Good Neighbor Podcast: Milton & More
Bringing Together Local Businesses & Neighbors of Milton, Crabapple, and Hickory Flat
Good Neighbor Podcast: Milton & More
Meet Eleanor Hallewell from Elle Sells
Meet Eleanor Hallewell, a realtor who brings an unconventional background and fresh perspective to Atlanta's real estate market. From her early career in Manhattan's advertising world to backpacking through Southeast Asia and running photography businesses on Nantucket Island, Eleanor's diverse experiences have shaped her unique approach to helping clients find their perfect homes.
What sets Eleanor apart isn't just her professional photography skills or master's degree in strategic communication—though these certainly enhance her ability to market properties effectively. It's her philosophy of "relationship-based real estate" that truly makes the difference. "At the end of the day, yes, we're dealing with houses and listings and numbers, but really we're dealing with people," she explains. This people-first mindset guides every aspect of her work as she helps clients navigate what she considers "one of the biggest decisions not just financially but emotionally of their lives."
Eleanor's negotiation skills are legendary—so impressive that she once haggled so successfully when buying a vehicle that the dealership offered her a job on the spot! Now she applies those same skills to help clients navigate today's evolving market conditions. Rather than waiting for the mythical "perfect time" to buy or sell, she helps clients identify opportunities within current market dynamics. With a staggering 74% of realtors selling nothing last year, Eleanor's success stems from her commitment to doing the work, showing up for clients, and operating with "heart, hard work, and integrity." Ready to experience a different kind of real estate service? Connect with Eleanor through Facebook, Instagram (@ElleSellsHouses), or by calling 770-881-4566.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Stacey Poehler.
Speaker 2:Hey everybody. I'm excited today to be chatting with Eleanor Halliwell. She is a local realtor with Elle's Sales Houses. Welcome, Eleanor. Thank you, Stacey. Yeah, we're excited to chat, so why don't you start off by giving us a little background and talking about how you got started in the real estate business? Sure?
Speaker 3:So I have taken. I've lived a pretty unconventional life and I've taken a roundabout way of getting here. But I was born in England and I grew up in Snellville and then I left Georgia for a really long time. I spent five years in Manhattan in the advertising industry and about the time that most of my friends were settling down and buying houses and having kids, I decided that I wanted to go and travel the world.
Speaker 3:So I took a year and I went backpack through Southeast Asia and then I ended up on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. So I went to college with a girl who had grown up there and she planted the seed about seasonal work. So I ended up working the summers there and traveling in the off seasons, and initially it was just bar and restaurant work. But then I ended up running two small photography businesses on the island and at the end of my time there I was getting into real estate more from a photography standpoint, but the idea of becoming an agent was definitely in the back of my head. And then, when I found myself back in Georgia in 2021, that's when I got licensed and started working as a local agent.
Speaker 2:Sure, and can you tell us a little bit about your business today, what areas of Atlanta you like to focus on, and what are some of the things that you bring to the table that other realtors may not have?
Speaker 3:that you bring to the table that other realtors may not have, sure, so I call what I do relationship-based real estate. So I have a background in marketing and strategic communication, but my mission is to make the home buying and selling process as stress-free as possible for the clients that I'm working with. I do work primarily in North Georgia and the metro Atlanta areas, and I will say it's a true honor to work with clients and help them navigate what is, in my opinion, one of the biggest decisions not just financially but emotionally of their lives. So I would say that what sets me apart is my background. So, before real estate, I spent over a decade of doing the professional photography, so I know how to make a listing stand out. I also, like I mentioned, have a master's degree in strategic communication, so I also know how to market homes effectively and I can negotiate deals confidently.
Speaker 3:One of my bragging rights is the last time I bought a used vehicle. This goes back like to 2014 or 15. But I haggled so much with the guy at the dealership that he actually offered me a job. When people ask me how I feel about negotiating, I'm like don't worry there. Beyond all of that, though, what I feel is the most important thing is I operate on heart, hard work and integrity and I say this to all my people that I will always look out for you that's great.
