When Cynthia Schmier first visited Yelm in 1985, the main things she remembers are “one stoplight and tumbleweeds.” Thirty years later, both she and the realty business she started, RE/MAX Country, have become fixtures downtown and symbols of the growing local economy. After 25 years in business, she continues to be inspired by the clients she works with, the team she’s created, and the Yelm community.
With clients, she says, it’s important to stay in the moment; therefore no matter how many houses you’ve sold, each day is different. “Every client has a unique criteria based on what’s going on in their life,” she says. “You’re strategizing to help them reach their objective. That’s what the art of real estate is. It’s facilitating their needs and keeping an emotional ride out of the picture as much as possible. It changes moment by moment.”
She also finds that working with clients can be a great vehicle for personal growth. “It’s a personal journey of unwinding,” she says. “Every person I engage with is a discovery of myself and how I interact with that person. It’s revealing and is always rewarding. I like the adventure - what unfolds when you go down the trail with a client. That is probably the biggest reason I love this business.” Cynthia’s motto: “Excellence - More than a Goal, It’s A Way of Life!”
Within her office, she’s worked to develop a culture that is honest, supportive, and constantly evolving. “The embodiment of the building is ‘What can we learn from this?’” she says. “It’s the people. We review everything, including the client’s feedback regarding their experience. We may agree or disagree, but it’s their feedback that gives us the opportunity to see what we’re projecting and how to improve on ourselves. This is the pot of gold.”
Her team includes specialists in different areas of real estate and, as she puts it, “Everyone works their buns to the max in this firm. We really have a great support here.” One thing that Cynthia is very clear on stating to all her clients is that without her staff she couldn’t do it. They make it happen.
Over time, Cynthia has seen many changes in the region. When she first became a real estate broker in 1990, Yelm was still very much a rural town, although a growing one. “I couldn’t find a house to buy that had sheetrock,” she says, laughing.
Having moved from a high-end lifestyle in the vacation mecca of Lake Tahoe, California, the transition was a bit of a shock. At the same time, she found the Pacific Northwest extremely inviting and spent five years on a one-hundred-acre property in Chehalis before moving to Yelm.
Today, she says, “I love this community. I love the diversity. We have founding families, we have international people, we have military, history, and just friendly folks. My inspirations come daily interacting with such fine traits.”
Cynthia Schmier, Broker/Owner
CRS, CDPE, CNE, CIAS, MDI, 5-STAR, SRS
RE/MAX Country
(360) 400-3475
www.cynthia-online.com
