Bill Lavigne: Taking the Next Step

Real Estate Agent Magazine Publisher Judith Dickson sat down with Bill Lavigne to discuss his career shift to the residential real estate game as well as his plans for the future in this new endeavor. 

Bill LavigneREAM: Why did you decide to follow a career in real estate?

Lavigne: I spent the first good portion of my working life on the residential real estate mortgage financing side of the business and figured the next step toward mastering the entire transaction was to work on the real estate side of the transaction to learn the entire process from the very beginning through the end of the closing with the finance company which I spent many years doing as a loan closer.

REAM:  What does your experience in a previous career bring to your real estate business? How does that benefit clients?

Lavigne: My clients will benefit from my 32 years of extensive mortgage financing background, I worked in a couple of the largest most efficient banks with some of the best in the industry who mentored me into becoming well versed in all areas of the mortgage transaction.

I will be able to protect my clients from the erroneous and misinformed mortgage professionals that are out in the industry today making many false or inaccurate claims to the consumers causing the clients to get into transactions that are not any better than what they claimed they would be. I know all the secrets and the way originators are trained to persuade customers into doing business with them instead of the others,  its a lot of smoke and screens and psychological games that I refused back then and refuse to do today for any type of sales involving such an important life changing transaction.

REAM: What drew you to your current real estate team? What were you looking for?

Lavigne:  I actually got drawn into considering real estate after talking to a good Friend Steve Schappert who is the Broker for Connecticut Real Estate Brokerage in Thomaston Connecticut.

He and I have had many conversations and started networking together last summer and we have built a good relationship and have included many more people since then into the social network. I am still not with Steve or anyone else. I am considered a free agent looking at all options for now before I make a final decision in March or April after I select a broker to sponsor me.

REAM:  What career goals do you have for the next five years? The next 10? Where do you see the peak of your career?

Lavigne: My goal in the next five years or my wish is to become a broker and help my daughters get into real estate after high school to have a second job which in time might become their main job if they like it and do well in it.  I would like to hand off to them a very successful business that will provide for them when I’m not  here anymore.

REAM:  What are some of your hobbies outside of the office?

Lavigne:  I enjoy spending time with my family, my wife is a registered nurse and my high school sweetheart, together we adopted four children, we have time shares in Cape Cod and Rhode Island that we spend time at each year.

REAM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Lavigne:  I wanted to thank you and the publication and everyone here in the mortgage and real estate industry. Most have been very helpful with advice and were willing to share a moment when I asked them about the industry or to explain something to me.

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