Trust the Leap, Learn the Contract, and Build Your Life with Austyn Galmarini
Key Takeaways
- Austyn Galmarini’s career journey shows that every past experience can become preparation for a stronger future.
- Relationship-driven business grows when people know, like, trust, and remember the person behind the profession.
- Knowing the contracts, forms, and fine details can protect clients, reputations, and long-term success.
United States Real Estate Investor®
The REI Agent with Austyn Galmarini
https://youtu.be/AYuW7cUxV60
United States Real Estate Investor®
Value-rich, The REI Agent podcast takes a holistic approach to life through real estate.
Hosted by Mattias Clymer, an agent and investor, alongside his wife Erica Clymer, a licensed therapist, the show features guests who strive to live bold and fulfilled lives through business and real estate investing.
You are personally invited to witness inspiring conversations with agents and investors who share their journeys, strategies, and wisdom.
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The Career Leap That Started With Courage
Some career stories begin with a perfect plan. Austyn Galmarini’s story begins with movement, reinvention, and the courage to admit when one chapter has run its course.
On this episode of The REI Agent Podcast, Mattias Clymer sits down with Austyn to talk about the winding road that led her into real estate, from studying television journalism at West Virginia University, to working in radio, to selling RVs, to finally stepping into the business she had quietly watched her mother build for more than 20 years.
Her story is not just about changing careers. It is about listening to life when it starts pushing a person in a new direction. It is about understanding that no season is wasted when someone is willing to learn from it, grow through it, and keep moving forward.
"I am a very proud Mountaineer."
Austyn’s journey started with big dreams of television, sports, and storytelling. She wanted the energy of game day, March Madness, and the kind of campus life that felt electric. That desire led her to WVU, where she studied television journalism and imagined a future in media.
But as she would later learn, life does not always move in a straight line. Sometimes the path that looks like a detour is actually training for the calling ahead.
From Radio Stages to Sales Floors
Every Chapter Built the Skill Set
After graduating from WVU, Austyn landed at 97 Rock and Cumulus Media, where she experienced the fast-moving world of radio. She worked concerts, prize tables, ticket check-ins, and on-air opportunities. She was part of broadcasts before Buffalo Bills games and major concerts, including Bob Seger and The Rolling Stones.
It was exciting. It was memorable. It gave her a front-row seat to communication, performance, pressure, and people.
"I loved it. I had incredible opportunities."
But eventually, Austyn needed something that gave her more financial room to grow. That need led her into RV sales, where she traveled across the country for training and shows. She learned about diesel pushers, Airstreams, chassis systems, manufacturers, and the intense pace of high-volume sales events.
In that season, she discovered something powerful about herself. She could sell. She could connect. She could handle pressure. She could communicate value clearly and confidently.
Those skills would eventually become essential in real estate.
The Moment Burnout Became a Turning Point
When the Road Finally Said Enough
RV sales may have sharpened Austyn’s sales ability, but it also pushed her to a breaking point. After a 10-day RV show, her day off was not really a day off. It was an eight-hour drive back in a 33-foot diesel pusher, followed by another 20 straight days of work.
That kind of pace can reveal the truth quickly. For Austyn, it became clear that the career no longer matched the life she wanted.
"I was like, that's it, I'm done."
That moment matters because many people wait too long to listen to that inner voice. They push past exhaustion. They ignore the signs. They convince themselves that quitting one thing means failing, when sometimes leaving is the most honest and courageous decision a person can make.
Austyn’s next move was not into real estate just yet. She moved into inside sales for a local college’s online division, where she found more stability and a more predictable schedule. She worked hard, climbed, grew, and learned. But life was still preparing her for another reset.
Starting Over at 29 and Finding the Next Door
When Life Implodes, Purpose Can Still Appear
At 29, Austyn’s long-term relationship ended. She moved back home with her parents and found herself asking a question so many people eventually face.
Where does life go from here?
Being back home placed her in daily conversations with her mom, Beth, who had built a long career in real estate. Austyn heard the stories, the deals, the team conversations, the real-life lessons, and the behind-the-scenes truth of the business. Little by little, her interest started growing.
She had thought about real estate before, but she had attached it to a future timeline. Maybe when she got married. Maybe when she had kids. Maybe someday.
Then something shifted.
"Why am I gonna wait for that timeline? Why shouldn't I just go for it now?"
That question became a turning point. Austyn took her test right before turning 30, then got on a plane to Spain to celebrate her birthday with her best friend. While in Spain, she found out she had passed and received her license.
She came home, gave her two weeks’ notice, and officially began her real estate career on July 1st, 2022.
That leap was not random. It was the result of every previous chapter coming together. Journalism gave her communication. Radio gave her presence. RV sales gave her resilience. Inside sales gave her structure. Her mother gave her perspective. Life gave her the push.