Speaker 2:And are you still doing any photography? Is that something that you're weaving into your business? Yes, so.
Speaker 3:I do all listings. I do other shoots for other realtors, for investors or flippers. If people have a property they want to put on BRBO or Airbnb, I can help out with that. And then I do still love to pick up the camera and do a portrait session here and there, and I actually have a graduation coming up this weekend and a maternity shoot, yeah.
Speaker 2:Fun, fun. So you're always getting out there and doing the things you love.
Speaker 3:What are?
Speaker 2:some other things you do for fun.
Speaker 3:So I'm an avid pickleball player. I got into that a couple of years ago and I have a tournament coming up at the end of the month, so I'm practicing for that and I've met a wonderful group of people and a wonderful network through that sport. So I'm very thankful for that. And I also I love live music and I love to be out in nature, I love a good hike and I still love to travel. It looks a little different these days. I don't have a backpack on my back and I'm not going for months at a time, but I love to book a ticket and get somewhere and somewhere new, and just explore.
Speaker 2:Awesome, and what are some of the myths or misperceptions that are out there about the real estate market these days that you'd like to clear up for us?
Speaker 3:Sure, yeah, great question, I think some of the biggest. So you hear a lot of the time. I think people think that it's easy, and I'm sure that people think that because anyone can really sign up for the course and study the content and take the test. Passing the test is another thing. That's a tough one. But someone said to me once it's simple, yet diff, like difficult, right, a simple process, like every every transaction is different, but really there is a set process and a blueprint and a framework. But but it's not easy and some people think we just open doors and put a sign in the yard.
Speaker 3:But really having the right agent that will align with you and be your ally every step of the way is going to make a huge difference in not only the whole process but also where you net out. We're having to adjust to a new normal now with the conditions, with the economy, with just things shifting, and I think people are waiting for the perfect time when, really, if you're working with the perfect agent or the right agent, we know how to negotiate under these conditions, right. So right now we're seeing like a little bit more inventory, houses are sitting for a little bit longer, but as a buyer, you have to know how to use that to your advantage, like sellers, obviously. Some sellers are still desperate to sell their homes because of relocation or other situations.
Speaker 2:So it's knowing, it's like honing in on the opportunities within the existing market conditions in the existing market conditions and can you talk maybe a little bit about the marketing skills you have and how you're using those to help the sellers that you're working with?
Speaker 3:Sure. So I spent five years working in advertising for a big agency in Manhattan, jwt, and I worked on the Diageo account, which, if you know anything about them, they're all about liquor and wine. So Smirnoff was my client and it was my role to basically adapt all of the above the line advertising for all of the global markets. Following that, I went back to school for my master's degree in strategic communications and that is all about. That was all about branding, pr, marketing. So I'm using all of those skills and I'm putting them into how I market a listing, who I reach out to, the tone of voice I use. I have a network that I've built a huge number of people that see the property that I'm listing before it even goes to market. So there's the potential to even have a ton of interest before we go live with a listing and potentially have even an off-market deal.
Speaker 2:That's super cool. What other things do you feel set you apart from other realtors out there?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I want to go back to what I said before about the integrity and the heart of it. I think real estate has become transactional for some and I think, at the end of the day, yes, we're dealing with houses and listings and numbers, but really we're dealing with people and it's all about relationships and I love helping people. I always say if I wasn't in real estate, I'd probably go back to school and get a degree for counseling or because I just I love helping people, I love helping to set other people up for success and I love seeing people accomplish their goals and and I get to do that I get to do that every day in real estate.
Speaker 2:And I guess some of those counseling skills come in handy as you listen to your clients and maybe deal with some interpersonal issues between couples, that kind of stuff. Are there any other things that you want our listeners to know about you and your business and your approach that you haven't had a chance to say?
