Building a Business and a Life Together: A Conversation with Katie Berman

In this episode, Richard Berman sits down with his wife and business partner, Katie Berman of The Berman Group, to share the story behind the real estate business they built together. They discuss Katie’s start in the industry at 19, Richard’s transition into real estate, the challenges of working as a married couple, and how raising a family changed their definition of success. They also offer an honest look at what happens behind the scenes of a real estate transaction, what clients should look for when choosing an agent, and how their commitment to communication and exceptional service continues to shape their work in the Reno-Sparks market.

Katie’s Introduction to Real Estate

I've actually written them down because I want to ask you some things I have never asked you before. So first one is how did you get into real estate? Just for the people that don't know. So I was actually recruited by a husband and wife team when I was in college.

And they had asked me if I wanted to get into real estate because they thought I would be a good fit for the industry. And they needed a helping hand with some overflow in their business. OK.

Yeah. And I remember like at that time you were going to college. Going to college and working two other jobs.

I decided to pack on real estate, too. So had you not gotten into real estate and you graduated, you got your degree, what would you be doing today? Or what do you think you'd be doing? Probably something in the medical field. I had originally started as a neuroscience major.

Not sure if I would have like gone through with that, but definitely something medical related. OK. Like in the neuroscience or like something different? Probably.

I'm not sure. Maybe something different. I wasn't quite in love with neuroscience once I got into it.

Why? It was a lot. Too much science? Maybe a little bit. I don't know.

There was a lot to it and there's not very many avenues that I could have gone with it. And I realized I did not want to be an actual surgeon. So I think at the same time of realizing that and getting this offer to go into real estate, that's when I just like completely did a, you know, 360 switch to business major and then got my real estate license.

Katie’s First Real Estate Transaction

That's cool. So what do you remember about like your very first transaction? Not knowing anything because I really did get thrown into it. It was not what I expected whatsoever.

I didn't have I thought I was going to have these people who are truly having my back telling me how to do this industry. And that was not the case. And so it was, you know, doing, helping somebody buy a home and truly not knowing what to do.

And it was not a pleasant experience at all. I think that's the experience for like a lot of agents, right? It's like they get their license, they join a brokerage, and then they don't have really the support that they're looking for. 100%.

All the time. So it was rough. So why you're like you're getting so let me just read this question real quick.

Early Career Challenges and Finding a New Path

So you get into real estate. And then what was like early on? What was your thought? Like, I don't know if this is going to work or did you think it was going to work out? So at the time I was trying to make real estate work. I was 19 about to turn 20.

No, I didn't know any 19 year olds that were buying homes. So my own book of business was nothing. And then still finishing college.

And so I did get to a point where I was like, if I can't make money some way, I'm not going to be able to do this. And so that's kind of where I just started looking for alternatives in the real estate business instead of just being a solo agent. OK, so what was the next transition then for you? I actually was interviewed with one of the top real estate brokers in town and got on to be his assistant and buyers agent.

So, I mean, I did everything. I showed houses, I did inspections and then all the way to paperwork stuff. And, you know, the more administrative side of real estate.

Richard Enters the Real Estate Business

Yeah. OK, so now you're working for who is Alan, right? What did you really think when I told you I was like, so I joined you later on. You'd already been selling real estate.

Yep. For about six years. And then I met with Alan.

I decided I was going to get my real estate license. What did you think early on when I was like, hey, honey, I'm getting my real estate license. Oh, great.

Now, you know, you see like Alan, who is like the broker and owner of his brokerage and what goes into that. And you and I being, you know, together, it's scary because it's like this business has no guarantees. You have to make it happen for yourself.

And so having you say you wanted to take that plunge was definitely nerve wracking in the beginning. So, I mean, did you did you think I'd actually be good at it? I thought you'd be good at it because it's sales. You're not necessarily exiting the lane that you're used to.

It's just what you were selling. Yeah, definitely. So what did you think? Like I'm starting real estate.

What was my biggest weakness? You thought it was going to be really, really easy. And I kept trying to tell you this is not easy to get into and then like to sustain at such a high level to make a decent living for, you know, we wanted a family. And so I think there.

