The Alimond Show
Welcome to The Alimond Show --join us as we share our entrepreneurial guests' stories, uncover their secrets to success, and explore the unique paths they've taken to build thriving businesses in our community.
In each episode, our host, Aliyah Dastour, sits down with a diverse group of local business owners, from the corner cafe to the boutique shop, from tech startups to family-run enterprises. We peel back the curtain to reveal the trials, triumphs, and transformational moments that have shaped their entrepreneurial journey.
Discover the passion, perseverance, and innovative thinking that fuels these businesses, as well as the challenges they've overcome along the way. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking inspiration or simply a curious listener interested in the stories behind your favorite local spots, The Alimond Show has something for everyone.
Our guests share their experiences, insights, and valuable advice that can empower you to turn your own dreams into reality. We discuss topics like marketing strategies, customer relationships, community engagement, and much more, offering practical takeaways you can apply to your own business or career.
Join us every week as we celebrate the unsung heroes of our local business community and explore the vibrant tapestry of entrepreneurship in our area. Tune in to The Alimond Show and get ready to be inspired, informed, and motivated to support and nurture the businesses that make our community thrive.
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The Alimond Show
Beyond the Sale: Judy McHenry's Journey from Rock Star to Realtor
What happens when a former rock singer with a psychology degree and hospitality background becomes a real estate agent? You get Judy McHenry of the Platinum Group Real Estate, a 14-year veteran of the Loudoun County market whose diverse life experiences create an extraordinary approach to helping clients find their perfect homes.
Judy's professional journey feels like a masterclass in transferable skills. Starting as a case manager in a neurorehabilitation facility, she coordinated complex care needs among medical professionals and insurance companies. Later, as director of sales for a DC hotel, she honed her hospitality skills before finding her calling in real estate. "I think I utilize all those experiences in my career as a realtor," Judy explains. "Sometimes I call myself a case manager because I'm managing the transaction and all these different parts."
This episode reveals fascinating insights about Western Loudoun's unique charm and evolving real estate landscape. Having grown up in Leesburg and lived in Hamilton for 22 years, Judy has witnessed firsthand how the area has transformed through market crashes, COVID-driven rural migrations, and development pressures. She shares practical strategies for helping buyers' offers stand out in competitive situations while maintaining a client-centered approach.
Perhaps the most surprising revelation? Judy's past life as lead singer for Villa Rosie, an original music band compared to The Cranberries that released albums and performed across the East Coast in the late 1990s. This creative background perfectly complements her current role, where understanding people's needs and emotions is paramount.
Beyond her real estate practice, Judy serves on the board of Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, which provides housing assistance to those receiving mental health services. This passion connects deeply with her family history—her mother worked as a psychiatric nurse—and demonstrates her commitment to the community she serves.
Whether you're fascinated by real estate trends, career transitions, or finding purpose through diverse life experiences, Judy's story offers valuable wisdom, including this gem from her father: "He spent more time worrying about things that never happened." Listen now and discover how embracing your full journey creates authentic connection in business and life.
My name's Judy McHenry and I'm with the Platinum Group real estate team and I help buyers and sellers buy and sell houses.
Speaker 2:Beautiful. Let's go ahead and get started in how you dipped your feet into real estate and what made you want to choose this career path. Maybe it wasn't always in the cards for you and you just figured it out later on in life. Let's hear the story Sure.
Speaker 1:So basically, I have a lot of things that led me to where I am. So my first job out of college was working for a neurorehab facility for adults that had head injuries. So I started out helping with activities of daily living, and then I moved into an assistant case manager role into an assistant case manager role, and so what my job was was I would work with insurance companies and work with the psychiatrists and the psychologists and the nursing and OT to help make sure that the clients had the services that they needed, and from there I went into the hotel industry. So I was in hospitality for several years I ended up. My last job there was director of sales for an all suites hotel in DC.