Speaker 3:I do want to point out that there's a statistic going around that said that 74% of realtors last year sold nothing. This isn't I'm not just speaking for myself, but for the people that you see that are doing the work and showing up and making it to the closing table and getting the listings give them a pat on the back, because it's not an easy market right now, and I think that statistic highlights that perfectly.
Speaker 2:Got it. Where can folks find you If they want to reach out? What's the easiest way for them to get in touch?
Speaker 3:So I would love to hear from people either by phone or text. My number is 770-881-4566. And then I'm on Facebook as Eleanor Halliwell and on Instagram as Elle Sells.
Speaker 2:Houses Awesome. Thank you so much for joining us today, eleanor. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Stacey, thanks for having me. Yeah, it was great.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast, milton and More. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpmiltoncom. That's gnpmiltoncom, or call 470-664-4930. This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, stacey Poehler. Hey, everybody.
Speaker 2:I'm excited today to be chatting with Eleanor Halliwell. She is a local realtor with Elle's Sales Houses. Welcome, eleanor. Thank you, stacey. Yeah, we're excited to chat, so why don't you start off by giving us a little background and talking about how you got started in the real estate business?
Speaker 3:Sure, so I've lived a pretty unconventional life and I've taken a roundabout way of getting here.
Speaker 3:But I was born in England and I grew up in Snellville and then I left Georgia for a really long time. I spent five years in Manhattan in the advertising industry and about the time that most of my friends were settling down and buying houses and having kids, I decided that I wanted to go and travel the world. So I took a year and I went backpack through Southeast Asia and then I ended up on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. So I went to college with a girl who had grown up there and she planted the seed about seasonal work. So I ended up working the summers there and traveling in the off seasons, and initially it was just bar and restaurant work. But then I ended up running two small photography businesses on the island and at the end of my time there I was getting into real estate more from a photography standpoint, but the idea of becoming an agent was definitely in the back of my head. And then, when I found myself back in Georgia in 2021, that's when I got licensed and started working as a local agent.
Speaker 2:Sure, and can you tell us a little bit about your business today, what areas of Atlanta you like to focus on, and you know what are some of the things that you bring to the table that other realtors may not have?
Speaker 3:Sure, so I call what I do relationship-based real estate.
Speaker 3:So I have a background in marketing and strategic communication, but my mission is to make the home buying and selling process as stress-free as possible for the clients that I'm working with.
Speaker 3:I do work primarily in North Georgia and the metro Atlanta areas, and I will say it's a true honor to work with clients and help them navigate what is, in my opinion, one of the biggest decisions not just financially but emotionally of their lives.
Speaker 3:So I would say that what sets me apart is my background. So, before real estate, I spent over a decade of doing the professional photography, so I know how to make a listing stand out. I also, like I mentioned, have a master's degree in strategic communication, so I also know how to market homes effectively and I can negotiate deals confidently. One of my bragging rights is the last time I bought a used vehicle well, this goes back like to 2014 or 15, but I haggled so much with the guy at the dealership that he actually offered me a job. When people ask me how I feel about negotiating, I'm like don't worry there. So, beyond all of that, though, what I feel is the most important thing is I operate on heart, hard work and integrity, and I say this to all my people, that I will always look out for you.
Speaker 2:That's great, and are you still doing any photography? Is that something that you're weaving into your business?
Speaker 3:Yes, so I do all my listings. I do other shoots for other realtors, for investors or flippers. If people have a property they want to put on BRBO or Airbnb, I can help out with that. And then I do still love to pick up the camera and do a portrait session here and there, and I actually have a graduation coming up this weekend and a maternity shoot.
Speaker 2:So yeah, fun, fun weekend and a uh, um, a maternity shoot. So, yeah, fun, fun. So you're always getting out there and doing the things you love, um, what are? Some other things you do for fun.
Speaker 3:Um, so I'm an avid pickleball player. I got into that a couple years ago and I have a tournament coming up at the end of the month, so I'm practicing for that and I've met a wonderful group of people and a wonderful network through that sport. So I'm very thankful for that. And I also I love live music and I love to be out in nature. I love a good hike and I still love to travel. It looks a little different these. I don't have a backpack on my back and I'm not going for months at a time, but I love to book a ticket and get somewhere new and just explore.
