ERA Riverside

By Christina Wilson, Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 | Updated: 4:54 pm

"I absolutely love the ability to help people accomplish goals they weren't initially able to," said Kimberly-Williams-Bookert.

The philosophy compelled the ERA Riverside Realtor to co-found the Pre-college Initiative Program in her hometown of Sumter seven years ago, helping college students complete scholarship searches and submit applications that translated into their dreams of higher education becoming realities.

It's the same philosophy she embraced when earlier this year starting the Home Buying/Selling Seminar series for low to moderate income families. She shares advice and information about measures such as a six-week course through which many applicants can clean up less than perfect credit and "get on the path to home ownership," Williams-Bookert said. "It's not as difficult as people think it is."

So far, eight area residents have completed her seminar and two more have registered for a second set to take place Feb. 23 at the main branch of the Greenville Public Library.

"She's providing a valuable education piece for first time buyers," ERA Riverside Broker Greg Clark said. "It can be a pretty daunting task to make what for many is their first major life purchase and she breaks it down into very simple terms that give people the confidence to make that decision."

Williams-Bookert, who's helped at least one local college student acquire the funds to attend University of South Carolina Upstate, said she first started PIP after her own experiences juggling loans, work and classes while she was a student first at Benedict College and then USC in Columbia. She graduated in 1997 with a degree in accounting.

"I just didn't know about the money available from school and other organizations I could have applied for," she said. "It was just for lack of knowledge."

The same lack of knowledge often plagues potential homeowners, who stay in rental houses or apartments when they could qualify for their own homes. "There are programs and money out there for people who think they may not qualify for loans, especially if they have credit problems."

The six-week course is just one way people can identify personal credit pitfalls and fix them.

Clark said Williams-Bookert's energy and optimism is inspiring to the real estate office's 27 other realtors as well as clientele. "It's never a down day for her. That translates into success for others and her success as well."

ERA Riverside was opened two years ago in downtown Greer with two agents. Now with 28 real estate agents and sales of more than 240 homes in 2007, the agency was just named to ERA's President's Circle as a top 200 company among 2500 agencies nationwide.

To register for the Feb. 23 Home Buyers class, visit www.homebuyingseries.com or call (864) 344-8448.