Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Ravetta.
Amanda, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
After college (at Auburn University in Alabama), I started a career in the auto finance industry in Mobile, AL. In the first full year there, I was the number one salesperson for the company. After a couple of years, I decided I wanted a career change which led me to the world of mortgages. I became an award-winning mortgage loan officer at a large nationwide company and was soon promoted to a branch manager in Dallas. It was at this company where I met my husband, who was also (and still is) a mortgage loan officer. After a whirlwind romance, we got married and a few years later we decided to start a family. Our plan was for me to be a stay at home mother. I LOVED being a stay at home mom for Luke for the first four years of his life.
When we had our second child, Eli, we were thrown a curveball. We learned the day he was born that he has Down syndrome. Once we processed this and overcame the sadness we felt from learning our second child wasn’t going to be “perfect”, we continued with our new life as a special needs family. For us, we didn’t have any of the health issues that can accompany Down syndrome, but we did have all the many therapies (speech, occupational, and physical.) From birth – three years, the cost of these very expensive therapies are covered mostly by the state. But at three, it’s at the cost of the parents… and our insurance didn’t cover it. So we decided that I should go back to work. Since my husband, Mark, was already a loan officer it didn’t make sense for me to go back into that field, so we decided I would jump to the other side and “team-up” together, and that is when I decided to become a realtor about 3.5 years ago. This allows us to have a client completely covered in their real estate needs when buying a home.
In the last three years, I have been a top producing agent within Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors. In 2018 I ranked #20 out of 600+ DFW agents and in 2019, I ranked #21 out of 900+ agents. Want to know what’s neat about the 2019 ranking of #21? Down syndrome is caused when someone has three copies of the 21st chromosome instead of just 2. Down syndrome is Trisomy 21. That was my little God wink helping me to know I am right where He wants me to be. I am a 2019 “D Magazine Top Producer”, A 2020 Featured Agent in “Top Agent Magazine”. And a 2019 “Dallas Top 500 Real Producer”. And all of this business is from friends who trust me with their friends and family.
Since Eli’s birth, we have learned that Down syndrome is nothing to be sad over. Our boy, Eli, is perfect. His father, brother and I love him very much and wouldn’t change a thing about him. And sharing his life with the world and how glad we are to have him in our family is now a mission of mine carried out on social media… www.facebook.com/RaisingEli and Instagram: @RaisingEli2013.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, it has been a smooth road. I mean there have been plenty of transactions that were stressful, but that’s what makes it so exciting. When someone has so many bumps and bruises they can’t imagine that they could ever own a house, yet here we are… making it happen. And when something happens in the economy and you don’t know where your next deal might come from, that can be unnerving. But thanks to my great friends who refer me business and clients who use me repeatedly, the work has always been steady.
Of course, Down syndrome, in the beginning, felt like a bump in the road, but now it’s a part of our story. It is what jump-started my career and why I became a realtor, to pay for his therapies. My first home sale was for one of Eli’s therapists. Down syndrome adds to our lives instead of taking away from it. We love our story and our boys, just the way they are.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a realtor who serves most of DFW. Because of my roots in the Down syndrome community, my net casts pretty wide for friend’s locations. Each year I am pretty close to 50/50 for sales/listings. And all of the people I have helped to buy homes have been friends or friends of friends, only one was for a stranger. I am hardworking, upbeat, thorough and informative. Making my clients feel like they’re my only client is a top priority for me. I answer the phone when it rings, I respond to texts. My goal is to provide the best customer service someone has ever experienced. Not just in their past real estate transactions, but in all transactions, they have ever done in any field.
Having a husband who does loans makes the process a lot smoother for a buyer and makes us pretty unique. We can work together to get the deal done and meet a buyer’s needs with ease. We can do behind the scenes work together, taking some of the stress off of the buyer. And we can meet deadlines. I also will help stage a seller’s home if they’d like. If they feel their home needs more decor, I will load my truck down with my own home items and redecorate their house for them in an attempt to tell it’s best story in the professional photos we will have made to list the home. Not all sellers want this, but if they do, I am happy to do it free of charge.
As far as what makes me most proud about our company, it would have to be our ability to give back. We have been blessed with an abundance of business, and with that we love to give back to our community. Rockwall has a pregnancy center who helps mothers with unexpected pregnancies handle their needs. And I give 10% of everything I make to them. We are involved in sponsoring their events and supporting them in any way we can.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have to choose one? From the multitude I have? MEAN… ha! My dad was a Huey pilot in the army. He was supposed to take some Army Rangers sky diving on a day that happened to be my 18th birthday. I begged him the night before to find a way to take me. He explained that civilians are not allowed on army helicopters and that it would just be an impossible task. BUT! The morning of their jump (my 18th birthday), his Huey was having technical difficulties, so he asked the Rangers if they would mind taking a civilian plane so I could tag along and jump tandem with them… and they agreed! So on that day, I achieved one of my biggest dreams…jumping out of an airplane.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2555 Ridge Road suite 144
Rockwall, TX 75087 - Website: www.aravetta.cbapex.com
- Phone: 214-499-6432
- Email: RavettaHomeTeam@gmail.com
- Instagram: @RaisingEli2013
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/RavettaHomeTeam
Image Credit:
Pink family photo – Elle Mi Photography/Elizabeth Miller
Red family photo and Eli – Kathleen Cory
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