Name: Thaddea Sheridan
Title: Realtor, Halstead Property
Age: 56
Experience: 15 years
Thaddea Sheridan was born and raised in Stamford and came back in the early ’90s after stints in other parts of Fairfield County and California. She has been very active in the industry, including a term as president of the Stamford Board of Realtors and currently as a director with the Connecticut Association of Realtors. She was voted Halstead-Stamford Agent of the Year in 2015 and Stamford Realtor of the Year in 2014. When she’s not working, she likes to travel, go for walks and spend time with her two teenage sons.
Q: How did you get started in real estate?
A: I always thought it would be an interesting career. I was looking for a change and spoke to a couple of people and thought I’d give it a try. I got my license, started in the business and really never looked back once I realized how much I loved it. I love the clients I meet. I love that every deal is a little bit different. I still like working with clients. I’m not just their Realtor, I end up becoming their trusted advisor in one of the largest transaction they’ll every do. I love the negotiating part and searching with buyers for new homes. Very often what they’re looking for changes over the time we’re together.
Q: What did you do before?
A: For a number of years I worked in sales and marketing and did some business management for a printing company. Prior to that I managed a leasing division for a bank. Of course, marketing is what the real estate business is. The listing side is quite a bit of marketing and strategically planning the best way to expose your client’s property to the marketplace. For buyers, you search out the best property for them, and then it’s all negotiation and attention to detail. Helping both parties navigate the process to the negotiation table and beyond.
Q: How has the market changed since you started?
A: When I first started it was a really strong seller’s market. Everything that came on the market sold quickly, even things were a little overpriced. It was an interesting time to start. Then everything changed in 2007, we had a dip, then the mortgage crisis changed the market. It was hard for people to adjust the values of their properties in their heads. Houses just didn’t sell for what they did before. It’s a cycle and we went through it.
I feel like in 2016, we’re poised for a good, steady market with slight gains. It’s all experience – you learn as the years go on, every deal can be different. It’s a constant learning experience. I feel like I’ve been through the ups and downs and now the steady. I’m poised to handle what comes next. I think this area has regained its equilibrium. When things come on and are priced correctly they move quickly. It’s a great time to buy because the interest rates are so low. A balanced market is the best for everyone.
Q: You also won the 2015 Halstead award for highest number of out-of-area referrals. How’d that happen?
A: A lot of my clients look to me to make recommendations and we have such a wide network that it’s easy for me to find great agents in other markets. That’s been the cornerstone of my business. I was with another company for 14 years, but with Halstead for a year and a half and 2015 was my best year ever.
Q: What’s it like working for a regional firm?
A: Halstead is one of the three largest privately held firms in the tri-state area. They’ve partnered up with other agencies to form a global network. One of the reasons I came to Halstead was their extensive marketing and global reach. They have amazing marketing programs and websites. I thought it would be better for my clients and for me. They provide excellent support. People talk about some of the other companies you might think of as larger entities, but real estate is a local business. You need global reach, but it’s all local. You need to know your market. I feel like I gained more by coming to Halstead and so did my clients.
Q: Why do you donate so much time to industry groups?
A: It makes me a better Realtor. It keeps me involved with current events of the business. I’m still on the Stamford board as immediate past president. I’ve also chaired committees for Stamford. It made me stronger and better, and has helped our industry. We need to give back. I’m looking to seeing what the future has to hold.
Q: What does it take to be a successful Realtor in the Stamford market?
A: It takes strong knowledge of your community, attention to detail, extensive market knowledge and follow-through with clients. In order to sell real estate in your community, you need to know it. Everything from the downtown areas to parks and schools. It helps that I have some history to draw on. You have to be able to do your restore and keep up with current events. It’s changed from a sleepy bedroom community to a vibrant diverse city, even in the last five years. It helps you to be able to help your clients.
Sheridan’s Top Five Favorite Things:
- My two amazing sons, Michael and David.
- My dog, Rocky, and cat, Sammi.
- Being in real estate – I love what I do!
- Referrals – I love that my past clients and other agents refer me to their friends and families.
- Seamless real estate transactions – buying or selling can be one of the most stressful things and I love making it easy on my clients.