But that also helped you, too, in the long run. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's like my greatest strength and my greatest weakness is like I think everything's going to be way easier.

Yeah. So I'm willing to attempt it. Yes.

And then it's a weakness because I'm like, crap, I didn't anticipate any of this. Yeah. And I have to like figure it out as we go.

And we were doing that together. Yeah. Yeah.

I remember those days. And I like certainty. I don't like so much up in the air.

Oh, no, we got to figure this out. We have to shift like, you know, I like a good path in life. Yeah.

Learning to Work Together

Well, the first year is definitely not that. So we start working together. What did I do early on that like drove you crazy? Really rough around the edges on things and like getting into the business because you come from an environment that I think didn't require as much.

What's a good way to put it? Professionalism. I mean, real estate, there is a lot more that can happen. Or, you know, you can get yourself in trouble if you don't know what you're doing in terms of like disclosures and things like that.

And you absolutely hated paperwork, hated paperwork. And that's a lot about this job. And so I would do your paperwork.

And so I was working and doing my job for Allen and then also taking on a big chunk of what you were doing. Yeah, I think for me, like the thing that was like the most crazy was you had a lot more experience than me. And so even though we're equals, I was like your subordinate in the beginning because you had to tell me everything, how to do it, how to do the paperwork.

I was getting in trouble by you and Allen for not doing the paperwork. Well, I'm glad you can acknowledge that because I wasn't going to say that. So was there a moment when you realized like, OK, Richard might actually turn this real estate thing into something? I think after the first year when you were disappointed in like the actual amount of houses that were sold, you were so happy that you were able to help people and like that you did do house sales in the business and you were learning a lot and that got you excited.

But I think you like felt like, man, I can just do so much more. And that's when I knew I was like, yeah, that's going to be the last year that he's going to feel like that. So, you know, in the beginning, it was tough.

Turning Real Estate Into a Business

We're kind of building that momentum. So when did it stop feeling like it was just like the two of us selling houses? And when do you think we actually had a business? When Alan, I don't know if you remember this, but Alan basically like kicked me out the door and said, it's time to spread your wings and fly. And like we became a husband and wife team and it was our business under the Homegate brokerage.

Yeah. Not you're doing your own thing while I'm over here working for Alan. So it was when we truly like.

You know, we're doing our own thing within Homegate. So you feel like earlier on in our career, we had like an actual business. We weren't just selling houses.

Well, I mean, yeah, because it feels like your job, like you're going and doing that, you know. Yeah. Well, it wasn't Monday through Friday to five.

It was every day if it needed to be. But yeah, I do early on. Yeah.

I always like for me, I don't think it was like until year four or five when I felt like, OK, this is an actual business now. Like it's like a real business where you have repeat customers and like, yeah, it's kind of you have your systems all built out. So it's a lot more smooth.

Well, yeah, I thought it was like really clunky. I feel like too. I was also so used to the systems that we already had that we adopted from Alan.

Yeah. So and that was a lot more paperwork wise on the back end that like you wouldn't have been using on a daily basis because that was my job. You are more 100 percent, you know, listing appointments, working with buyers, helping them actually do their home sale.

And then I was doing that as well. But then I was doing the paperwork side and that was more structured. Yeah, that's a good point.

Working Together as a Married Couple

So did you ever think like as we're dating that we got married, we'd ever work this closely together? No, not at all. Not at all. So is working together easier or harder or like do you think it would be better if I had a different job than working together? I think maybe in the beginning I would have said it would be easier if we had separate jobs.

But now, like how we've shifted, like with roles and especially adding on like children in our life. And so the life we've created, I wouldn't change it. Like I definitely think it's great that we are both in the same industry.

Yeah. For me, I think it's been really nice because like, you know what I'm going through at the office. So like when I get home, it's like you can tell I've had a rough day and vice versa.

I like we're going to be like, yeah, we went through that. Plus, I feel like also like because we have the kids, like a lot of times we do have the kids there at the office, which is kind of nice. Yeah.