Speaker 1:Okay, I dabbled in. I went to classes at Nova for design, and so I worked a couple of I know. So basically I managed a furniture store. I mean, I always was into hospitality and taking care of people, and so the way I really got into real estate is. My dad used to say you know you would be a great realtor, you've got all of these things in your background, and so he passed away in January of 2010. I'm sorry, that's okay, and so my sister and I were in the process of selling his condo in Leesburg and we were put in touch with an agent and things just didn't work out the way that we had hoped it would as far as service. So my sister said you know, if this person can do it, you would be an amazing realtor. So from there I got my real estate license the next year, and that was 14 years ago.
Speaker 2:Wow. Well, congratulations on being there for 14 years, I know it seems like you have quite the extensive background, like from going to the hospital medical, and then going into just helping people in hospitality. You've always had that like helping, helping people, nurturing them. What have been the differences in all of that, or do you feel like maybe it all led you to be a real estate agent? Are there some things, maybe parallels or anything, between the two careers that you've gone through previously to now?
Speaker 1:Definitely. I mean I think that all of those things I utilize in my career as a real estate agent, so I do. Sometimes I call myself a case manager, right, because I'm managing the transaction and all of these different parts. You've got your home inspections and you've got your contractors that know contractors, that you're helping people to get their houses ready, so you're making sure, basically, I look at the client. When I was at the neuro rehab facility and that's my clients in the hotel industry, so I'm making sure that they have all of the services that they deserve. So definitely, I also got a degree in psychology and I think that helps. Oh, that definitely helps. It definitely helps in my career, yeah no, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And then, as a seasoned realtor in Loudoun County, how have you seen the local real estate landscape evolve over the past decade and what trends are you anticipating in the future?
Speaker 1:Okay. So how has it evolved? Well, I grew up in Leesburg first of all. Well, I grew up in Leesburg first of all, and so I've seen that I decided to buy my little house in Hamilton, which I've been yeah, I've had it for 22 years now, but definitely now I see I was actually doing real estate appraisals back in 2005, 2006. I know, believe it or not, I've been in real estate for 14 years, so it's actually the one career that I'm like. This is it know, believe it or not, I've been in real estate for 14 years, so it's actually the one career that I, you know, I'm like, this is it, this is it so? But anyway, I was doing appraisals back in 05, 06.
Speaker 1:And, of course, we know that the market went south in 07. So it was, that was a crazy time and you know, obviously the houses were selling way above what they should have. People were underwater, you know, on their loans, and so, anyway, it went from that. Covid would have been, you know, would have made all of these people decide to, you know, buy their house in Western Loudoun County, you know. So that's kind of. But I think that you know, in listening to some of the experts talk. You know we're not headed toward a crash. So things have evened out a little bit. So things are a little bit better for buyers right now, although we're still seeing in different pockets that there's multiple offers and prices are escalating. So it's interesting and I guess we'll see where things go. Lots of people I'm working. I'm primarily in Loudoun County and I'm starting to do a lot of work out in Clark County, winchester. I also have my license in Maryland so I'm working a lot in Frederick County too Okay.
Speaker 2:I love that Not just one, but two. That's awesome to be able to hit those markets and help more people. Yes, that's right. I love it.
Speaker 1:I was referring business to other agents in Maryland, and so then I thought well, I'm right across the bridge from Brunswick, so why don't I just get my own license?
Speaker 2:Smart girl.
Speaker 1:Yes, I love it.
Speaker 2:And then, in today's competitive market, what strategies do you employ to ensure your clients' offers stand out?
Speaker 1:So that offers stand out. Yeah, is that what you're saying? Yeah, well, I think the terms so it's not really just the price of the house right, you have to have the right terms. So I think, first of all, it's a conversation with the listing agent and what's important to the seller. I mean, if you don't know what's important to the seller, you're really blind putting together an offer. So, if they want to close as quickly as possible, I have a local lender here that I refer and I know that he can close a deal in 10 to 14 days. So that you know, depending on some, people don't care about when they close A big earnest money deposit is pretty important because that just shows your earnest.