The Truth About Real Estate That TV Does Not Show
It Is Not a Side Hustle, It Is a Full-Life Commitment
Austyn did not step into real estate with a fantasy version of the business. Her mother had already lived through the highs, lows, pressure, uncertainty, and grit required to last. She also received honest advice from the team around her, including the importance of having reserves and being prepared for the unpredictability of the business.
One of the clearest truths from the episode is that real estate is not the easy, glamorous career some people imagine from television.
"Real estate, it's not a nine to five, it's a 24, seven, three, six, five."
Clients call late. Deals get emotional. Holidays are not always protected. The work can follow agents into their personal lives, and the pressure can become heavy if an agent does not learn how to manage it.
But Austyn also shows that the same intensity can become meaningful when the work is aligned with who someone is. She loves people. She loves connection. She understands sales. She knows how to tailor her communication to the person in front of her.
That is where her strength begins to shine.
Why Relationships Became Her Business Foundation
People Work With People They Know, Like, and Trust
As Austyn built her business, her circle of influence became a major driver. Friends, acquaintances, referrals, and personal connections began to shape her pipeline. Instead of building a business around cold, transactional volume, she built it around trust.
For Austyn, the person comes before the transaction. She wants people to know her as a human being first, then decide whether they want to work with her.
"I'd rather come off as me, myself, Austyn Galmarini first as the human."
That lesson is simple, but powerful. A strong real estate career is not built only on scripts, ads, lead sources, or commission structures. It is built on reputation. It is built on follow-up. It is built on being the person people remember when the moment finally comes to buy, sell, or ask for advice.
Mattias and Austyn both return to one timeless sales truth during the conversation. People usually work with people they know, like, and trust. Austyn’s approach reflects that from the ground up.
She knows when to be serious. She knows when to be relaxed. She knows when a client needs clear structure and when a client needs a more personal touch. That ability to read people is part of what makes her story so valuable for new agents.
The Power of Choosing the Right Team
Success Gets Stronger When Support Is Real
Austyn was clear that joining a team was the right move for her. Her mother was already on the team, and with her blessing, Austyn stepped into an environment where mentorship, culture, and support were already present.
She did not pretend she needed to do everything alone. She recognized that the right support system could shorten the learning curve and help her build with more confidence.
"I just knew I wouldn't have been able to do it alone."
There is wisdom in that kind of honesty. New agents are often overwhelmed with choices about brokerages, teams, splits, training, leads, branding, and independence. But Austyn’s decision came down to something deeper.
She trusted the people in front of her.
She valued having teammates who could help care for clients when she was away. She appreciated a culture that included team bonding, pickleball days, happy hours, birthdays, and gatherings that created real relationships beyond transactions.
For Austyn, the team was not just a business structure. It was a support system.
The Contract Lesson Every Agent Needs to Hear
Trust Is Good, Verification Is Better
One of the strongest lessons in the episode comes from Austyn’s mother, Beth. Beth taught her to know the paperwork, the contracts, the forms, the laws, and the details that protect clients. She drilled Austyn on agency and made sure she could explain important documents clearly if she needed to do it on the spot.
That training became very real when Austyn faced her first sales contingency deal. She had agreed with another agent that the contingency lift period would be one day, not the standard longer timeline. But when the contract came through, it said three days.
Because Austyn had been trained to read carefully, she caught it.
"Know your contracts and not trust no one, but trust, but verify."
That lesson can protect careers. It can protect clients. It can protect commissions, reputations, and relationships.
Austyn now helps onboard new agents and makes sure they understand contracts because she knows how easily a missed detail can become a major problem. She believes agents should be able to explain documents in their own words, not in a canned or robotic way.
That is a professional standard every agent can learn from.
Making the Boring Parts Human
Confidence Comes From Knowing What the Words Mean
Austyn also brings personality into contract conversations. She knows documents can be dry, technical, and intimidating for clients. So she uses moments of humor and clarity to make the conversation more human.
Mattias agreed that agents should practice explaining contracts, even using tools like video walkthroughs when necessary. The point is not just to get signatures. The point is to create understanding.
When clients know what they are signing, the agent brings more value. When agents can explain paperwork clearly, they earn more trust. When professionals make complicated things feel understandable, people feel safer following their guidance.
"You are signing a legal document and you should know what you are signing."
That line captures one of the most practical themes of the episode. Real estate agents are not just door openers. They are guides, educators, negotiators, protectors, and communicators.
The best ones take that responsibility seriously.
The Woman Behind the Business
Fantasy Books, Social Media, and Staying Human
As the episode winds down, Austyn shares another side of herself. When asked about books, she admits she often reads fantasy because it helps her disconnect from work and shut her brain off. She mentions the ACOTAR series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, along with Silver Elite by Dani Francis.
