Diversity Spotlight: Valarie Frasier
For our second Women’s History Month profile, we recognize Valarie Frasier, the 2023 Residential Real Estate Council President. She is also a Certified Mentor, Certified Distance Education Instructor, RRC Education Leader, served on the grievance committee and is certified in professional standards.
Valarie is a true New Yorker, having lived and worked in 3 boroughs before relocating to Charleston with her family.
She attended school for interior design and began her career as an interior designer. As requests for her to use her expertise in design to stage homes grew, she became more and more curious about real estate. She understood the investment and the legacy building potential, which captivated her and in 2000, she decided to earn her real estate license and become a Realtor®. She began her real estate career with Century 21 and closed her first deal in less than 6 months, then later moved to Carolina Elite.
Liz Loadholt with Agent Owned Realty inspired her to take every opportunity to educate herself. Her brokers Melissa and Gary Bissett at Carolina Elite Real Estate were most supportive and influential to her, encouraging her and providing her opportunities to educate, lead and mentor. Valarie soon found her passion in educating, mentoring, and training. “They really get my juices going,” she said with a chuckle. “I love helping people ask the questions that help them develop as agents. A great real estate career requires being knowledgeable, respected and to do your best,” she explained. She shared some of the questions she uses to inspire mentees: “How do you get the best out of yourself, how do you find the people you want to work with, what place do you need to occupy, to be seen and what lane do you need to travel?” Valarie believes applicable conversation is the best teacher but understanding your tools, setting goals and developing a business plan is how you start a successful business.
In 2016 she decided to pursue her broker’s license after having a dream about owning a virtual brokerage. Research led her to join EXP realty, a cloud-based brokerage in lieu of starting a brick and mortar brokerage of her own. This strategic move allowed her to continue to focus on education and utilizing her skills as a mentor. Valarie earned her instructors license in 2020 and performed virtual training during the pandemic. Currently, she teaches the Advanced Principles course and the Pre-Licensing course.
Coming from a northern upbringing, Valarie’s biggest challenge was the culture shift. She said she learned that racism is really rooted in having ideas about people you don’t know and not knowing what they are about. She cites an important lesson she learned was that in the South, people are more open expressing how they felt about you and would tell you where they stood. She found that once people got to know her, doing business was easy. “People may look at you and decide what you are and what you are not but they don’t get to decide what you will be.” Valarie’s words to live by: “Be yourself, find your own way, travel your lane, find your passion and let it drive you!”
