Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Cathy Rogoff, ARC Realty
Cathy Rogoff loves selling real estate. As a nearly life-long Mountain Brook resident, she especially enjoys the chance to work with clients in her hometown.
"Mountain Brook is in my heart. I've never wanted to live anywhere else," Rogoff said. "It's not a fit for all of my clients, but when it does fit it's an easy sale!"
For first-time buyers, growing families and empty nesters alike, Rogoff calls on her extensive network of neighbors, teachers, doctors, organizations and even past clients to introduce each homebuyer to compatible people who can help to create that warm sense of welcome when relocating to Birmingham.
Creating community for her clients is a mission she takes seriously at ARC Realty. When clients have moved from another town or state, Rogoff will organize lunches for them with Birmingham residents she knows that have similar interests.
For one recent family, she put together a party at Johnny Rockets for their three young daughters to meet a few children who would be in their classes. That way, they could walk into the first day at their new school knowing some friendly faces, and their parents could begin connecting with other parents.
"I have lived here all of my life, except for a short time in Miami when I was in the 3rd grade. That move made me very sensitive toward my clients that move," she said.
Even if clients are simply moving across town, Rogoff commits to knowing their interests, likes and dislikes before the house hunt begins.
Rogoff has built her business on referrals and repeat customers. She said one client joked, after working with her for multiple home purchases, that they deserved a “reward punch card.”
"I count my blessings everyday that I continue to be successful in this business. People have many choices out there of who to use as their agent, and I'm just thankful that I am one chosen so often," Rogoff said.
Rogoff was born and raised in Mountain Brook and has spent almost all her life there. Her husband Lee is a fellow Mountain Brook resident and they raised two children there. Two of Rogoff's grandchildren live in Crestline as well.
Despite her current success in real estate, Rogoff said it wasn’t her first career goal. She started out in interior design and those design skills still help when she’s preparing a house for the market or to help clients see the potential beneath the surface of the houses they visit.
She frequently shops for her home sellers to find fixtures or other small changes to stage their homes, and she keeps a list of service providers for fixes that need a more experienced touch.
“I do love having my design knowledge. It is so helpful when looking at homes with clients. When helping clients get their home ready to put on the market, most people say they wish they had made those changes years ago while they were living there," Rogoff said.
It was Rogoff’s father who first suggested a real estate career. They took a course together after she returned from attending the University of Alabama, but she said it didn’t seem like the right fit at the time. It was after her father passed away, when several friends and her husband encouraged her to pursue real estate, that Rogoff finally got her license.
“It’s the greatest thing I ever did. I love real estate and I’m happy I did it. I wish my dad had known,” Rogoff said.
After working with RealtySouth's Mountain Brook office for over 20 years, Rogoff moved to ARC Realty in 2013. She said the company’s acronym, “A Relationship Company,” is something she takes to heart with clients and coworkers.
“The people are fantastic. All the staff is the best staff I’ve ever encountered, which is the key to your success,” Rogoff said.
That staff includes Lacy Orazine, who became Rogoff's assistant more than six years ago. Orazine now has her license and is working on building up her own business.
"She is the best thing that ever happened to me," Rogoff said. "Lacy continues to be a great asset to me, and my clients love her."
Rogoff loves that every day is unpredictable and brings new challenges and opportunities. Although Rogoff sells homes most frequently in Mountain Brook she also sells homes across metro Birmingham to fit a variety of needs.
Since she has lived almost her entire life in Birmingham, Rogoff said she relishes the chance to be an ambassador to people looking to relocate. She is a certified relocation expert.
Rogoff’s impressive local real estate sales career earned her a lifetime membership in “The Club of Excellence.“
Most recently, Rogoff's sales volume was $13 million in 2015 and $16 million from January to November 2016, but sales data isn’t something she tends to focus on.
Rogoff laughed when she recalled one year that she was honored as ARC’s top agent, but she didn’t realize it and missed the ceremony. Rogoff prefers to view the relationships she builds as a sign of her professional success.
It’s a job that can also be a lot of fun, sometimes to the point that Rogoff doesn’t feel like she’s working. A good relationship with her clients can be critical to make buying or selling easier. Even when their professional relationship is over, Rogoff said she maintains a close friendship with many of her clients.
"Just because we close on a house does not mean my job is done. I am a person who never goes away," Rogoff said.