That honesty makes the conversation even more relatable. Success does not require a person to become a machine. In fact, part of staying strong in a demanding business is knowing how to step away, recharge, and enjoy something that has nothing to do with deals, deadlines, or contracts.
Austyn also shares where people can find her online, especially Instagram, where she is most active under @househuntinwithAustyn.
It is a fitting detail because her brand reflects the same energy she brings to the episode. Professional, personal, approachable, and real.
The Leap Is Worth It When Growth Is the Goal
A Closing Reminder for Anyone Standing at the Edge
Austyn Galmarini’s story is inspirational because it does not pretend growth is clean or easy. It shows the real version. The version with career pivots, burnout, moving home, starting over, taking tests, joining a team, learning contracts, building trust, and figuring things out one step at a time.
Her journey proves that no chapter has to be wasted. A journalism degree can shape communication. Radio can build confidence. RV sales can build resilience. Inside sales can build discipline. A difficult personal season can become the doorway to a stronger professional life.
For new agents, her message is clear. Learn the documents. Build relationships. Find support. Protect clients. Stay human. Do not wait for a perfect timeline to pursue the life that is calling.
"Why shouldn't I just go for it now?"
That question may be the heartbeat of the whole episode. For Austyn, it changed everything. For someone listening, it might do the same.
Stay tuned for more inspiring stories on The REI Agent podcast, your go-to source for insights, inspiration, and strategies from top agents and investors who are living their best lives through real estate.
For more content and episodes, visit reiagent.com.
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Contact Austyn Galmarini
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Mentioned References
- The Art of Saying NO by Damon Zahariades
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Silver Elite by Dani Francis
United States Real Estate Investor®
Transcript
Welcome back to the REI Agent. My guest today is Austyn Galmarini, a licensed real estate salesperson on the Enos Latif sales team at Hunt Real Estate ERA in Williamsville, New York, serving the Buffalo, Niagara region. Austyn came to real estate by way of West WVU journalism degree, a career in radio and six years in sales, including RV and inside sales before making the leap.
She also grew up watching her mom build a 20 year plus real estate career so that this business is both professional pivot and in some ways a family story. She brings a sales background, a communicator's instincts and fresh perspective on what is actually like to be building a real estate career from scratch inside a top producing team. Austyn, welcome to the REI Agent Podcast.
Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Yeah, so, okay, walk us through your real estate story a little bit more. You went to West Virginia University?
Yes, I did. I am a very proud Mountaineer. I actually went for television journalism.
I wanted to be on TV. At that time, it was kind of like, game day was just kind of really coming about, Aaron Andrews and that aspect. So I wanted a big school.
I wanted to see game day. I wanted to see March Madness, all of that stuff. So I left Buffalo and I settled at WVU for four years.
Now, is that the university that they burn couches?
You bet it is. I have seen more couches burned. And then of course, back here in Buffalo, we're a part of the Bills Mafia where they're going through tables.
So there's really just something about furniture and the need for it to be destroyed.
I'm a big fan. I'm a big fan of both of those things. I'm not too far away from West Virginia.
We're in Harrisburg, Virginia. So we have had game day a couple of times, just a lot of fun. Journalism sounds like it would have been a lot of fun as well.
What took you then into, I guess, RV sales as well?
Yeah, again, it's life. As I have discovered, it's always gonna be something changing. I graduated from WVU, ended up with a job at 97 Rock Cumulus Media.
And I worked there doing everything that you could think of. So working concerts, everything from doing the check-in for tickets or the prize table. And then I did some on-air stuff as well.
And it worked great. I loved it. I had incredible opportunities.
I broadcasted lines before Buffalo Bills games, before Bob Seger, the Rolling Stones. So I'm really grateful for those opportunities. And it just kind of got to the point I needed something more financially increased.
So I went and started selling RVs. It was a blast. I actually went all over the country.
I went to Seattle, Alabama, Atlanta, very small part of West Virginia, Indiana, and also Hershey, Pennsylvania, everything for training. So we were at the manufacturer. So getting to see everything.
I mean, you're talking these big diesel pushers. You're looking at the Freightline chassis, everything for the Airstream facility. So how it started from scratch.
And then we would work the shows as well. The shows were very fast, the high turnaround. Sometimes you have two, three deals in a day.
So I liked all of that. And it just was an opportunity that fell into my lap. And I did that for a year and a half.
And at that point, my breaking point, I had worked a 10 day long RV show. My day off was driving eight hours back, driving a 33 foot diesel pusher. If you've ever driven a large vehicle, it is the most mentally draining thing.