In the evenings that you bring us. I remember a lot of times we did take out an office. I'll bring dinner and bring the kids and you can kind of wrap up some work stuff while we all eat dinner with you.

And yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, it's no, it's good.

I wouldn't I wouldn't change it now, but not going to say there wasn't times where I did not want to be a husband and wife real estate team. And I wanted a different job. Well, I think at the beginning it was super hard because like and Cody, our first real estate coach really helps us do this is like where we establish roles for each other.

And like, all right, you make these decisions because in the beginning when you knew more than I did. And then my personality is like I like to be in charge. It was like they created a lot of well, it was a good thing we drove separate cars to the office.

I'll just say that like there's a lot of conflict in the beginning around those things. You don't like being told what to do and not that I was telling you what to do, but I was just trying to help guide you. That's true.

Lessons From Building the Business

So if you could go all the way back in time and talk to Richard and Katie in the very beginning, like what would you tell us? I so I am I don't like a lot of risk. And so I would tell us go ahead and take the plunge on the first hire for an assistant. Yeah.

A lot quicker. I really do think like we could have had our business and like that person helping us, which would have been spilled over into the marriage side. Right.

And I would have taken that. Yeah, I think that was like my toughest sell and working together with you is like allowing me to have that first assistance. Like we're at a point in our business where we can do it and take the risk.

I wasn't ready to let go. I know. Well, it's kind of like one of your kids.

Yeah. You've built this business with me since the ground up and having somebody step in to do some of those tasks you're doing is tough. Well, it was it was different, too, because I was leaving something that I was passionate about and wanted to do to then go into like a different stage of life.

You know, so like I would be relinquishing some of that to take care of Matthew. And so it was a transition that was just a little bit harder than I thought it would be. Yeah.

The Work and Sacrifices Behind the Scenes

So what do you remember about the years when we were really trying to build this? A lot of late nights. That we would be working all day and then you would want to be at the dinner table role playing scripts. And I just want to sit there and eat a hot meal in peace and unwind or, you know, having Matthew in his little baby pen at the office.

I mean, we have pictures where he's just like hanging out while we're both working at our desks, making our phone calls. Yeah. And so it's just really like it's it's a it's your whole life.

That's what I tell a lot of people and they're like, what is it like being a real estate agent? And it's like it's not really a job. It's more of a lifestyle. Because if you don't incorporate what you're doing around it, because like the stigma around realtors is really that we work all the time.

And so you kind of have to work all the time because that's like what happens in the industry. And so if you don't involve your life into that work, you almost like don't get a life and it's all work. Yeah.

So what did our life actually look like behind the scenes? Like, what do you think most people don't see from the outside looking in? I think a lot of people it's kind of like when you watch like a Netflix show or something, you just see like the glitz and the glamour of your showing houses and, you know, getting to just do things with clients and it's fun and exciting. And they don't see the work that goes behind that. And that is like, you know, you may take a call at 7 p.m. because you're, you know, a buyer is concerned.

Right. With their inspections, like they haven't come back yet and they're nervous. Their first time home buyer and they don't know what to expect.

And it's the behind the scenes stuff that happens and it can happen all the time. And or like the tough conversations that you have to have sometimes with clients. And it's not all glitz and glamour.

That's actually a very, very, very small portion of this business. Yeah. You see like the agents on social media just posting like their house tour.

And it's like, yeah, it's really nothing like that. No, no, not at all. I wish it was like that sometimes.

So what sacrifices do you think people never saw that we made? I mean, I definitely think it's like the time. Yeah. We weren't going and taking vacations and, you know, hanging out on the weekends up at Lake Tahoe all the time.

Or, you know, I mean, we were truly focused solely on building this business that you, you know, you created a vision of what you wanted. And that's what we were working towards. Yeah.

When I was thinking about that as your answer, I was thinking about one of my favorite memories. It's when Matthew was born and I had just left a consultation with a new client. And you're there in labor and you have the laptop on your belly setting up email notifications.

Hey, I need you to do one thing before you have a baby. You mean that? This is where it's like it doesn't stop. And so like how we had set up, I did all that stuff for you.