Speaker 1:We really want this house, we want to make it work. Back in the day, for a $600,000 house, a buyer would put down $6,000. And now they're putting down $20,000 or whatever it is. You know appraisals and you know waiving home inspections, which the home inspections. I never, ever, recommend to my buyers that they, you know, waive a home inspection. But it's sort of like. You know you have to tell them if you get to the point where we put in five offers. Here's what everybody else is doing so. We're going to have to decide. You know I don't recommend it, but if you want this house, this is what you have to do. So we're going to have to decide. Yeah, you know I don't recommend it, but if you want this house, this is what you have to do.
Speaker 2:So yeah, it's kind of like case by case with each person. Yeah, absolutely. I want to ask you about marketing and are you an avid social media user? Are you out there making videos? Are you going to networking groups Just to get the word out there about? Yourself what's working what's not working.
Speaker 1:So I'm kind of ebb and flow with social media. To be quite honest with you. The nice thing is I'm on a team with 17 women and so one of the things that we do as a team is we all promote each other's properties listings. So that's really helpful. So as a team, we do a lot of that. I am not the type of person that puts out the weekly deal of the week because I'm going to miss next week, and I know it about myself. So I, you know I get a lot of business from my repeat clients and referrals. Yeah, so word of mouth, but I do. I try to keep my social media. Some of it is, you know, more personal, family, something funny I just bought an investment property in Brunswick, so I, you know, I've kind of started to thank you.
Speaker 1:It's my second one now, so I'm part of the retirement plan Nice, nice, so I'm doing a little bit of video on that as I go through the process of getting it in condition to rent. But yeah, I'm not. I like social media. I think it's great, but I also think you have to know not everybody cares. That you know I helped this person sell this, I don't know. I think there's things that we don't realize, that people really don't care, but the biggest thing is is that people see you and they know you're out there.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:So I think it's what to post.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely I think it's what to post? Yeah, absolutely. And how do you find that sweet spot about seeing about personal and yourself and getting people to know more about? Like who Judy is, what she likes, right? Like getting to know you like a friend as opposed to like this is a realtor. Like, yes, we know your background, we can read your about me, we can see all your stats on your website, but how do?
Speaker 1:you find that sweet spot. I'm not sure. I think for me it's just being, you know, organic and I think it's just being a real, a real person, and I've always, I think I've always had a pretty easy time connecting with all different kinds of people. And so I think, just appealing to you know, I actually thought I should probably put out some sort of a survey just to my friends, like what, what would you want to hear from me? You know, because I think you know, you go to all of these that you know, tom Ferry, and all of these which I used to have coaching with Tom Ferry and you, just you get sucked into all these different things that you should be doing.
Speaker 1:And everybody says you know three posts a day. And the other person said you know, and there's so much it's just hard to figure out. So I don't, I don't know. I mean, I don't know what that sweet spot is, but for me usually, if you see me posting, it's just more about my you know what I'm doing in my own personal life, my family, then some real estate, you know, thrown in. It's organic, yeah, it's organic that's.
Speaker 2:And that's where, fortunately, where my business comes from now. Yes, and speaking of social media, I want to talk about your Instagram and the bio. Your bio mentions you're a former rock star. Can you tell us about that chapter of your life and how those experiences may have influenced your real estate career? Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:So I was in a band and I sang growing up and I did. We had the James Bland contest and stuff like that. But and in high school you really delved into a lot of fields here, ma'am, but you know jack of all trades. Yes, I consider myself a master of the one I'm in right now. Okay, good, yes, but so I Saw an ad in the paper. I was living in Arlington, this was 1997. And it said you pop, star us lonely without you, or something.
Speaker 1:So it was in the paper, like we used to do before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, in the classifieds.
Speaker 1:Classifieds and so I called them and I went back for auditions and, like four times, they had just lost their lead singer and all of the music was original.
Speaker 2:So we didn't do any covers.
Speaker 1:So the lead guitarist and I was the lead singer. We would write all of the songs and I think people would compare us to like the Cranberries. I love the Cranberries, yeah, like the Sundays or that kind of a sound Powerhouse. Yeah, so we actually put out an album called Everybody Rides. The name of the band was Villa Rosie and we played. They had us on. You're too young to remember, but they had 99 point on WHFS.
Speaker 2:Oh, I remember that, yes, iwhfs, they had us on rotation.
