Making himself available for people’s needs from start to finish is more than a philosophy for Jerome Smith; it’s a mantra. He can’t repeat often enough the importance of making sure his clients know that he and his team care about them far beyond any transaction. A Georgia REALTOR® since 2003, Jerome has never wavered from this commitment. “People trust me to get the job done,” he says. And with 95% of his business coming from repeat or past clients, he knows that this trust also carries great responsibility. Together with his buyer’s agent and their assistant, his team focuses on treating people well, right off the bat.

Through Keller Williams in Marietta, Jerome serves a broad area, making himself available to people referred to him from several communities. “I’m primarily in Cobb County, but I’ll go down to Fulton County or out to Paulding to give people the service they need,” he says. “If one of our past clients calls and wants us to do a deal in a place like Athens, we’re happy to go up there.” Jerome goes the extra mile, literally and figuratively, because he enjoys helping people. “You have to love people and show that you care about their needs,” he says, adding that while the majority of his client engagements occur during happy circumstances, some happen during people’s sad or frustrating life changes. Compassion, therefore, is paramount to building trust and showing people he can get them through a transaction successfully.

“I’m straightforward and honest up front,” he says. “I explain what we need to do to get a seller’s house ready and many times we even go out ourselves to help them clean up, organize and stage.” Making things as stress-free as possible, he connects sellers with trusted contractors for repairs, painting or touch-ups, making himself available to let in workers so clients don’t have to miss work. Clients know the importance Jerome places on preparing a home. “I explain what buyers are looking for and that in order to get them to drive out and see the house, we have to make them love it online.” This includes professional photography and showcased online marketing on about 400 through Keller Williams syndication.

Jerome’s smallest transaction ever involved an 89-year-old woman who needed to sell and move out of a house with insufficient plumbing and purchase a foreclosed home that required major renovations in order to be habitable. “It was only a $10,000 transaction and I’ll always remember what we did to make it happen.” Jerome successfully negotiated with banks, convincing them to make a rare exception for his client, who was the mother of one of his previous clients. The joy of this experience was a direct result of having fostered a relationship with the woman’s family, who were past clients of his. For him, a transaction doesn’t end at the closing table; Jerome is as known for personalized closing gifts or for popping by with his infamous salsa as he is for helping drive someone to the airport or find a babysitter “We’re here for people, even when it has nothing to do with real estate.”

A recipient of numerous awards over the years, including being named a Top 25 Agent in Georgia and the top agent in his office for several years, Jerome will continue building his team while giving back to the community. He also never forgets that his primary reasons for working as hard as he does are his two daughters, who are both achieving great success in academics, one of whom is a musician. “They are my BIG WHY!” he says. Additionally, he likes supporting safe houses for children and taking part in events like coat drives for homeless shelters. He one day plans to pursue his lifelong goal of building a shelter for teenagers, where at-risk young people can feel safe, get on their feet and find hope. It’s another example of how Jerome demonstrates that he is there for people from start to finish. “You have to put actions behind your words,” he says. “Real estate is not a ‘customer’ business; it’s a people business and a relationship business.”

To learn more about Jerome Smith, visit https://jeromejsmith.com, go to his Facebook page, email jerome@jeromejsmith.com or call 678.631.1788