I give truck drivers so much credit because the mental concentration you need to keep those things on the road is insane. So my day off was driving eight hours back. And then I worked another 20 days straight.
And so I was like, that's it, I'm done. And that was the end of my RV career.
Yeah, I know. So I have a quick side tangent. We kind of, I was showing a house for some, I was showing somebody, a former classmate of mine a house.
And she was stuck in traffic coming from DC. And she's like, hey, can my parents show for me? And I was like, sure.
And they at one point, or they knew we both went to this music festival where there was campers and stuff. And they're like, hey, do you wanna buy a camper? I'm like, no.
No, we don't. Yeah. Fast forward like a month later, we bought that camper.
And now we've been going all over the place with it. And we went really early, like spring break. We went, we did a week and we drove about three hours.
So not eight, but three hours. And I, yeah, like after even three hours, I was like, oh my gosh, like if you go through your construction zones, it's more narrow or like there's tractor trailers trying to pass you, it is stressful. And then on the way back from this three hour trip away, we went to another place that had to cross over a steep mountain.
And I should have planned better, should have thought better about what route to take. But I swear when I came down off that mountain, cause it felt like the brakes were gonna give out. It felt like I was getting pushed down that mountain and I was so stressed out.
My son had my iPad and he had already thrown it across the truck. It was not a pleasant scene. And then when I tried to park that thing, Erica looked at me like, I need to like go hide or something cause this guy is, it's like.
It's so, it's so intimidating. I mean, of course you're building like great family memories and you're gonna talk about that forever. But in the time you were probably genuinely wondering, am I gonna make this out alive?
I think I heard, you know, I've heard people talk about like, you know, driving down the interstate in general, it's kind of like you're in this constant fight or flight mode. Like you're like, you know, your lizard brain is firing cause you're just, there's death, you know, whizzing by you all the time. You just take that times it by 10 when you're pulling something.
So yes, I'm sure you get more and more used to it, but kudos to the tractor trailer drivers cause it is stressful.
A hundred percent, yes.
So digress. You had enough with your RV sales. Is that when you catapulted into the real estate sales?
Right in between that. So I was 20, I think 25 at the time and I had several friends that were working at a local college in the online division and there was an opportunity for me. I mean, on the phone with the head woman at that time and I just straight up said to her, I said, I'm available to come in and meet with you tomorrow.
What time do you have? And she stopped and she goes, okay, you can meet me at two. And I came in the next day for this interview and I met with two other sales managers and looking back at the time, it was a pretty intense kind of interview because they were like, who is this girl that thinking that she can just come in and close us?
And me, I just really wanted to get out of the position I was in and have a little more stable life. I was kind of looking for kind of that nine to five in that aspect, something where I was just at that point in my life where I was like, when I walk away, when I shut my computer, like it's done type of situation. And I got hired, I worked my way up.
I kind of gone where I'd felt in the four and a half years. And then as life does, my whole life imploded, my long-term relationship ended. So I had to move back home with my parents at 29, which was really great.
And that's when I was kind of stuck looking, trying to figure out where am I gonna go from here? What am I gonna take the next step? And since I was back at home, I was chatting obviously every single day with my mom and she's telling me all about different deals.
She's telling me about the team, we're just chatting. So more of my interests got peaked. And then I just kind of decided, I was like, I think I'm gonna give it a shot.
I said, I had kind of thought about it before. I had said, well, maybe it's something, when I get married, when I have kids, this could be a really good time to do it. And I thought to myself, why am I gonna one, wait for that timeline?
Why shouldn't I just go for it now? So I took the test right before actually, I had just turned 30. I had taken a test and two days later, got on a plane to go to Spain to celebrate my 30th birthday with my best friend, found out in Spain that I passed and got my license and came back from Spain, put my two weeks in immediately and started my first like official day, it was July 1st, 2022.
So that's it.
Yeah, that's awesome. I think a lot of times people do think of real, there are people that think of real estate as a career that you do like maybe as a retirement gig or something to that extent. But it is, it's just, it's hard to, you put in a lot of time and energy and effort until you get rolling.
And so it's difficult and I could see, yeah, I mean, I'm sure you know hindsight now and stuff like that. Like, it would be really hard to start it with like, if you're like, I'm gonna be a stay at home mom, I'm just gonna do a little real stay on the side, it would be really hard.
Never, like I give so much credit to the agents that have been doing this for a long time. I mean, I give always a lot of credit there, especially those who then do have a child in the middle of it because that's a big transition in itself. You're taking, I mean, just like a whole personal life transition into this.
And yeah, real estate, it's not a nine to five, it's a 24, seven, three, six, five. You have clients that call you on holidays that wanna see stuff on holidays. I mean, late nights, I was talking to a client last night, 10, 45 p.m. and he goes, why are you working right now? I go, well, my bad, I'm always working. So it happens.
