It helps to be well rounded to truly be successful in real estate, and Cheryl Martin is nothing if not experienced. After earning a bachelor's degree in construction management from Texas A&M University, Martin went on to an illustrious career in the construction, government, and engineering industries, all of which laid the foundation for her profound success as a Realtor with Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty.

Martin immediately incorporated her excellent people skills, outstanding attention to detail, personalized customer service, creativity, and overall expertise to her real estate career, and the results since have been extremely impressive. She understands the importance of cultivating total trust from her client base, and achieves this by providing outstanding customer service and always negotiating the best price for her buyers and sellers. She surrounds herself with a network of top professionals that can assist her customers with any needs that may arise for repairs or remodeling.

With her extensive experience in the corporate world, Martin is especially adept at working with clients relocating to and from Houston. This consummate professional is "hands-on," providing her customers with a seamless transaction from contract to closing. An acknowledged expert, Martin stays abreast of the ever-changing market and provides an incomparable level of service to her clients with every deal brokered. Happy clients have called her "a dream to work with," noting her "white-glove, boutique service" and high integrity, along with an eagle eye that has caught more than one mistake from the other side — resulting in saving her own clients thousands of dollars.

We chatted with Martin to find out more about her work and what drives her.

CultureMap: What inspires you to do what you do?

Cheryl Martin: My love of helping people. When you enjoy what you do, you will not work a day in your life. For most people this is the biggest purchase they will take on, so I want to make sure the process is as easy as possible by educating and setting realistic expectations.

CultureMap: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to people looking for their dream home?

Cheryl Martin: Every buyer deserves to get their dream home, but remember to be practical and focus on the top priorities in your price range. Houses can be modified to fit your needs at a later time. Don’t rush and make sure your representative is client-driven and not transaction-driven. Make sure when you need your agent you can reach them, and not a multitude of other team members.

CultureMap: And advice to those who are selling?

Cheryl Martin: Your starting list price and the extent to which your home is marketed are the most important factors to get your home sold quickly at the highest price. You need to evaluate with your realtor the comparable sales in your immediate area and not base your initial price on what you wish to net off of the property.

We live in the most diverse city in the nation, so you need to hire a realtor with true global exposure. With 1,000 global offices in 72 different countries and territories, my brokerage can achieve that. In Houston alone, we have 300 agents in six offices, with a huge support staff, including an outstanding relocation department.

CultureMap: Sum up Houston in three words.

Cheryl Martin: Exciting, dynamic, positive.

CultureMap: What's one thing people might not know about you?

Cheryl Martin: My favorite hobby is multimedia painting and donating my art to local charities. It is a great stress reliever and creative outlet.

CultureMap: Finish the sentence: "It's a good day when..."

Cheryl Martin: My buyers and sellers can both leave the closing table satisfied.

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See Cheryl Martin's latest listings here or contact her at 281-974-9174.