Tommy Sibiga’s passion for real estate started as a small child. His grandfather built, sold and financed houses, often taking Tommy with him to work. “I was always walking around construction sites, playing in the woods next door, and things like that,” Tommy said. A lifelong self-starter and entrepreneur, Tommy grew up selling everything from Famous Amos cookies in elementary school to bike parts to bikes to cars later. After seven years in full-time youth ministry with Young Life, Tommy and his wife had their first child–a baby who was born premature and needed to stay in the NICU for a full year. At that time, Tommy decided it was important to have a more flexible job so he launched his real estate career.

That was in 2013, and Tommy now has an award-winning real estate practice and his own team serving the Central Virginia/Richmond Metro area. He primarily covers Hanover, Chesterfield, and Henrico counties as well as Downtown Richmond. Though still a relatively new agent, almost 60 percent of his clients come from repeat and referral business.

What keeps his clients coming back at such high rates? “The biggest thing has been responsiveness. If my clients call me they get me. Their phone calls, texts, emails, and questions are extremely important to me. And they continue to work with me directly–I don’t pass them off to an assistant or colleague.” Tommy is in the Top 100 agents in terms of quantity of transactions for his region, yet he makes sure each of his clients feels like his only client. “My clients always feel they are my first priority. They don’t know or get the sense I’m also busy working on other transactions,” Tommy says.

A tech savvy agent, Tommy has a strong and sophisticated online presence, which often results in quick sales. He uses Facebook ads, Instagram templates, and pre-listing contests to drum up interest. “I’ll have people guess the square footage to win a $10 Starbucks card,” he says. He also employs professional photographers and videographers who create virtual tours. But he doesn’t shy away from more “old school” methods as well, such as targeted postcards to neighbors. He’s also found word of mouth advertising to be very effective.

What does Tommy love most about his work? “It’s a people business. I like working with people and building relationships. Buying a house is one of the most stressful things a person can go through. I like being even keeled and walking them through the process, helping to alleviate their stress. It’s nice to serve families out in that way.” To keep in touch with past clients, Tommy uses a variety of methods from handwritten notes and phone calls, to lunch or coffee dates. He’s also beginning to ramp up client appreciation parties and dinners. “I come from youth ministry, which is very relational. So I do anything and everything I can to develop and deepen my relationships with clients,” Tommy says with a smile.

A strong believer in giving back to the community, Tommy makes generosity a high priority in his life. He remains involved with Young Life, volunteering on college campuses. He also volunteers with his church and plans to transition to spearheading more fundraising efforts there. In his free time, he enjoys running, lifting weights and cycling to keep in shape for raising his two young sons; and he loves spending time with his sons and his wife. For the future, Tommy hopes to continue to develop and train his team and hire new agents to further increase their ability to best serve their clients. “I want to teach them everything I had to learn the hard way,” he says with a chuckle. With his drive for providing excellent service and his track record of mentorship, he’s sure to succeed!

To find out more about Tommy Sibiga, contact him via email at tommys@htrsi.com

or by phone at 804.551.1702.

You can also check out his website at www.tommysibiga.com.

Licensed Real Estate Agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia
2014- Century Club Recipient
2015- Hometown Realty Top 20 Agents Award
2016- Hometown Realty Top 20 Agents Award
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016- Central Virginia Top 10 Team Recipient