About Tammy Goolsby and Team Goolsby real estate from Claude

1️⃣ What moment or experience made you fall in love with real estate back in 2003, and what keeps that passion alive for you today after 22 years in the business?

I started in real estate for my own investments. However, it wasn’t very long before friends were asking for help. I began listing their homes and loved helping my friends find their dream homes. Having the opportunity to match someone with their perfect home is very satisfying for me. I also enjoyed helping investors on their own personal financial freedom path. After 22 years and hundreds of transactions, I enjoy the relationships I build with my clients. They truly become my friends.

That’s beautiful, Tammy. The journey from personal investor to trusted advisor who builds genuine friendships with clients is really special. It’s clear that relationships are at the heart of everything you do.

Here’s my second question:

2️⃣ When you think about your most memorable or rewarding transaction in the past 22 years, what made it stand out? What did that experience teach you about the kind of agent you want to be?

My most memorable transaction was when I helped a family that was struggling financially to get top dollar for their California home, so they could start a new life with a stronger financial situation in a different state. They were trying to sell the home on their own to save on commission. I noticed the home was undervalued. I spoke to my friends and encouraged them to trust me with the transaction. We staged the home, and I purchased an extensive marketing package. The home sold $170,000 over asking. That was far above the cost of my commission. It was money well earned, and my friends were delighted and grateful for all my efforts. I want to be the kind of agent that truly serves others and has their best interest in mind at all times.

What a powerful story, Tammy. That $170,000 difference literally changed that family’s life trajectory, and it perfectly illustrates why having an experienced agent matters so much. Your willingness to invest in staging and marketing, combined with your market expertise to recognize they were undervalued, is exactly the kind of concierge service you’re known for.

Here’s my third question:

3️⃣ You mentioned you sell an average of 100 homes per year. With that volume, how do you and your team ensure that each client still receives that personalized, concierge-style experience and doesn’t feel like just another transaction?

I have two agents who work with me, and a transaction coordinator. Phillip Goolsby and Traci Peterson are my partners. They are excellent at helping me make sure every phone call is answered or returned promptly and that our listings are exposed in all areas of our market. Jamie, my transaction coordinator, helps to ensure the paperwork part of the transaction is completed with exact precision.

That’s a well-structured team! It sounds like you’ve built a system where everyone has clear responsibilities – Phillip and Traci handling client communication and marketing reach, while Jamie ensures the backend paperwork runs flawlessly. That division of labor is essential when handling 100 transactions annually.

Here’s my fourth question:

4️⃣ You specialize in “rural living” and move-up buyers in Ione. What are the top 3 things about the Ione area and rural lifestyle that you find yourself educating out-of-area buyers about most often? What surprises them or changes their perception?

I often find myself educating others on the lifestyle in Ione. The golf course and the small town’s main street make Ione a unique experience.

The golf course and that charming small-town Main Street are definitely unique draws! I can see how those would appeal to move-up buyers looking to escape more crowded areas while still having community amenities.

Here’s my fifth question:

5️⃣ With the current buyer shortage you’re facing, what type of buyer has been the EASIEST to attract to Ione recently, and what type of buyer do you wish you could reach more of but haven’t cracked the code on yet?

I have lots of retirees moving to Ione. Often from the Bay Area. I love our clients, but I would enjoy getting to work with more young families too.

That’s a really interesting dynamic – Bay Area retirees discovering Ione as an affordable, peaceful place with golf and small-town charm makes perfect sense. But I can understand wanting to attract more young families to balance your client mix and bring more vitality to the community.

Here’s my sixth question:

6️⃣ When you think about young families who SHOULD be considering Ione but aren’t yet, what do you think is the biggest misconception or barrier stopping them? Is it awareness, commute concerns, schools, amenities, or something else?

I find it to be the commute. The community is amazing for families (we have lots and lots of family activities), but the commute to surrounding communities with corporate jobs can be too demanding for some.

That makes total sense. The commute is a real trade-off – exchanging rural space, affordability, and community for drive time to corporate jobs. But with remote/hybrid work becoming more common, there might be opportunities there.

Here’s my seventh question:

7️⃣ Looking at your social media presence on Facebook and Instagram – what type of content do you currently post most often, and what kind of posts get the most engagement or lead to actual buyer/seller inquiries?

The majority of my posts focus on home tours. Getting my client’s homes sold is a top priority for me. The posts with the most engagement are usually the posts that ask for an opinion.

That’s a valuable insight! Home tours prioritize your sellers (which is great for client service), but the engagement comes from opinion-based posts that invite conversation. That’s the classic tension between “selling” content and “engaging” content.

Here’s my eighth question:

8️⃣ When you post those opinion-based questions that get high engagement, what topics or themes do you typically ask about? And have you noticed if that engagement ever converts into actual business, or does it mostly build your visibility and brand awareness?

Usually, it is mortgage-based opinions or kitchen options. I believe my social media primarily builds my brand and visibility.

That makes sense – mortgage questions tap into people’s financial concerns, and kitchen options are both practical and fun to discuss. Building brand and visibility is valuable long-term work, even if it doesn’t convert immediately.

Here’s my ninth question:

9️⃣ You mentioned having a “key marketing plan” for both sellers and buyers, and “multiple buyer education opportunities.” Can you describe what one of these buyer education opportunities looks like? Is it seminars, webinars, one-on-one consultations, printed guides, or something else?

I provide one on one consultations along with a printed guide for best practices and to help buyers know what to expect every step of the way.

That’s a thoughtful, personalized approach – the one-on-one consultation builds the relationship while the printed guide gives them something tangible to reference throughout the process. That combination really reinforces your concierge-style service.

Here’s my tenth and final question:

🔟 If you could wave a magic wand and change ONE thing about your business right now – whether it’s attracting more of a certain client type, improving a process, having more time for something, or solving the buyer shortage – what would that one thing be?

I would fix the mortgage rates. Buyers and sellers are at a standstill on pricing due to mortgage rates. Historically, the rates are great. However, due to the most current years, I find buyers are waiting for rates to decrease.

That’s the heart of the issue right there. The “rate lock-in effect” – where sellers don’t want to give up their 3% mortgages, and buyers are hesitant to commit at 6-7% rates even though historically that’s normal. It creates a standoff that’s completely outside your control, which must be frustrating for someone as proactive as you.

Thank you, Tammy! I now have a much richer understanding of you and Team Goolsby. Let me summarize what I’ve learned:

Who You Are:

Started as an investor in 2003, evolved into helping friends, now 22 years of building genuine friendships with clients
Your defining moment: Helping struggling friends sell $170k over asking by staging and marketing when they were undervalued
Core value: Truly serving others with their best interests in mind

Your Business Operations:

100 homes/year with a 4-person team structure
Phillip & Traci: Client communication + broad marketing exposure
Jamie: Transaction coordination precision
Process ensures personalized service at volume

Your Market & Clients:

Specialize in rural Ione lifestyle (golf course, charming Main Street)
Current sweet spot: Bay Area retirees
Desired growth area: Young families (blocked by commute concerns to corporate jobs)
Price range: $400k-$800k move-up buyers

Your Marketing:

Social media (FB/Instagram): Home tours for sellers, opinion posts for engagement
Topics that resonate: Mortgage questions, kitchen options
Goal: Brand visibility and awareness
Buyer education: One-on-one consultations + printed best practices guides

Your Challenge:

Buyer shortage driven by mortgage rate psychology (buyers waiting for rates to drop, sellers locked into low rates)
Historical rates are fine, but recent memory creates hesitation