“The Last Stop On Your Way Home” is the firm’s slogan, which Asekesai Arnette Harris, owner of Morrisville-based Arnette Law, explained as “buying a home is a culmination of weeks, months and sometimes years of goals and work. It does not matter how long it took a buyer to get to that point, it’s a moment they should enjoy. You should leave a closing feeling informed about your purchase, excited about your new home and proud. We want our clients to leave our office feeling like this was it. This was the goal and we were the last stop on the way.”
Her 10-year-old boutique law firm handles residential real estate closings in Wake and surrounding counties.
THE CALMEST PERSON IN THE ROOM
From contract to closing, the home buying process can be stressful. “I need to be the calmest person throughout the transaction and at closing,” said Arnette Harris.
“In a transaction, we can wear multiple hats. We are sometimes the mediator, problem solver or the sounding board for the agents as we move the transaction forward to closing for the buyer. It’s our job to stay calm, find solutions and get the buyer through the process of buying a home.”
PARTNERSHIP WITH AGENTS
“The recurring theme of our office is to be a resource for real estate agents whether you consistently work with our office or not,” said Arnette Harris. “Our dedication to our clients and their agents is what makes us different.”
“We are not only proud of the work we do with buyers, but we also pride ourselves on the relationships that we have with residential real estate agents. We are on their team. We work with new agents when they are learning the ropes and have a lot of questions and with more experienced agents because real estate changes every day.”
Arnette Law exclusively handles real estate closings which makes being available when needed possible. With homes getting multiple offers and, depending on the price point, selling in just a few hours, real estate agents sometimes need immediate answers even in the evening or on the weekend.
“If agents are out negotiating and they need to get something done quickly, we are that resource. Being accessible and flexible helps our agents grow their business, and it helps us grow as well.”
STAYING CONSISTENT
Asekesai Arnette Harris is a native of Eastover, NC. She graduated from UNC-Wilmington and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
Arnette Harris has seen it all, from bust to boom. Her first job out of law school in 2007 was handling home foreclosures before the residential real estate implosion that triggered the Great Recession. Now she’s in the midst of the steadily growing Triangle Market.
“We try not to ride the waves. I stay consistent in what we do and how I approach our business.”
MOM LIFE
As if the craziness of running a real estate law firm in a go-go growth market isn’t enough, Arnette Harris goes home to Ella, 5, Nora, 4, and Lila, almost 1. With husband Hugh, an attorney in the NC Attorney General’s office, the weekends are all about the kids and runs to Target, ballet, and PTA projects.
“Real estate actually prepared me for being a mom … I just keep repeating to stay calm,” joked Harris.