No, totally. And I think one of the hard things too is when you have a hard, if you have like a difficult situation that is a high stress, there's a lot of maybe emotional oozing coming from your clients onto you and that impacts the home life as well. So if you do have kids and that stuff, it can be hard to be present because this kid wants to show you whatever.
They just drew a picture or whatever and you're like, hold on. It's almost like you're back in that tractor trailer or you're driving a camper down the road through a construction site. Like lizard brains.
Yes, yes, exactly.
So what kind of, so your mom's on the same team? Did I gather that right?
Yeah, she was on the team first and then I joined with her blessing, of course. At the conversation, I was like, what do you think? And yeah, of course she gave the blessing.
So it was a very, yeah, it just went.
And at what point in your life did she start her real estate career? Like were you in college already or?
No, I was in high school. She actually had started, so yeah, if it's 20 years, so she started in 2006 and she was kind of getting slowly dabbled into it. And then of course, 08 happened, but she still powered through it.
My dad, he was in a very stable, solid job. So they always kind of growing up, looked at my mom's income from that as like the fun money. So that was what we did vacations or anything of the sort came from there.
Since especially in that time, it's very hard to get started and then you have 2008 happen. She still went and she survived and she made it through on her own. She was a solo agent until she ran into a NAS and she, I can't remember when she joined, but she was able to go forward and still make it happen.
So it was a lot of very real conversations with her in regards to what to expect. It's not, of course, what you see on TV. It's not the house hunters.
It's none of that stuff selling sunset, of course. So she was able to give me a very real depiction as to what it's like. So I was feeling a lot more prepared in regards.
And then my first meeting with the NAS, she straight up said, you need to have six month reserves at all time. You need to be prepared because you just never, you never know what's gonna happen with this business.
Yeah, a hundred percent. In the telling of your story, you never really kind of had that, I swore I would never do real estate moment. So that led me to believe it wasn't like maybe the sole breadwinner for a long period of time or like as a child, like seeing her go through all the stress and stuff.
Because I think that's often what people that get into the business and follow their parents say is they like, I swear I would never, I always swore I would never do real estate. And then at one point or another, their life happens and they're like, well, actually, you know what? There was some bad stuff, but making your own schedule, there's good money to be made, can be.
It sneaks up on you.
Yeah, plus one, I think I was at that age. So then I was in high school and into college. So once she really, I mean, once she made it through 08, at that point I was out on my own in that regard.
So my brother, he was only two years younger than me. So she really was kind of able to be like, all right, I can go and do all this stuff and be working and I don't have to worry. Like my children are sufficient.
Like they can figure out how to make themselves a meal. They're not relying on me as much anymore. So I think that also was a really big factor.
And then I think, of course, now that we're in it together, I definitely really do understand it even more stressors. The whole joke of like, your mom says like, can you make sure you take the chicken out of the freezer in time? Now I fully understand that stress and like that frustration of, oh, I never took the chicken out of the freezer.
I totally understand why.
Yeah, absolutely. What strategies and things did you do starting off when you started in 22? Did you do any, does your team, I remember talking to your lead there.
I don't think you guys, do you do any like buying of leads or is it all kind of prospecting? What kind of strategies did you do?
Yeah, it'd be prospect. I mean, Anas has such a solid career in that regards. Thankfully, I also was kind of at an age where a lot of my friends or acquaintances were also looking for homes.
I mean, normally that first time homebuyer age has really shifted. So there are people in that regards that I kind of was able to go and start in that way. But I mean, it was really a lot of, yeah, like that prospecting, the self-promoting and then once you have somebody and it's successful, making sure you came up with them to get the referrals in that regards.
I mean, it took a very long time to build up my pipeline, but now I think it's more than 75% of my business, probably 80 is all through my COI, my circle of influence or referrals. So that is, I mean, I think it's actually probably like 80%, I would have to truly look. But now, right now for 2026, that's really what it is for me, at least in my business.
Yeah.
And it took a long time to build up.
It can, it can take a little bit longer that way. I mean, I think depends on how big your sphere is, how much, if you've been in some sort of capacity that transfers trust pretty easily to this new career, that can help as well. If you're making the switch, how active you are in various organizations and stuff throughout the community, that can definitely move the needle as well for how quickly it can go.
But it does take a little bit longer. And I think there's always those, that shiny object syndrome where you're looking at, oh, maybe I can increase my sales and do this or whatever. But when I talked to new agents and my team, I always, I kind of look at it in the frame of like, what do you want your business to look like in 10 years when you're really successful, when you're rolling?
It doesn't take 10 years, but you know what I mean? Like, do you want to be playing receptionist? Do you want to be answering the phone 100 times before you get one reasonable, good client that will actually close?
