About Us
Home Solutions Direct is a full service real estate investment and development company located in Princeton, NJ and Charleston, SC. We specialize in developing, buying and selling solutions for builders, real estate investors, and home owners. As such, we routinely partner with other developers and investors who need expertise, capital, or confidence in getting a deal done. Our diverse team of real estate experts have experience with all types of buying and selling scenarios, working to make every transaction simple and stress free for everyone.
We are also well versed in most types of property sales and are certain that we can come up with a solution for every seller, whether it be a traditional or creative selling solution.
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With a wealth of experience under our belts, our team and network of real estate experts have handled some of the most complicated real estate transactions on the market today. Whether you’re looking to develop, sell your existing investment property or buy one of ours, our goal is to make the buying and selling process an easy one. We will handle your transaction with the utmost professionalism and care.
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Jim Smollon
Managing Partner
Jim has extensive experience in property acquisition, construction, and property management having purchased, developed, and managed over 400 commercial and residential properties. Having painted his way through college and grad school, Jim always found his way back to the trades and he was able to merge his professional degrees with real estate investing, development, and management. Jim has been a full time real estate investor since 1998 and he assumed the role of general contractor for Home Solutions Direct which he co-founded in 2003. ​
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Jim was also a co-founder of Tabor House, Inc., a non-profit housing community that serves men in recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Tabor assists men who are combating addiction in any form, most notably those suffering from the opioid epidemic ravaging this country - more US citizens die each year from addiction now than US soldiers did over our 10 year involvement in Vietnam- 110,000 in 2023 alone.
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Jim has been on the Grant Review Committee for The City of Trenton, has been licensed as a clinical social worker, mortgage broker, real estate agent, and has served on the pastoral care and counseling staff of several local churches in NJ and PA.
John Kistler
Field Supervisor / Project Manager / Certified Home Inspector
John Kistler began his real estate career as an engineering and architectural intern with the international firm Turner Construction. He went on to become an accomplished facilities and construction manager in Center City Philadelphia. In this capacity, John oversaw the day to day operations of a 120-unit apartment complex, several commercial real estate developments, and a variety of scattered site townhouse projects throughout Center City. John has worked successfully with architects, engineers, contractors, regulatory agencies, and owners in the completion of complex multi-faceted historical and high-rise renovations, multi-family, and single-family developments and commercial fit out projects in the urban and suburban environment. He is a seasoned and skilled real estate leasing and sales representative.
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John has served as an owner’s representative in the roll out of national build programs for Aetna Primary Health, Mayfair Assisted Living, and Goddard Day Care. In this capacity, he was retained to salvage and bring to completion distressed real estate projects, including a position with Scranton Craftsmen that involved complex site work on the Tobyhanna Army Depot and build projects for Auto Zone stores and WalMart.
In 2016 John was recruited by Home Solutions Direct to bring his skill set to manage projects and field operations in the acquisition and development of HSD projects. John is a certified American Home Inspector and is responsible for examining every prospective project HSD contemplates for acquisition.
John holds a graduate degree from Temple University with a concentration in international affairs and business management.
Leighann Smollon
Real Estate Agent / Marketing Director
Leighann grew up in the real estate industry, following in her dad’s footsteps. She cut her teeth in the Airbnb space during its early years helping manage all aspects of customers service, turnover, and property management. Since then she went on to get her real estate license, specializing in securing FSBO listings, leasing, and acting as the buyer/seller agent for Home Solutions Direct. Leighann’s ability to quickly build rapport and establish lasting relationships has been a major benefit to the Company. She has her father's innate ability to connect with folks including wholesalers, contractors, and investors.
Leighann connects local and global network utilizing effective marketing strategies from her education and prior experience in marketing and management. As a marketing manager, she has worked in major markets spanning from Philadelphia to Miami to Los Angeles, connecting consumers with products. Leighann specializes in reaching, nurturing, and landing new business. She understands firsthand what it’s like being new to an area and always seeks to make the transition smooth, easy, and fun.