Meet Debbie Fleet of Fleet and Associates Real Estate Team

Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Fleet.

Hi Debbie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I was born and raised in Fargo, ND. My family moved to Phoenix, AZ when I was a teenager, so I attended Arizona State University where I received my BA and Masters in Elementary Education and Reading. I taught in Tempe, AZ for 6 years. Then, my husband (Scott) and I, along with our daughter Lizzy, moved to Kansas City. We had friends that lived here and after visiting them, we decided it would be a great place to live and raise a family.

We added a son, Doug, three years later to complete our family. We love the midwest hospitality and KC is a little warmer than North Dakota. I taught in Shawnee Mission School District as a Reading Teacher and Literacy Coach for 14 years. It gave me the flexibility and an opportunity to be home with my kiddos during holidays and summer break. I decided to get my real estate license in 2005 as Scott and I had started purchasing rental properties. I had not planned on becoming an active agent, however, when a fellow agent asked me to help him out over spring break I was happy to do it.

Once friends, family, and teachers/administrators realized I had my license, it became a full-time job. While I was passionate about teaching and loved every minute of it, I was ready for a change. I jumped in with both feet and built a top real estate team. After being in the top 25 agents in the city for 10 years, I realized I was spending more time managing agents on the team than working with clients and building relationships, which is what I love to do!

So, I restructured to a smaller team and headed back out into the field. A decision I am so thankful I had the courage to do. I am so blessed to love what I do and the people that work alongside me.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Real Estate is always changing and is impacted by so many things. As crazy as it sounds, I was fortunate that the strong market that I jumped into in 2005 quickly changed to a challenging market with the economic crisis in 2007.

While many agents chose to leave the industry, I looked at it as an opportunity to help people going through difficult times. I learned so much during this time and my business continued to grow throughout it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Fleet and Associates team members understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it’s a life-changing experience. That’s why my team is dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service for all our clients. This year, we sold homes from $35,000 to 3.5 Million everyone gets the same service and support.

We take great pride in the relationships we build and always work relentlessly on the client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals. Today’s buyers and sellers need a trusted resource that can guide them through the complex world of real estate. With our extensive knowledge and commitment to providing only the best and most timely information to our clients, we are your go-to source for real estate industry insight and advice.

We continue to be in the Top 1% of all agents in the Kansas City market. We have also received the Five Star Award for Client Satisfaction for 13 consecutive years. This recognition is particularly flattering, as it is earned by client nominations and there are only 17 agents (out of 15,000+ agents) in the KC Metro area that have earned it that many years in a row.

Our philosophy is simple: clients come first. We pledge to be in constant communication with our clients, keeping them fully informed throughout the entire buying or selling process. We believe that if you’re not left with an amazing experience, we haven’t done our job. We don’t measure success through achievements or awards but through the satisfaction of our clients.

The team includes Ljubica (Lucy) Basic working as an agent full time with buyers and sellers. She’s been with us for 2 years and came from a background working in property management and finance. She does a tremendous job developing relationships with clients and cultivating new opportunities. Her work ethic is one of the best I’ve seen in the industry. We also have my son, Doug Fleet, running the operations side of the team. His background includes experience as a pricing analyst in the logistics and new construction side of the industry. He oversees streamlining the process for us once clients go under contract to ensure everything runs smoothly up to closing. He also manages our property management side of the business, which he’s been growing.  Together, we take great care of our clients while having fun!

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I never want to stop learning and growing personally and professionally. Having mentors is a great way to expand as a person, whether it’s someone who mentors you for a long time or just through a short period.

When I first got into real estate, I reached out to many of the top producers and asked if I could take them to lunch or coffee. Most agents were more than happy to share their experiences and what helped them with their success. After all, it’s a great compliment.

Contact Info:

• Email: Debbie@FleetREgroup.com
• Website: www.FleetREgroup.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.fleet.37