Is that the way you want your business to look? And it sounds like how you all operate, how you operate is you'd rather be talking to the people you want to talk to, that want to talk to you. And in return, they will want to do business with you.
100%, yeah, absolutely. I mean, of course, you know, there's always, I mean, it's, you know, they say like, you always got to have a card or be prepared or whatever on you in that regards. Because yeah, I guess I would rather, I would rather meet somebody and talk to them, whether I'm, you know, out at a restaurant or a network, whatever it may be anywhere, you know, who knows?
I'd rather come off as me, myself, Austyn Galmarini first as the human. And then if they decide to work together with that way, because it is a business decision and it is a transaction, you know, all given real true things. So it's important for me to establish that personal connection first to see, is this going to be somebody that we really want together, work together?
And then understanding how they are and kind of then how I have to mold myself if I have to be more than serious professional and strict based off of the personality, then so be it. But if it's somebody that I know, and I can be, you know, a little more lax, a little more open in that sense, maybe silly goofy, then that's the way that I, you know, do. It's all tailored to the person that's in front of me.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think it really just boils down that people will usually work with people they know, like and trust.
That's it, that's it. One of the best, there's two really good pieces of sales advice that I received when I did sell our VEAVS from my manager at that time. The first thing he would say, this isn't brain surgery.
Nobody is going to die, you know, on the table in front of you. Which if you know me personally, it's just like an absolutely insane like statement for all things in my life. But that was always the first thing I would have to remind myself like, you know, this person's life is not in my hands.
It's a little bit in my hands, but the whole entire life is not in my hands. So that's one thing I remind myself. And the second is that, when you pick up that phone the first time, they don't know you, like you or trust you.
I mean, it's the same thing. You walk into a store, can I help you find anything? No, because you're like, I don't know.
I don't need your help. So it's all breaking down that barrier first and finding a way so they do get to know you. And then they determine if they like you and then they'll trust you.
That's exactly it.
Yeah, and obviously a lot of people know a lot of people, or there's a lot of agents out there. And so like a lot of people know, you know, seven plus agents. And so it's important to, you know, try to stay top of mind and try to systematically reach out to people as well.
Well, I'm curious though, when you were starting off, like had you probably didn't really, with your mom being on the team, like considered going solo at all, what is, how's it felt being on a team starting out? And had you ever, did you ever think like, what would it have been like if I started off, you know, on my own?
I've always been a team player. I've always, you know, not that I don't do well alone, but I mean, I'm always on the phone with my friends in that regards. I'm always social out doing something.
I really never say no to anything. But for me, I also just knew I wouldn't have been able to do it alone. I just knew that I wouldn't have been able to.
I was able to fully accept that. And I fully admit it. To have, I mean, the blessing of Beth, my mom and Anas together, it was just a no brainer.
I would have been a fool to say, no, I don't need this. I'll figure it out on my own. It didn't make any sense to me.
So I don't care in that regards because I am thankfully my own entity. People do know me and recognize me for me, whether that's based off of how I've literally branded myself on social media or just because they know me and that's how they met me without having Anas's name tied into it. So I just looked at everything and to me, it just made more sense.
And I really, the biggest thing is I liked the human being that was in front of me that is Anas Lateef. That was, again, once I got to know her, I liked her and I trusted her. So we got through it.
There you go. That makes a ton of sense. And yeah, I think it's oftentimes people, well, there's YouTubers and there's people trying to get people onto various brokerages.
There's commission split structures, all this kind of stuff that is thrown out there. And it's definitely a consideration. But at the end of the day, if you go and if you're making 100% commission and you don't sell anything, does it matter?
Do you have 100% commission and you do four deals in the year? Okay, that's sure. If that's, you know what?
There's something out there for everybody and I respect it. I respect the people that are solo. I respect the people that are on the team because it's a business decision for you at the end of the day.
You have to do what's best for you because only you know what's best for you.
Yeah, and obviously I'm not saying I have any idea what your commission split structure is, that kind of thing, I'm not asking. It's just, I think thinking about what's gonna actually make you successful in the business, what's gonna give you the best chance of being successful is what's important. And I think once you have a really good business that stands on itself, then maybe you start thinking about those kinds of things.
But until that point, set yourself up for success. Do what makes the most sense and try to, yeah, fast forward through mentorship, through trainings, through education, through whatever it might be, that path to success.
Yeah, and I'm on a team with people that I trust, most importantly. So if I go on vacation, I'm able to communicate with somebody that I know knows what's up. They can handle it, will be good with my clients, take care of them in that aspect.
We do a lot of things, like Anas is really good about team bonding stuff. So we have team pickleball days, we'll do team happy hours to celebrate birthdays. There's normally always like a team's giving.