Speaker 1:We had a song called Bright Girl. That was our single and we would travel to New York City. We would travel to different.
Speaker 2:Philadelphia.
Speaker 1:It was fun, but we all had real jobs.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean?
Speaker 1:I was director of sales at a hotel, and so it was scary to actually live that dream. But we put out our second album and then the lead singer moved, or the lead guitarist moved to New York, somebody else moved. We had to kick somebody. I mean it just never. We never could get it back together. Yeah, and so, unfortunately, you know, disbanded.
Speaker 2:Disbanded. But that was yeah, I was a rock star. Oh my gosh, that's a joke.
Speaker 1:but no, you are a rock star girl.
Speaker 2:And not a lot of people can say that I used to want to be a singer but anyway, that's so cool that you were able to do that. Can we find your stuff online or videos?
Speaker 1:Well, you might be able to find a CD on eBay for like $3 or something.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, I'm going to have to get like the info and everything from you after this. I'll give it to you.
Speaker 1:I don't. I can't see anything anymore because that was I think it was 2000 maybe that we disbanded Okay. Maybe, 2000, 2001. And it's hard to find there's a. Washington Post wrote an article on us that might be on there. The last time I looked there was a not-so-nice article about, you know, bubblegum pop or something.
Speaker 2:What's wrong with bubblegum?
Speaker 1:pop. Come on. Yeah, but no. That was an amazing time in my life and I wish I was 25 years younger and I'd do it all over again.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, I would be your photographer or something and follow you around the world. Last question on this topic, because it's just so cool Do you still get to get your singing out in some way?
Speaker 1:Sometimes. I mean I have a 16-year-old daughter and so we'll sing. We like a lot of the same songs not most of them but the last four times that I have sang were at funerals. Oh, sad occasion.
Speaker 2:I know which is really sad.
Speaker 1:I actually sang at my mom's funeral last year at the beginning of the year. She was in the choir at her church. That's where you got the singing bug from was in the choir at her church. That's where you got the singing bug from. Yeah, I think so. My mom was. Yeah, she was really into music. But so, yeah, I need to do something other than a funeral gig.
Speaker 2:Go on TikTok, just start singing covers or something we did that one time, my daughter and I.
Speaker 1:What did we do? Tiktok, it must've been TikTok. And I got in trouble. What for, I don't know. I guess there are some rules where you can't Say something, you can't sing on top of somebody else's song. I don't remember what it was, but so we stopped. But we should do it again, get back on it.
Speaker 2:She has an amazing voice.
Speaker 1:She will not sing in public.
Speaker 2:I get it. You've got to get over that fear.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but maybe there's future rock star pop star in the making. Yeah, I used to say she should become, you know, a singer in a rock star, and then she's going to call I'm going to. I'd like for my mom to come up and sing a couple songs, yes, so she has to be the one.
Speaker 2:Let's manifest that. Okay, come on, daughter. What's her name? Josie Josie. Come on, josie, don't be shy. Maybe we'll have to get you on the podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah there you go.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for sharing that.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Thank you for asking. That's a fun part of life.
Speaker 2:Right, and then do you find any parallels between? I mean, but sometimes you got to like fluff it up a little bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I am more of the type of person that just lets my buyers lead. I mean, I will, once I know what they're looking for, I can go out and find. It's not always on the searches, right, it's not always on Zillow or in our MLS so but that gives me the chance to network and find out if anybody has something coming up. So I think knowing what my buyers want is really important. But when we go to a house, I don't, I just basically let them get that feeling when they walk in, as opposed to me going, oh my gosh, this is so beautiful, don't you think this is so beautiful? Because half the time people are like no, we don't really like that, and so I want to make sure that I'm understanding what it is they want.
Speaker 1:So, no, I really am not. I'm not really showy about that kind of stuff. That's fair, yeah, but I can appreciate that. I think so. I think people like that because whenever I've tried to, what I like is not what somebody else likes. I live in a 1,600-square-foot home and it is perfect, right for me. So I go into these big houses and to me it's like a waste of space or it doesn't make sense, or where do you hang out? But some people love those.
