Lee Ritchie’s inspirations to enter the real estate business are many, but none is more inspiring than her desire to provide the care she believes every home buyer or seller deserves. A longtime resident of the Columbus Metro Area, and a licensed REALTOR® since 2010, she is such a natural that her team is the #1 RE/MAX team in Ohio. “I have the privilege of leading an amazing team of agents who are top producers in their own right,” Lee says of her four REALTORS® who serve clients in the city of Columbus and surrounding communities.

Lee brings vast experience to real estate. “Before the recession, I worked in marketing research and was blessed to be part of a very cutting-edge advertising agency,” she says. The global financial crisis led to layoffs with that firm, but Lee had amassed great knowledge of marketing. “I learned to think like a marketer,” she says, adding that as a new agent she was mentored by a highly respected REALTOR® and acquired skills that would have taken years to learn on her own. She combines those perspectives to help each of her client’s unique needs, whether they need to make a smart offer on a home or want to list and market their home competitively.

Her clients rave that Lee and the Ritchie Realty Group team truly care. They know that they are in good hands; they feel nurtured, educated and well advised. Many say that Lee’s attentive care “saved” them – either from listing at the wrong price or from buying too expensive a home based on emotions. Lee says the best rewards of their work are the “paychecks of the heart” – hugs at closing, thank-you letters & invitations to visit after a family has moved into a home.

“I want to be excited about every listing or purchase,” says Lee, who provides transparency from the start of every client relationship. “We discuss issues up front. People need to be able rely on the professional who’s showing them houses or presenting, pricing and marketing their home.” Ritchie Realty Group’s sellers receive a superb package, including strategic pricing, pre-listing marketing, professional photography, video, 3-D tours and even drone video where appropriate. “We spend quite a bit of money on social media promoting the coming-soon, the newly listed and open houses.” Lee leverages her marketing background to find and reach the most likely buyers. “I tell every seller that my three goals are to sell at list price or above; to sell in seven days or less, and to get a backup offer.” Those goals become promises that Lee delivers on regularly, selling homes five times faster and for 4.5% more than the average Columbus Area agent (2017 statistics of the Ritchie Realty Group in comparison to the Columbus Board of Realtors).

It’s not surprising in the least when Lee divulges that her first career, before marketing, was in nursing. “Helping is part of my DNA,” she says. “I want to advise, to counsel, to be there for someone at a very important period of their life. I like to be of service, to care for and about people. It’s a blessing that I’m able to do that in my real estate business.” The agents on her team also reflect this desire to serve. Each team member was carefully selected and invited to join Lee’s team because they share the same core values. “We are not in the sales business-we are in the service business and we always put our client’s needs first and foremost”. And while Lee plans to grow her team to meet demand – including a possible satellite office in a warm climate – she seeks only like-minded individuals.

Until then, Lee’s focus is sharing her love of Columbus with people relocating there or moving into urban areas from the suburbs as she did. “I love to take walks through German Village, traveling, cooking and spending time with family,” she says. She also enjoys hosting quarterly client-appreciation events including pie-giveaways at Thanksgiving; kids’ and pets’ photos with the Easter Bunny, and tailgates before OSU games. The fact that so many people attend her functions speaks of the trust and friendship they feel for Lee and her team. Their accolades say it all, from “Lee is the best agent we’ve ever worked with” and “She is nonstop in her communication” to “Lee was my mentor, conscience and overall friend throughout the process.”

To learn more about Lee Ritchie, read her Zillow reviews, visit ritchierealtygroup.com, go to her Facebook page,
email lee@ritchierealtygroup.com or call 614-595-0732

Ohio Real Estate Agent Lee Ritchie