And it's not that you weren't capable, but it's something that I could have done in two minutes would take you longer. And so, yeah, I do remember that literally in labor and you are trying to hand me the laptop. And I said, this is the last thing.

And then we're having a baby. My mom walks in, she's like, Richard, what are you doing? And I was like, no, we got to set this up. The baby's going to come.

But like these clients need a house. What's crazy, though, is that that similarly happened with like both our kids. Yeah, I was going into labor with Luke and you were out at a listing appointment.

I think it was stagecoach. Oh, yeah. You were far.

Yeah. And I literally text you because I, you know, I can't call you during those appointments. And I'm like, you need to come back as soon as you can.

They actually gave me a gift because I was like, I got to leave your house. And they're like here for your new baby. Oh, I didn't know that.

There's like some lotion. I don't I don't even know. It's like something they had in the house.

Like maybe they were just waiting for us to have. You made it five minutes to spare. Well, I'm just glad I got to show up like after all the hard work was done.

Yeah. Well, it's kind of how it always is. Right.

Balancing Ambition, Business, and Family

I do all the hard work. Were there times where you thought maybe I was pushing too hard? I think not in the beginning, because like, you know, building something up, that's just what we knew we were. Yeah, that's what it was going to be.

But I think now what you need to work on, I think it's harder for you than it is for me, is like, OK, we are doing really well and I can be happy with my accomplishments in the moment at the same time as still wanting to strive for more. So it's more of that contentment and then being like, oh, OK, like it is OK to go take a weekend getaway with the family. Do you think I have a hard time disconnecting? Yes.

I don't think you disconnect at all. I mean, I think it's hard because I do like the challenge of growing the business and being there. And then I also have that goal of having the family.

So it is for me, it's just personally hard to like balance both of those things. Yeah. A few weeks ago, we were up at Sand Harbor and I took a selfie with the boys and you're in the background on the phone.

So, yeah, I think it's hard, but that's OK. Well, I did like present a counteroffer on the top of Mount Whitney. So that was good, too.

Early Fears and Financial Uncertainty

All right. So we're what were you worried about back then? That seems like funny now, like looking back on everything. What would you laugh about now that like really stressed you out? Um, maybe just like when you're not used to it, knowing like the next deal is coming.

Yeah. So like now I know that like this is our business. We've done a really good job serving our community and like continuing to provide great customer service in the real estate realm.

So like I know now the next, you know, home buyer or the next listing is coming and we're going to be OK. Yeah. But in the beginning, it's like, when is that coming? Where is it coming from? How fast? This is very scary.

Yeah. I want to like I mean, when I look back, one of the moments and I've shared this with you probably a hundred times that I remember, like I left a good job. Most of my friends thought I was crazy.

Yes. And then that first year in real estate, because you were still working for Alan, I had no house sales, really. I remember we were like standing there at groceries and at the line at the grocery store and you were paying for the groceries.

And I was like, I think I'm failing as a husband. I can't even afford groceries right now. Like this is not what I was supposed to be doing as a husband.

How the Business Has Evolved

So from the very beginning to now, what has really changed in our business? I think we've done a really good job treating real estate as a business. Like, you know, molding that in the way that we know works. Right.

Setting parameters on what that looks like. I mean, we educate people. We actually have hours.

Yeah. Like a real business. Like if you're going into a doctor's office and having the systems and processes on the back end to support helping people buy and sell homes.

Right. And anybody can go open a home, a house or store and do a showing. Yeah.

Yeah. Whether that's a good showing or not is a different story. But like anybody can open the door.

But not everybody can do this as a living. Yeah. I do think that's very true.

Like our systems are really and they're designed around customer service. Yeah. So I think that's nice.

So we've taken the time to do that. And I think that's. Yeah.

Helping Clients and Creating Opportunities for the Team

So what are you most proud of what we've accomplished? I think it is the amount of people that were able to help like every year, year over year. You know, when you have people who tell you, I could never have done this without you or the way that you helped me sell my home made me feel so comfortable that I would do it over again. When, you know, buying or selling a home is ranked in the top, what, three most stressful things.