Speaker 1:So, I try to keep my opinion out of it, but in the end I'm just a very simple person really, you're just trying to help everybody find their ideal home.
Speaker 2:Yep, I love it, thank you. That's a great mentality to have. Now let's talk about mental health advocacy. Okay, mental health is a crucial topic today. How do you support clients who may be experiencing stress or anxiety during the home buying or selling process, especially since you have your psychology?
Speaker 1:degree, right. Right, I think, again, I'm very proactive as opposed to being reactive. So I think what can happen is, you know, sometimes if one of the parties in a transaction is really upset, some of the agents will start to get upset with them, right? That's not helping anybody for me. I just try and be proactive and kind of know that this person's going to walk into this situation and it might be difficult for them. Or these people are getting divorced and they're selling their house. I think, too, it's just the you know, the gratitude of being able to help people, in that that you, they asked me to help them during this stressful time. But, yeah, I don't know other than staying calm, and it's not the end of the world that this is happening. And here's the options. Let's walk through the options, not just here's the issue that's going on. This is too bad. Oh, I'm so mad about this. But here's our options. Absolutely, let's decide which way you want to go.
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 1:That's a great answer, Thanks, and then let's see you once posted about prom photos with baby lambs in Western Latin.
Speaker 2:Only in Western Latin. Only in Western Latin. What makes this community so unique and how do you convey?
Speaker 1:that charm to potential buyers. Okay, well, being from, well, leesburg. But having lived in Western Loudoun, I've had so many people buyers that I've worked with, and they're like, oh, we want a place in Ashburn, or oh, we want a place in Leesburg, and what they're looking for I know is not going to be found in Ashburn or Leesburg. So I'll just say, you know, just humor me there's a house, it's exactly what you want. It's a little further out, so it might be a 10 or 15 minute.
Speaker 1:I have helped so many people buy in like Hamilton and Western Loudoun, who never thought they would live this far out because there's so much. I mean, yes, the prom pictures with you know, pictures with my daughter and her friend, and it was just the backdrop. We went to her aunt's house and they just had some baby lambs and so we were like, oh, that'd be so cute, get a picture with the baby lambs, and that's just how life is, I think, in Western Loudoun. I mean we used to say don't Fairfax Loudoun, and we have, and so now it's like don't Clark Loudoun, so don't Loudoun.
Speaker 2:Clark. I guess Don't Fairfax Loudoun, yeah, don't Loudoun Clark it, something like that. Don't Loudoun Clark it? Yeah, whatever, I don't know. Keep the Loudoun out of Clark.
Speaker 1:But that's where everybody's going and that's where the growth is moving. But yeah, I mean horse country out here, right, and it's beautiful, and farms and everybody during COVID wanted to move out here and have chickens. I believe it. Yeah, I believe it, and now probably we all wish we did, because now everybody talks about how expensive eggs are.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Now they're like $20. So now if you had your chickens, you could have got those eggs, even if it's a family. Yep, next time, next time guys, next time there's a. Hopefully there is no next time. Actually, just kidding. Yeah hopefully not. And where do you see yourself in the next five years as a person and with your business?
Speaker 1:Okay, so I have a, I have a 10 year plan, nice, and I'm not sure you know, I can't really tell you what the well I guess I can tell you I would like to acquire in the next.
Speaker 1:Okay, so my coach that I have in real estate through Tom Ferry we're not working together anymore but he said to me last year all right, we have your three-year plan and we need to get your five-year and 10-year plan. And I thought in 10 years I'm going to be 65, and I'm not going to be doing the hustle and bustle that I'm doing today. So the plan and thank God for Vicki Newfall and Karen Cooper, who are the owners of our team they have investment properties and they talk about wealth, building wealth, you know, for the future and because of them, part of my plan now is to acquire a few more rental properties and have that cash flow and be building equity in those homes. And you know, working with who I want to work with, you know, and maybe just on a referral basis, I don't know, but definitely I would like to have some more investment properties and be able to kind of slowly get out of.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. That's great that you have a plan. Some people don't, some people do, so I always like to ask, and it's great that you have that and you've got an idea of where you want to go with it and how to phase out. Yeah, so that's awesome.