Speaker 2:Awesome, and you know what are some of the myths or misperceptions that are out there about the real estate market on these days that you'd like to clear up for us?
Speaker 3:Sure, yeah, Great question. I think some of's easy and I'm sure that people think that, because anyone can really sign up for the course and study the content and take the test. Passing the test is another thing. That's, that's a. That's a tough one.
Speaker 3:But someone said to me once it's simple yet difficult, like difficult. It's simple yet difficult. Right, it's a simple process, Like every transaction is different, but really there is a set process and a blueprint and a framework. But it's not easy and some people think we just open doors and put a sign in the yard. But really having the right agent that will align with you and be your ally every step of the way is going to make a huge difference in not only the whole process but also where you net out.
Speaker 3:I also think, too, that we're having to adjust to a new normal now, with the conditions, with the economy, with just things, things shifting, and I think people are waiting for the perfect time when, really, if you're working with the perfect agent or the right agent, we we know how to negotiate, or the right agent, we know how to negotiate under these conditions, right. So right now we're seeing like a little bit more inventory, houses are sitting for a little bit longer, but as a buyer, you have to know how to use that to your advantage, Like sellers. Obviously, some sellers are still desperate to sell their homes because of relocation or other situations. For it to sell their homes because of relocation or other situations. So it's it's knowing it's?
Speaker 2:it's like honing in on the opportunities within the existing market conditions, and can you talk maybe a little bit about the you know marketing skills you have and how you're using those?
Speaker 3:to help the sellers that you're working with, sure. So I spent five years working in advertising for a big agency in Manhattan, jwt, and I worked on the Diageo account, which, if you know anything about them, they're all about liquor and wine. So smirnoff was my client and it was my role to basically adapt all of the above the line advertising for all of the global markets. So, um, following that, I went back to school for my master's degree in strategic communications and that is all about. That was all about branding, pr, marketing, um. So I'm using all of those skills and I'm putting them into how I market a listing, who I reach out to, the tone of voice I use. I have a network that I've built, a a huge number of people that see the property that I'm listing before it even goes to market. So there's the potential to even have a ton of interest before we go live with a listing and potentially have even an off market deal.
Speaker 2:That's super cool. What other things do you feel set you apart from other realtors out there?
Speaker 3:So I want to go back to kind of what I said before about the integrity and the heart of it. I think real estate has become transactional for some and I think at the end of the day, yes, we're dealing with houses and listings and numbers, but really we're dealing with people and it's all about relationships and I love helping people. I always say if I wasn't in real estate I'd probably go back to school and get a degree for counseling or um, because I just I love helping people, I love helping to set other people up for success and I love seeing people accomplish their goals and I get to do that. I get to do that every day in real estate.
Speaker 2:And I guess some of those counseling skills come in hand handy as you really have to listen to your clients and maybe deal with some interpersonal issues between couples and that kind of stuff Are there. You know any other things that you want our listeners to know to say?
Speaker 3:I do wanna point out that there's a statistic going around that said that 74% of realtors last year sold nothing. So you know, not, this isn't I'm not just speaking for myself, but for the people that you see that are doing the work and showing up and making it to the closing table and getting the listings like um, give them a pat on the back because it's uh, it's not an easy market right now, and um, and I think that that statistic highlights that perfectly.
Speaker 2:So Got it, got it. Where can folks find you where, if they want to reach out, what's the easiest way for them to get in touch?
Speaker 3:So I would love to hear from people either by phone or text. My number is 770-881-4566. And then I'm on Facebook as Eleanor Halliwell and on Instagram as Elle Sells Houses.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Eleanor.
Speaker 3:Thank you, Stacey. Thanks for having me. Yeah, it was great.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Milton More. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPMiltoncom. That's GNPMiltoncom, that's GNPMiltoncom, or call 470-664-4930.