You'll do. Most people do in their life. That's.

Yeah. That's huge. I think for me, like I love that we serve our clients at a high level, but I also this is more of a recent thought that I had.

But like because we've been trying to hire for a new assistant and like those people are really betting on you to be successful. Right. So like they're coming to work for you because they know that you're going to be there for them.

You know, and I think like to me, that's really rewarding is like being able to help now, not just clients, but like our staff and team agents. Yeah. Like Marissa.

Yeah. Yeah. Like for me, that's more rewarding is like seeing them be able to grow through what we're doing.

Um, so what do you think separates our business today from the business we had five or 10 years ago? Oh, I mean, I think it's the, the customer service aspect, but like having our team behind that. So like everyone matches the same level of customer service that you and I want to provide. And so I think having, you know, like Olivia, our assistant, who's there to truly help clients gives us another piece of that.

So if you're not available for a phone call or if I'm not available, Olivia is there. Yeah. So I think that's the biggest part is just having a team.

It's not just us. Yeah. I mean, that's that.

And that was the biggest shift, I think, for us being able to take some more of the time off. Yeah. Is being able to have everybody in the background.

The Best and Hardest Parts of Working With a Spouse

So what's the best part about working with your spouse? Um, I mean, I do. So I do like the fact that we understand the industry. So you know what I'm doing.

I know what you're doing. And it's not like I have to, you know, if you're out at a listing appointment at 530 in Cold Springs, I know what that is. So like our schedules match and the expectation of those schedules match.

Um, being able to talk to you throughout the day. Yeah. All the time.

Because if I forget to ask you something like in the morning or like, hey, don't forget kid pickup duty, like I can just bug you. That's true. Through the next office.

You can't ignore me. You can't run from me. What's the hardest part about working together today? It's the fact that business bleeds into personal so easily.

Yeah. It's very hard to disconnect the two when you want to, because you don't always have to. Um, but you know, I mean, there's times where I like to just focus on like the fun side of like family and or date night and we're not talking about, you know, home sales and statistics.

And do you want to hear the objection I got today over the phone? Let's role play this. Yeah. With you.

Well, I remember this, like, I don't know if you remember this, but, uh, with my last job prior to real estate, cause I always like to work like before I met you, I never took time off and I was at my last company and I proposed to you and you're like, yeah, but you have to promise me one vacation a year. And, um, for me, I could work nonstop all the time, but for you, you definitely need that separation. And I can tell like sometimes at home, you're like, we have to talk about this right now.

Yeah. I just try to ignore you. Do you ever notice I just don't talk back? Yeah.

How Having Children Changed Their Definition of Success

Sometimes I did. So how has changing kids or like how has having kids changed? Like what success means to you? Well, I mean, you have lives that it's not just you anymore. You have little lives that depend on you.

And so I think when it was just us, we had a little bit more flexibility of how like, Oh, if we didn't have as much going on that month, no big deal. Now it's like, okay, I need to make a good living not only for ourselves, but for these two little boys as well. And so I think it just puts a little bit more pressure to do a good job.

So that way you can have this be, you know, you're living in life, your full time occupation and, and then be able to provide that good life form. Yeah. I think like having kids changed a lot for me because it was like, well, it's no longer just about me.

Right. So it's like, I can't just spend endless hours at the office. Um, but also it's super important that they see you in pursuit of your goals.

Cause like you kind of want your kids to be able to achieve whatever they set their mind to. So it's like, it's been very difficult for me having to go back and forth from being full time business leader, you know, realtor. And then like this dad like chilling their kids and spending time with the kids doing all the other fun stuff.

Um, they see how hard you work though. So did becoming a mom changed the way you looked at our business? It did because of how we wanted our life structured. So like, instead of having two producing people, husband and wife, two producers who helped people buy and sell homes, it, you know, we shifted and it's like, no, I want to be, you know, more operations.

I want to have more time to like be there for the kids. So, you know, I stayed at home with Matthew for the first year and solely did back end, you know, operation stuff with the occasional, I remember taking him to, you know, open and show Jessica her first house. Yeah.

