Patty Bender — Broker, ABR, CRS
When her husband, Bruce, landed a new job in the NASCAR industry, Patty Bender sought the help of local real estate magazines in her October 1998 search to relocate to the Lake Norman area. “With each one that I was interested in, I called a Realtor about the specifics of a home,” she says. “But no one returned my calls,” she says. “I thought, ‘I can do this business better."
One week after relocating to Charlotte, Patty started real estate school and took a job with the agency that sold her the home. Since then, she’s sold more than $40 million in real estate and has helped dozens of clients make their relocation moves a smooth and stress-free transition.
Born and raised in the Hershey, PA area, Patty worked for the Hershey Foods Corporation — the largest confectionary company in North America — for ten years, serving as the first woman to trade commodity futures for the company. Patty’s experience and market knowledge allow her to share and educate her buyers and sellers — from first-time buyers to experienced investor clients.
Patty is also one of the principal owners of the Keller Williams offices in Mooresville and Cornelius, and is one of the top-producing agents on Lake Norman. Patty and Bruce live with their Brittany, Schrader, on Lake Norman. On warm summer days they enjoy boating and riding their Harley.
Bruce Bender — Broker
Bruce Bender likes to be part of winning teams. He served his country during a 20-year career with the Army National Guard. He can also relate to the NASCAR experience and the demands on its employees. During a 16-year career in motorsports, Bruce served many roles on racing teams, from tire changer to fabricator, for NASCAR drivers such as Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Michael Waltrip and Kasey Kahne. Bruce has now turned his competitive spirit to the real estate world. A buyers and sellers agent, Bruce has built on the experiences of his wife, Patty Bender, to meet the needs of clients — whether they are a first-time buyer or retiree. After moving from his native central Pennsylvania, he understands the difficulties of relocation. The son of a homebuilder, Bruce has managed rental properties for many years, and particularly enjoys working with investors.
“Patty and I have been married for 20 years, so obviously we worked together well as a team long before we joined forces in real estate,” Bruce says. “My role is to serve as office manager, as well as a broker, and ensure our customers receive a professional level of customer service so that they get what they are seeking in the transaction.”
According to Patty, “Because of his military background, Bruce brings a new level of discipline and structure to our team,” she says. “He gives me focus to grow the business."
And that’s what being on a winning team is all about.
Karen L. Ritchie — Team Administrator
As you make one of the largest financial decisions in your lifetime, you can place your trust in Karen Ritchie. Just examine her background.
Before joining the Patty Bender Team as a Team Administrator, Karen served as a Registered Administrative Assistant with Wachovia Securities for 19 years. She processed and sold orders for stocks, bonds, certificate of deposits, mutual funds and annuities, and helped resolve clients’ complaints and problems.
Karen relocated to the Charlotte area in 2005 when her husband, Steve, took a job with the Evernham Motorsports team as an engine tuner for the number nine Busch series team. Now Karen has transferred that attention to detail by assisting brokers, working with clients, mortgage officers and attorneys to complete purchase and sell transactions.
“In both positions, that investment is the same,” she says. “Whether it’s stocks and bonds or your first home, it’s a very important decision that plays a big role in your financial future. My job is to make sure the details are handled right so it’s a smooth process.”
“She brings a level of professionalism that I require,” Patty says. “She’s good at servicing a customer. In her former job, she was charged with handling other people’s money and people have to be comfortable working with you. There has to be a level of trust and confidence that you will take care of them.” And Karen is someone you can trust with the details.
