Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Sawyer.
Hi Sara, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Back in 2017, my husband Ben and I made a spontaneous decision to move to Savannah, Georgia. The first time we stepped foot in the town we now call home, he was off to his new job while I started hunting for our first home to buy.
Within a couple of months, we had not only found our perfect home, but I had taken quite a liking to the world of Real Estate. The Realtor and Lender that helped us through the process were so wonderful, I felt secure and confident in my decisions even when I had no idea what I was doing. I was grateful for the experience and knew somehow I would end up in Real Estate myself.
A few months later, I passed my exam and became a Realtor at what used to Cora Bett Thomas Realty (now Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Savannah). I became an executive assistant to one of the top Luxury Realtors in Savannah, Liza DiMarco, along with helping my own clients find homes. I was thrown into various scenarios, had to learn to pivot often, and strayed far out of my comfort zone. I learned so much within my first 2.5 years in the business but the 24/7 lifestyle of being an active Agent was starting to wear me out.
In the later part of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I knew my life was meant to take a different direction. I wanted to stay in Real Estate but I just wasn’t sure to what extent. So, I spent time talking to people in different aspects of real estate from admins to lenders to paralegals.
One night, I met with my friend Melody who operated a local Transaction Coordinator business. The more she talked about her business and what her day-to-day looked like, the more my path became clear. I could not wait to apply my knowledge of Real Estate with my love for organization and paperwork. Soon after that night, we co-founded my first Transaction Management business. During that time, I helped to perfect our systems, grow clientele & navigated owning a business. I started to feel confident in the life I was leading and knew I was on the right path.
Then, in May of 2022, I branched out and started my very own Transaction Management company, Moon River Transactions. I was so excited to build something on my own from the ground up. By January of 2023, I had enough clients to feel like I was making a financial difference in our lives and had my very first employee, Bailey Strickland. Between Ben’s unwavering support and Bailey’s kick-ass work ethic and love of Transaction Management, I felt like I could conquer the world.
Now here we are, in the middle of 2024 and Moon River Transactions works with over 30 Real Estate Agents in the Savannah area. Bailey has been my right-hand lady for almost the entire time I have been in operation and I am stoked that she will officially be full-time in a few weeks. We are working towards expanding our team while both our husbands work towards getting their real estate licenses.
In the course of the last 7 years, I went from being a clueless 20-something buying her very first house to walking downtown Savannah getting recognized as the “Moon River lady” at 30 years old. I am filled with so much gratitude to the people who helped get me here, especially those who guided me along the way.
I have big plans for the future and cannot wait to see where we end up!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I love a good challenge and without that love, I would definitely not be where I am today. Getting into Real Estate is not going to be a smooth road for anyone, no matter who you are. But in the end, it was well worth it for me.
I really had to learn (and still do quite often) to get out of my comfort zone. That has probably been my biggest challenge. Real Estate presents some of the most outlandish and out of control situations I have ever seen. I am so glad I had a few service industry jobs before getting into this line of work. I think it really helped me think on my feet, kill people with kindness and think more clearly in high stress and ever evolving situations.
When I got out of active Real Estate and decided to become a TC I had to navigate not only owning a business and how that all works on the back end but also setting boundaries and deciding what worked me for me. It was a lot of trial and error and the learning never stops. Thankfully we live in a world filled with resources and easy ways to contact people within your field so I was able to do a lot of research and ask questions. Even to this day, I reach out to other Transaction Management owners for advice and insight on how they run things. I also do my best to get feedback from agents on how we are doing and what we may need to change as a company. I am pleased to report that most of the time we are showered with compliments and don’t get too much constructive criticism. Through figuring out what works for me and my business, I decided to work Monday through Friday from 9-5 and take all major holidays off. It’s a relief to be able to work those hours in Real Estate and it just makes sense for the job that I do. Also, the agents that work with me are completely understanding of that.
I have needed to learn how to stay in the know on whats going on not only in the Savannah market but around the country and the world. When I first got into Real Estate I was just struggling to learn it all let alone whats going on around me. Now, I am always taking continuing education courses and reading up on what is going on. Real Estate changes on a constant basis mostly in small ways but every once and a while a big change happens and everyone in the industry needs to be prepared to pivot. I love being a resource for my agents and taking the time to learn things that they may not have the time for during the day. They are all running around and doing their best to get new business and so they have me (and their Real Estate broker hopefully) to lean on for advice and knowledge.
I am really fortunate to have an business advisor who I have been able to lean on since starting my first TC business back in 2020. He has helped me through many struggles and taught me how to overcome even the most extreme situations. Most of the time, he helps me look at situations I vastly overthink and simplifies them so we can easily nagivate solving the problem.
It is nice not to have to walk the journey of being a small business owner alone. Between my advisor, my husband Ben, and my friend and employee Bailey, I have several people I can bounce ideas and struggles off of for great feedback. It takes a village!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
A Real Estate Transaction Manager is someone who helps Realtors stay organized, compliant, and on track.
We are here to give real estate agents the ability to leverage their time & energy away from the non-income-producing tasks of transaction management. That includes reviewing contracts for compliance, initiating & maintaining communication with all parties throughout the course of a transaction, monitoring all contingency dates, writing up Amendments, & keeping everything running smoothly. We also offer some a la carte services like writing up offers, inputting listings and compliance-only services. Although we have a basic process for everyone, our services are customizable so if we have a certain way we work a file for one agent, we can change it up for the next one.
Moon River is known for our extreme attention to detail and our “kill it with kindness” attitude. We know a home purchase puts pressure on all parties involved and we never take any reactions people have along the way to heart. We are here to facilitate and maintain communication and ensure everyone feels less stressed.
What sets us apart from others is that we are local to Savannah and do our best to maintain our presence here. We throw happy hours several times a year, and stay involved in our local Real Estate board events. We love having face-to-face meetings with potential clients and with our clients. If an agent or brokerage invites us to a happy hour, open house or other type of event we do our best to attend and support. On top of connecting with local agents, keep up with our local Lenders and Attorneys as well. It makes the transactions we work with everyone run more smoothly! Don’t get me wrong, I love being virtual and being able to take my job anywhere, especially when I travel, but having the option to form such a strong bond with my fellow people in Real Estate has made this company thrive.
I am most proud of the progress we have made as a company in such a short amount of time. As I write this article I am about to celebrate Moon River’s two-year anniversary. Having agents reach out to me based on recommendations or a review they found online has been surreal. I have even had a few people stop me downtown Savannah and ask me if I was “The Moon River lady”. I am glad my tiny business can make such an impact that people recognize who we are and what we do. I even have agents who don’t work with me recommend me and I think that also speaks volumes.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
If you know someone who is a Real Estate Agent in Georgia and may need some help, a good recommendation goes a long way! Although we specialize in the Savannah area, we can help agents all over Georgia with their files. We are growing and looking to add more Transaction Coordinators to our team so the more agents we can get on board the more we can work on that goal.
We are also getting more involved in Social Media so you can follow our Instagram or Facebook for occasional fun videos, tips and tricks, and more!
Pricing:
- Contract to Close Services $350-$500
- Compliance Services $50-$100
- Contract Writing $50
- Listing Input $50-$75
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.moonrivertransactions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonrivertransactions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonrivertransactions
