by Audra H. Anders for The Aha! Connection
In 2002 when I was looking to move from Brookhaven to Dunwoody, my husband would swear we toured at least 1,000 houses. I was very thorough in my search which included a great Cape Cod style home in The Branches. Guess who showed it to me? Arje’ and Jim McCarty! I enjoyed meeting them so much but ended up purchasing my Meadowlake home from the original owners with no realtors involved. My family joined Dunwoody United Methodist Church shortly after moving to Dunwoody and I was thrilled to run into Arje’ and Jim and have loved seeing them at DUMC for all these years!
They recently invited me to their office at The Terraces in Dunwoody a few weeks ago and I was thrilled to catch up with them…plus it was my first time ever in The Terraces building. I just LOVED it. There are fountains and streams INSIDE and so much sunlight and a putting green and lots of places to sit and be in the nature INSIDE. I’m surprised everyone doesn’t want their offices at The Terraces.
We had a lovely conversation in their conference room where I learned so much more about the careers of both Arje’ and Jim. Both started their careers in technology for the banking/finance industry. They eventually started a family and were both working full time. Arje’ had a 14-state territory to manage so after their daughter was born, they decided a career change was in order. Because of the advice of friends and co-workers, Arje’ decided to obtain her Real Estate license and started working with Harry Norman in 1988 where she continued for 12 years. To help Arje’ out “on the side”, Jim decided to obtain his real estate license in 1997 and joined Arje’ at Harry Norman. Business was booming and both were busy so eventually Jim started working in real estate full time. In 1999, they heard about Keller Williams coming to Atlanta. The timing was perfect for a change, so they made the switch and were two of the first agents with Keller Williams in Atlanta! By 2001 they were ready to open a Dunwoody KW office and did so in the building that now houses the City of Dunwoody and Dunwoody Police. Now they are in the beautiful South Terraces building.
They have loved being a part of Keller Williams. They mentioned the “good office energy” to me several times and I could feel it. KW agents from all over Atlanta choose the Perimeter office as their home. Jim and Arje’ have been the top team in their office for several years and have served on the Agent Leadership Council. Both of their faces light up when discussing how much they love mentoring new agents.
Their structure is a bit of a family affair. Typically, Arje’ is the listing agent and Jim is the buying agent. Their son, Burke, was their internet and media coordinator and now acts as a consultant while also attending Medical School! The family met Clare Weaver while Arje’ was team manager of the Branches Swim Team and she has continued to work with them as their design and staging consultant since. Rounding out their team is Sandi Walker, who keeps things on track as the administrative manager and Kaleigh Malloy, their media coordinator. Their daughter, Payton, doesn’t work on their team as she is a choreographer and managing director of a dance studio on Holcomb Bridge. She’s currently re-starting a charity, Dance Upon Injustice. They are working on a production to educate about and raise funds to fight Human Trafficking.
Peggy Smith….my friend/coworker is one of the team managers of the Vermack Swim Team so when Arje’ mentioned she took on that job for The Branches Pool back when she moved to Dunwoody in 1996, I KNEW what a big deal that is. Business really started booming for the McCarty’s in The Branches after getting to know everyone through swim team!
Arje’ and Jim both love being a part of so many people’s stories. They have so many examples of working with couples for as many as 6 transactions over time. They’ve helped empty-nesters downsize, they’ve helped children maximize the value of their parents homes to take care of them in older stages, they’ve seen clients children grow up and have children of their own and worked with them to make room for their growing families. Being in the business since 1988 has rewarded them with seeing multiple generations through various ages and stages and they love all this extended family so much. They really want to be the “third call” after you let your family know you plan to move.
Jim previously lived in Kentucky, so the McCartys have an annual Derby party for their clients every Spring which also benefits a charity. In the fall they have a Thanksgiving event to thank clients, referrers, painters, plumbers, see babies, engagement rings, etc. They really do take great care of their clients/family!
Another event they regularly host is a “Right Sizing Seminar”. Covid cut down on these seminars, but they are about to start again. During these seminars they invite experts such as lenders, designers, estate planners, clutter cleaners etc. I loved hearing about one couple who attended one of their Right Sizing seminars in 2018. This couple left the seminar and immediately started doing everything Arje’ and Jim suggested. They used the McCartys resources to rid their home of clutter and did renovations they could enjoy that improved their home value. This couple’s long-term plan was to sell in 2023. However, their financial planner said “go” in March of 2022 due to this year’s insane market. Because they had been slowly doing all the appropriate “rightsizing” steps, they were able to move quickly and maximize the sales value of their home. Click here to see their Rightsizing Brochure. I’ll be sure to let everyone know when the next one is scheduled!
A few final tidbits I picked up from our conversation:
- Arje’ and Jim view their job as consultants.
- When helping you purchase a home, they want to make sure it is re-sellable.
- They typically focus on homes in Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Roswell and across North Atlanta.
They love the Keller Williams national network and really enjoy the seminars and educational classes because they are always wanting to learn and grow!
The McCarty Group
Keller Williams Atlanta
115 Perimeter Center Place, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30346
678-298-1664
mccartygroup@kw.com