So there's normally something every single quarter where Anas gets us together and it's not work, it is something outside of it that gives us also an opportunity for us as a team to come together, to even solidify those relationships anymore. That was actually how I met Anas and the team at the first time. It was a holiday party and they did gingerbread houses contest.
And I had to be the judge, which was also very intimidating, but I got to see them all in a personal level. And for me, I said, yeah, these are people that I can be around. These are people that I'm enjoying hanging out with.
I literally don't even remember all of their names, but I like the people that are in front of me.
That's awesome. That makes a ton of sense. That culture is important and hard to create.
With all the experience on the team between your mom, with Anas, is there any kind of piece of advice that one of them gave you or both of them throughout when you were starting off? What sticks out to you as far as a really good piece of advice that meant a lot and helped you grow?
Yeah, for Beth. So she knows all of the contracts, the paperwork, laws. She knows all of that stuff front and back.
She reads the Realtor magazine every single month that it comes out and she's reading the update about the legal aspects. So Beth really made sure, I mean, I remember this one morning when I was going through still taking my licenses and she was drilling me on agency in New York and she was asking me about all of the other forms, making sure that I understood it because she wanted to make sure that I would be able to successfully communicate it in front of a client if I have to do it on the spot. So that was, I think, one of the biggest things is know all these documents and know the contracts because she, Beth, had kind of warned me.
She goes, agents will call you and they will be your best friend on the phone. They will be so nice and everything. And they sound like you can trust them.
She goes, but you never know what they're gonna slip on that contract, hoping that you don't notice and that you sign it. And then, oh, it's a signed legal contract. You went to the attorneys, they approved it, can't get out of it.
She goes, that's your responsibility as a listing agent or a buyer's agent to make sure that doesn't happen. So she taught me how to read the contracts and understand what the parts meant and what to look for. Because sure enough, it happened to me.
It was my very first sales contingency deal and we had gone through it. And I had told the buyer's agent, I said, yeah, we're not doing the five day, three day. I said, we're doing one day.
You have one day to lift that sales contingency if I get another offer. And she goes, oh my gosh, yes, of course. It's totally fine.
And what did she put on the contract? Three. And I had to call her and say, no, no, no.
We agreed on one and it was, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I just out of habit. You know, she's trying to pull a fast one on me.
I don't blame her. We're all doing the best for our clients, right? We're working for our clients.
And so I truly think if Beth hadn't given me that tip, I probably would have missed it. I really truly think I would have because I was trusting, because oh my gosh, the calls were great. We're having a great time.
It was everything. So that's, I think the biggest piece of advice. Know, know your contracts and not trust no one, but trust, but verify.
Absolutely. I love that. Those are great.
Yeah, you know, I think I heard, I can't remember the details, but I remember talking to somebody here recently that had somebody, he told me, he basically had to just at the closing table, just to move things along. He's just like basically forfeited his commission because of something like that. Somebody had written something in really fine print into the contract and it was so fine.
It was so illegible that the title company didn't see it either. And to some extent, I don't know if it was like an extra commission bonus or something. I don't know what it was.
I don't remember exactly what it was, but just, you know, sitting at the closing table, the clients are like, I don't want to spend this extra, you know, 3% or whatever it was. This is, you know, crazy because the other person made a big stink about it at the closing table. And yeah, they like basically was like, okay, fine.
I'm just going to not get a commission on this, this whole deal at the closing table. And let's move forward. So you got to be careful.
Well, another piece of advice that I was given was don't answer your phone when you know a closing is happening because of a situation like that. Because at that point, it's out of your hands. It's between the attorneys.
Really, you know, there's nothing I can do to change anything. And that should be an attorney thing that gets handled, not, you know, coming after me for my money. So that was, I guess, maybe another piece of advice.
But yet I still like, oh, so.
It's crazy. Luckily, our market is, there's definitely some cutthroat kind of behavior, but for the most part, it's a tertiary market. It's kind of a small town and people are generally fairly looking out for each other and working together and, you know, standing up for their clients, of course, but not trying to pull fast ones.
Because, I mean, reputation is, it spreads pretty fast too in this smaller market. So we're fortunate for that. Yeah, I mean, tell us about, do you have any some golden nuggets for us for our listeners in this?
Yeah, I think really the biggest thing is knowing your contracts, knowing all of your documents. One of my roles for the team now is to, you know, any new agents or new members, we onboard, and I want to make sure that you understand the contract because you, you know, you really truly never know if you're gonna be out. I have been out at a bar and the guy was like, hey, you know, I'm getting ready to sell my house.
