Meet Penny Williams | Associate Broker & REALTOR®

We had the good fortune of connecting with Penny Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Penny, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
There is a misnomer that approximately 40% of renters believe they could never buy or own a house or income property. The real estate industry as a whole, in my opinion gets a bad rap. Often times, the comparison that I hear is that it is perceived in the same image category as the “Used Car Salesperson”…seedy and unethical. As a licensed REALTOR®, we are some of the most educated and dedicated professionals. My grandfather told me at an early age that the only thing you will take to my grave is your name. Protecting my character and integrity at all cost is paramount. Especially in an career that is 100% commissioned. I was licensed here in Georgia and because I was working with a property management company at the time, there was a conflict of interest so I decided to move to California and work with my mom. REALTORS® are held to a higher ethical standard which requires Continuing Education throughout our entire career. There is so much more to what we do as a whole than unlock doors and collect a check. The education that we gain allows us to inform, educate and help people become homeowners and with almost 29 years in the game, I have had the honor of doing just that.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Over the course of many years, I was fixated on finding my purpose. What is my calling? Am I serving in the highest capacity? How can I make a positive impact in the lives of others. Was real estate the vehicle for me to carry out this objective. Well, as it has turned out the answer is yes. One thing I always say about real estate is that it is not for the faint of heart. It’s a tough industry to thrive in and have success. It makes me think of that old cliche, “nothing worthwhile comes easy.” Initially, it was tough following in the footsteps of my mother’s 30 year career after leaving corporate America. A few of my mother’s clients back in Los Angeles were Denzel and Paulette Washington, Blair Underwood, Hal Williams and many others. My name when people met me was, “oh, you’re Pat Penny’s Daughter.” Not having my own identity was extremely difficult. However, when I developed my identity and excelled within an extremely competitive Los Angeles market it became exhilarating. The one thing I love more than anything in my business are the relationships that I am blessed to cultivate. I’m proud of the energy, effort and care that I pour into my clients. Helping each to accomplish a clear objective in either buying, selling or both and understanding the task at hand. The thing about real estate is that it is never a cookie cutter transaction. Listening and understanding to the needs of my clients and helping them to accomplish their objective is my goal. The most important thing I want the world to know is that I stand on the words of my grandfather. Protecting my name and character at all cost means providing the highest level of customer care, communication, integrity, and knowledge for my clients. There are two things that I always share, 1), it’s not my money, and 2), it’s not my house. My role is to provide the best service and information to help them navigate through the buying and selling process and make the best decision for them and their family. That’s how I have built my strong referral based business. My clients know and trust that I have their best interest at heart and understand we work together to get it done!.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta as a whole is so vast and full of various activities and events. I love to golf, attend sporting events and more intimate concerts. To begin with we are definitely starting several days with breakfast at my mom’s house. Pat Penny is famous for her Fried Chicken & Waffles and Salmon Croquets. Other spots may include Nana’s in McDonough or Thumbs Up. Living on the Southside, I enjoy hitting the links at Heron Bay, Crystal Lake, or Wolf Creek Golf Courses. There are a lot of great places to eat and Ocean Wave by Harry and Sons is one of my favorite Sushi spots. Other places that I would include are Kat’s Cafe and Cafe Circa. Piedmont Park is always a favorite and hopefully a concert would be on the calendar for the weekend. The High Museum Friday Jazz Events are one of my favorites. There is always something to get into int the ATL.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The most important people in my story that I want to give a BIG SHOUTOUT to are my deceased entrepreneurial grandparents, Charles and Millie Penny (my namesakes) who taught me the universal lessons of life: treating others the way you want to be treated, being of strong character, and doing your best at all times. My mother, Pat Penny, used her life experiences as a foundation to further my business acumen, and my remarkable and now adult children: Camille, Obehi and Felix Uadiale served as my why. Life is challenging and maintaining a relationship with God and a “don’t quit” mindset have been essential to my very existence. As a single mother, there were tough choices made that I knew would be beneficial in the lives of my children, and through every season of my life they have been my inspiration, my strength, my joy, and heartbeats. Their unconditional love, and success has sustained me and made every decision made worthwhile.

Website: https://www.watkinsrea.com/agents/penny-williams/

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