Speaker 1:It's hard. Yeah, I mean health wise. I'm in pretty good health. You know I try to work out and take care of myself and eat right. I like, you know, doing outdoor activities and so hopefully you know I plan on that continuing.
Speaker 2:Continuing it. Yeah, so I can't.
Speaker 1:I can't foresee myself not being active. You know, hopefully, when I my grandmother played golf when she was 91.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you've got some good genes that are, like, still active for a long time right, I'm hoping so.
Speaker 1:I hope I have her genes, but yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I hope that I'm able to do that too. Sometimes it's hard to get out there, but just don't start. I know, I know Gotta not stop, um. And then I'd like to ask you is there anything that I have not touched on that? Perhaps you would like to get out there or share about yourself or your business or family. You have the floor.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, I did want you touched on something about mental health and, um, I am actually on the board of directors for an organization called Friends of Loudon Mental Health, and so what we do and it has to do with housing, which was something important to me so individuals that are working with Loudon Mental Health Center, who are getting services from them, a lot of times, you know, your mental health can keep you from being able to go to work, being able to pay your bills or take care of your home, those kinds of things.
Speaker 1:So what we do is we have a couple of programs one that actually funds a portion of their rent, so, or their, their mortgage, up to $500 a month for three months. And then we have another program that comes in and if you've got, you know, something that's not working in your house or you need help with your electric bill or those kind of things. So I am very my mom was actually a psychiatric nurse for loud mental health center my entire life yeah, so I just and I think a lot of that when I talk about myself just being a very calm person comes from my mom and dad. You know so, but I wanted to touch on that because that is a big. That is a big issue in our society right now.
Speaker 1:COVID really hit a lot of people hard and of course now we don't really know. Things are kind of up in the air with jobs and those sort of things, Absolutely Everything is just like what's going on. Am I going to?
Speaker 2:be okay? Yep, are we going to be okay? I need help.
Speaker 1:I don't know where to talk to about this, but there are places out there, there are services out there.
Speaker 2:Where can we find more information about this? Do you have the website?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's called Loudon, the website it's Friends of Loudon Mental Health and the website is loudonfriendsorg. Perfect. Yeah, amazing, but definitely reach out you know, if people are having a hard time, they should definitely reach out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you for touching on that. That's so important, and oftentimes I feel like, well, maybe like 20 years ago, I feel like it wasn't taken as seriously. It just now is like people are like okay, well, this is part of what we need to take care of with ourselves and make sure that we function well, because back then it was like just suck it up, it's fine, like you're just sad or get over it, and so I'm just so glad that people are now advocating for this and opening up people's minds that it's not just oh, I'm sad, it's a chemical imbalance in your brain, and that there's more to it than what meets the eye.
Speaker 1:And talk about it. That's what they say. Right, talk to someone. So yeah, yeah, yeah. So I did want to touch on that because, being in the housing industry, you know, and having come from a family that served the mental health, you know, community, that's really important to me, yeah.
Speaker 2:Awesome, thank you, thank you. My final question Okay, if you could leave us with a message, some parting words, or maybe you want to share something that someone has told you in your life that stood out, that you would just like to share and leave us with.
Speaker 1:I think one thing that has always stuck with me is my dad used to say he spent more time worrying about things that never happened, and so I try to remember that in my life, which is very, very difficult because we do. We all get up at night and a hundred things are going through our heads, but I try to share that with my clients and with my friends and my daughter that this might not happen. It might not happen that way. So let's just cross that bridge when we get to it.
Speaker 1:So don't worry about things that haven't happened yet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then you're spending time worrying and you stress and then it never happened. It's just like it stopped you from other things you could have accomplished or done. So, yeah, that's such a powerful message. I want to thank you so much for coming on the podcast today, thank you, and just sharing your beautiful personality and your history with us. It means a lot that you came out here and got vulnerable with me, so thank you so much.
Speaker 1:It's nice to be here. Thanks for inviting me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, anytime Okay.