more than 50 years and have raised two children in the community. In addition to selling real estate in Medina County since 1978, specializing in residential sales, Febus is also an annual recipient of the “Circle of Achievement” award, which is presented to the 25 top achieving Howard Hanna agents.
“(Linda) has an established reputation as being a thorough, honest agent who has the best interest of her clients at heart,” Timm, who is Febus’ assistant, said. “She has a vast knowledge of the Medina area and is a Realtor her clients turn to time and time again.”
Febus recalls fondly the time a client repurchased the home she sold for him.
“He jokingly told me as he was moving out that if the house came back on the market again to let him know,” she said. “And wouldn’t you know it? A few years later, the house was up for sale again and I decided to contact him. He laughed at first but he called me back a few days later and wanted to go see it again. A few days later he bought it back.”
Within a matter of years, the owner sold the property again. But just like the previous time, he again turned to his favorite Realtor for assistance in the matter.
“Over the years, people develop a real relationship with you,” she said. “They tell all their friends and relatives about you and eventually, you’re not only helping them find new homes, but you’re also helping their kids and even their grandkids buy new homes. It’s a good feeling to be trusted like that.”
Still going strong
After so many years in such a challenging industry, Febus is the first to admit she still loves what she does.
“I have met so many interesting people and I still thrive on the test of trying to find the right fit for my clients,” she said. “I’ve found out the hard way over the years that clients are always good at telling you what they want, yet I’m still amazed how so many of them end up with something totally different than what they thought they wanted. That’s what makes this job so much fun.”
Febus said she continues to takes the job extremely personally and her clients have come to rely on her patience.
“Each and every one of my clients can tell you that I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to my clients,” she said. “I do what I do because I want people to be happy in the area they choose to live in and with the house they decide to move into. And the only way to do that is to do my job right.”
Febus’ office is located in the Howard Hanna building located at 3565 Medina Road in Medina. The office is open Sunday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 330-722-6662 or visit lindafebus.howardhanna.com.