Full of passion and purpose, realtor Mary Bell shares her story of finding home and opportunity in Birmingham.
Growing up in Iowa as the youngest of seven siblings in a poor family, Mary Bell’s life began much differently than it is now. At age twenty-one she had her first son and earned her real estate license, but she still didn’t feel that she knew who she was. She was still struggling to understand her life’s purpose. She worked in marketing and relocated to various places across the country, including Alaska, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama. Throughout this process she became very familiar with the real estate market, so she learned to understand how it feels to have to put your trust in others to help find the right home for your family.
Today, Mary Bell has turned those experiences into a meaningful business model at Sold by the Bell, which prioritizes the client experience and ensures they find the right homes in neighborhoods where they will love to live.
For Bell, it is not only a career she is building, it is a legacy. “As my first son continues to become interested in real estate, I want to build this company as something I can hand down to my kids in the future – which is something neither my husband nor I ever had,” says Bell. “I want to be that person I needed when I was searching for homes in places I had never been to for other moms and families in Birmingham. This is not just a job for me; it is a project of passion.”
Whether you are buying your first place as a couple, upsizing a house where you will raise kids, or finding a home where you can grow old together, working with the right real estate agent will help you at every stage in life.
“I don’t want to do things the way they have always been done. My ultimate goal is to change the game of real estate here, and make it as exciting here as other growing markets,” says Bell. “Every day is an opportunity to move the needle in Birmingham by treating my clients like a friend and enjoying the process of buying a home. Let’s go shopping!”
“I want you to shop for your home with me – as a friend, not as me selling you something.” – Mary Bell, Sold by the Bell