I called a NOS and I mean, the next morning we were over there going through it. You have to be prepared at any time to, I mean, I don't want to say pitch yourself, but you need to be able to know the contracts. That's really, I think the biggest thing.
Explaining why, and you also don't want to be in a listing presentation and you're talking about it. I go through the contract with my buyers and every buyer consult that I do because it is a legal document. You are signing a legal document and you should know what you are signing.
It brings a lot of value, of course, to me. You're not just saying blindly sign here. So know the contracts, know the forms, and if you don't recite it in a way that you would say it, not canned, you know, you're reading it.
You have to say it in a way that's going to make sense.
Yeah, a hundred percent. That's a really good tip. And I think it's something that people should definitely practice if they haven't done it.
You know, oftentimes in a pinch when we're not able to sign a person, you know, I'm often sending a loom video, you know, going over the contract and getting, just ironing out like paragraph by paragraph what you're going to say, making it funny at times too, you know, because it's a long contract that's kind of boring. So like, you know, giving funny examples of something that might make it a little bit more interesting to pay attention to. But I think that is a craft to hone.
And if you don't feel confident in doing that, it might be worth asking an experienced agent to see what they do or how they do it. See if they'd spend some time with you doing it because I think it does make a huge difference if they'd be willing to do a loom video for you. So you could kind of practice off of that.
That'd be another way to get that. But that's a really good tip.
Yeah. I mean, one of the lines in the contract here, it's talking about modifications to the property and the verbiage says erection of fences, garages, anything of that sort. And I'm also, I always bring that up every single time because one, I'm like, I'm seeing if you're paying attention to the fact that I'm actually saying erection of fences.
And then I'm trying to also feel that vibe, like where are we also at? So, but it's crazy. They're like, why is this in here?
And I'm like, well, there was obviously some deal that blew up over a fence. And so they had to add this in here. So it's the vibe check really for that point.
And the fact that you literally can use that statement in a professional setting is just also crazy.
Yeah. No, there's, in our contract there's, you can't take, remove like bushes and shrubs from property. You know, there was a lawsuit.
There was a lawsuit at some point. So they said, okay, well, then we're just gonna change the whole contract because you're shrubbing.
Yeah. What about a favorite book, one that you think that's fundamental that everybody should read or just one you're currently enjoying?
I, to be completely honest with you, I am a, I'm a millennial and I read all of the, of course, like the fantasy things. Cause for me, when I like to read, I do it to disconnect from my world. I do it to shut my brain off.
My Kindle has a sticker on the back that says reading, do not disturb. Cause when I get this opportunity to read, that's really what I'm going through there. I know there are, I have a bunch of the books.
I thought I had one around here. I mean, but one of them is the art of saying no, I believe. That's one I really do feel like I need to start cause I always will say yes.
I'll always jump through it. I try to remind myself if I'm not responsible for it, I'm not going to take accountability for it. And that's a big thing that I think about and that I probably should be better.
I mean, I even said it, that I say yes to everything and never say no. So it's probably a book I really should read.
So what book do you actually like?
Oh my God. I think it's going to hit a very, very small audience, but of course it's the ACOTAR series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. That's what I read.
And I've gone all throughout there. I am currently reading Silver Elite by Danny Francis. You know, it's just one of those things.
Again, you just disconnect to turn my brain off. I like reading about the fantasy stuff because I know if a dragon actually comes down like from the sky, like it's just like, everything's over. And I really don't have to worry about a fire breathing dragon, you know, blowing up my town.
So it's quite all right.
I thought that you were prepping in preparation for it.
No, I'm absolutely screwed if that's the case. Like I'm not going to be a dragon rider. I'm not going to be able to train them or anything of the sort.
Like I'll just accept my fate.
Now, what if people wanted to follow you or reach out to you in some way? What platforms are you on?
Yeah, so Instagram, it's simply @househuntinwithAustyn. Hunting with no G and Austyn with a Y. It's the same thing across on YouTube, TikTok in that regards there.
Instagram is definitely where you can find me the most active in that place. I mean, it's just, I don't know, it's Instagram, it's social media in that regards. But yeah, so @househuntinwithAustyn, that's where you can find me.
Awesome, that should be the link in the show notes. Thank you so much for being on the show today, Austyn. It's been an incredible conversation.
I know our audience is gonna get a ton of value out of it. Thanks to everyone who's listening. If you got something out of today's episode, please take a moment to subscribe to the REI Agent Podcast wherever you listen to it.
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So if you like to track things like the Ford Method, people's family, their kids' birthdays, their kids' names, that kind of thing, it will give you suggestions based off of that data. So definitely check it out, REIAgent.com. Again, Austyn, thank you so much for joining us.
It's been an absolute pleasure.
Thank you, this was super fun, appreciate it. Thanks for listening to the REI Agent.
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