For Amber Herbster, client relationships are always top of mind. As a REALTOR® and licensed broker with Larry Coolidge Realtors, Amber loves getting to know the people she serves.

"I want to know what makes them tick, what makes them happy and asking the right questions to uncover their true wants and needs," she says. "I love when I can connect with clients on that level. They end up becoming really good friends."

That's why she has been putting on quarterly client appreciation events for the last five years. It allows them to continue to build both the relationships and their referral business. Many past clients also become friends through these events. They’re events where clients are excited to see each other again.

"For me, it's a marathon, not a sprint," Amber says. "The relationships keep me going."

Amber has had her real estate license for over 20 years. Before that, she worked for a local homebuilder and loved being part of the process as people become homeowners. When the homebuilder dissolved , Amber decided to stay in the industry and become a REALTOR®.

"I met Larry [Coolidge] in 2002, but went to another company and got some training and transactions under my belt," she shares. "I started working with Larry in 2005 and have been with him ever since. We're a very small brokerage in Powell. I have spent a lot of time fine-tuning my processes and coming up with ways to make the client experience even more memorable and enjoyable. The fit with Larry was perfect because he has been in Powell for over 50 years. Everyone knows him and he has his finger on everything happening." 

For nearly 10 years, Amber did real estate part-time, and she made the full-time jump in 2012. Amber's business partner is her fiancé, R.J. Shuman, and he joined her in working for Larry Coolidge Realtors in 2021. Together they are the Live Well Home Group.

"My biggest challenge has been reassuring potential clients that they’re going to get the same service and results from me versus larger teams or brokerages," Amber says. "I can do the same things everyone else can do and you can rest assured that when you call, you get me. It's highly personalized service and at the end of the day, that’s what most of our clients want."

She continues: "I get bored very easily, and can get restless. I went to college at The Ohio State University, changing majors from marine biology to elementary education, marketing/communication, interior design and several others and couldn’t quite find something that fulfilled me. Real estate has been perfect because every day is different. It's not the same thing every day and you get to interact with a lot of different people. I've gained a lot of confidence in the last 10 to 15 years. You can have good days and bad days, but it's easier to overcome those bad days when you have confidence."

Family is important to Amber and R.J., as they have four children between them. And giving back is also important. Amber notes involvement in several community projects, like being a sponsor for the annual Suicide Prevention Walk through the local organization HelpLine/Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition. R.J. worked in mental health before real estate, which is why they got involved. Amber also supports The Mirth Project, a nonprofit organization helping low-income teens. Each year, Amber adopts a local family who might need a brighter Christmas.

"We are going to try and start tying these two things into our client events," she says. "We recently had an event at the Columbus Clippers game, and we had a QR Code with the wish list for The Scholar House Pantry, also supported by The Mirth Project. The Scholar House residents can utilize the community kitchen pantry and get items like toiletries. Many of our clients love to get involved, too, so we try to make it easy for them."

Finding a client the perfect house is Amber's true professional motivation, and she loves when they have 100% certainty and she can help them craft an offer that gets accepted.

"I always try to see the best in all situations and not focus on negativity,” says Amber. “Sometimes that can be really hard. If you start focusing on the negatives, that's all you will find. If you can flip that switch, it will change your entire mindset.”