How My Real Estate Team Helped Me Help My Parents

Being part of PLACE Real Estate and Verity Group has always meant having access to incredible tools, training, and support—but recently, I got to experience just how powerful that truly is on a personal level.

A Personal Mission

When it came time to help my aging parents downsize and transition into a new home, I felt completely prepared. My husband and I live and work in Virginia, but we knew this next chapter with my parents deserved our full attention. So, we packed up our two dogs, a month’s worth of clothes, and drove 20 hours to Oklahoma to walk through the process with them—together.

The Power of the Network

One month before we even arrived, I reached out to a Director of Operations in Oklahoma City with a simple ask:
“Who do you recommend for estate planning, HVAC repair, estate sales, general contracting… all of it?”

Within 24 hours, I had a trusted list in hand. Once we arrived, we met with all of them, got estimates, and started building a solid plan of action.

The Right Agent Makes All the Difference

And of course, I requested to be paired with an agent who could handle big personalities.
(Yes, I know—I’m the problem. 😅)
And I got exactly the agent I needed.

Our agent asked the right questions—not just for me, but for my parents and what would make their next home truly work for them. We saw eight homes—not because we were indecisive, but because that’s what matched our budget and our needs.

At one property, we didn’t even get out of the car. Our agent took one look and said,
“Nope, this one’s not for you.”
He was absolutely right. Some things you just can’t see on an MLS printout—and that’s where experience matters.

A Lightning-Fast Process

In just five days, we:

• Met with our agent
  
  
• Signed both a buyer broker and listing agreement (More to follow on the listing side!)
  
  
• Toured 8 homes
  
  
• Found the one
  
  
• Applied for the loan
  
  

And just 16 days after we signed the contract, we closed.

The home was about 98% complete when we signed the paperwork, but that last 2% still required coordination—and the turnaround was fast.

Navigating the Builder Process

The builder was in the middle of a company acquisition, which had the potential to cause delays. But the on-site agent was outstanding—staying on top of the contract details and working closely with their lender to give us every opportunity to qualify for builder incentives.

While their loan program didn’t ultimately work with our FHA “caretaker” status (since it’s technically a second home for us), the effort was there, and we genuinely appreciated it.

Personal Touches That Made It Home

We also decided to take on some of the finishing touches ourselves. My husband and I painted the entire interior of the new home Shitaki (eggshell finish, naturally)—a small labor of love to make it feel just right for my parents. Our backs were very grateful the home was under 1,000 sqft.

The Right Lender Matters

We chose to work with our in-house lender—Envoy—and couldn’t have been happier.
They were fast, responsive, and thorough.

And honestly? Having a lender who understands a wide range of financing options and takes the time to walk you through them is worth its weight in gold. The builder’s preferred lender didn’t even know the FHA caretaker program existed—and made no effort to explore it. That moment alone confirmed I’d made the right call.

No Surprises, Just Support

One of the many benefits of being part of a nationwide real estate company that is owned and operated by its partners is that there were no surprises.

Aside from a few state-specific contract items, the paperwork was familiar.
The service? Top tier.
The processes? Seamless and consistent.

It felt like home—even in a brand-new market.

Why It Matters

It’s easy to talk about how streamlined and efficient our systems are—but to live it, for the people I love most, was an unforgettable reminder of what makes this PLACE community so special.

Whether you're buying or selling, helping a client or helping your own family—this network shows up. This is our company. It's being built everyday, by us, for us and to serve others.