Taking them to like the showings and stuff, you know, when he was really new and stayed in his car seat and I would just carry him around with me. Um, but no, it was like that big shift of, no, I want that mom life too. I want to be there for him.

And then that freed you though, to be able to still stay in your lane of loving to work. Yeah. And being able to.

What They Hope Their Children Learn

So like, what do you hope our boys learn from watching us build this business? That they can do whatever they want. So if they have a goal, a dream that they want to achieve, it does not matter what you're starting out with. You can do it.

Cause that's exactly what both of us did. Yeah. You know? Well, I think that's where anybody like even watching or listening is like, if you set your mind to something, you can go out and accomplish it.

And so many people, I was thinking about this, like when I was doing Mount Whitney, I kept downloading all my workouts into AI. And I was like, you know, am I ready for this hike? And it was like, no, you're not. And then I went out, completed the hike.

And I was like, you know, F you AI. But I was really thinking about like how many people, even my friends in the very beginning, they're like, dude, don't do it. You're stupid.

You have this job. Like you've been there for nine years. You shouldn't take that risk.

And if you listen to those people, you're never going to achieve like the thing that you really want. And so like it's easy. I agree.

I think I hope our boys learn that. Like my favorite thing is the just the other day we're like listening to Matthew in the car and he's talking about how he wants like the farm and there's like, because he's in the art, the art food restaurant, you know, has like these artistic food creations. And it's like, dude, keep dreaming like that.

And then hopefully, you know, it turns into something that he really enjoys later on. So 20 years from now, what do you hope the boys remember about this period of our life? I think, I mean, I really hope that they know like they're going back to like we love to invest in our community. We work hard to make people happy.

But then at the same time, we're doing this to also provide a good family life. Yeah. So if they can look back and say, you know, they may have had to work weekends sometimes or nights worked through the day.

You know, it wasn't this set schedule, but I still had a really good childhood where we did fun things together. They involved me. I felt included and loved.

Like as long as they look back on and see that, then it'll be worth it. If they looked back and said, my parents just worked themselves to death. To me, that's not.

That'd be failure. Achievement. Yeah.

I think that's a good point. I mean, ultimately we want them to have a good childhood and not think that like we're just working just to work. Yeah.

What to Look for in a Real Estate Agent

Yeah, for sure. All right. So like what should somebody like, like let's shift gears a little bit and kind of think more of like somebody who's watching this, maybe they're thinking about hiring a realtor or something like that.

Okay. What should somebody really look for when it comes to choosing a real estate agent? I think that they should be looking for people who invest in themselves to be the best real estate agent or in our case team that we can be. So it's understanding the market.

It's getting, you know, training and coaching so that you're always being the best agent you can be for that client. And if you go and hire someone who just got their license and maybe even just moved to Reno, they have no idea about our area and about real estate. How are they going to help you make educated decisions about what you're doing with one of the biggest financial investments of your life? While you're saying that, I agree with all that.

But I remember, so this goes back to what you just said, uh, when Luke was born, I was at that listing on stage coach. Yeah. I don't know if you remember this, but that was one of the toughest transactions also.

Um, that agent on the other side who brought the buyer to that listing worked at Trader Joe's. Yeah. We could never get ahold of them.

Yeah. And they kept having delays at the lender. Yeah.

And so we wound up negotiating where the seller got, um, 130 bucks per day for the extension. But because the agent was also at work all the time, they weren't focusing on the whole transaction. Yeah.

Later on, we negotiated where the buyer could move in prior to the close of escrow with a rent. And so then the, the buyer paid rent and a per diem. And I remember the agent calling me crying because she had to pay for the, the buyer's per diem.

Yeah. They don't understand. Yeah.

Like truly, and they're not paying attention. Yeah. Yeah.

No, I remember that one. But that's the difference between someone who is truly dedicated to their profession and knows what they're doing. And we are looking out for our seller and making sure that, okay, working with not closing on time and an unforeseeable close of escrow date, how can we make this okay for you? And we did that.

Well, I'm, I'm actually proud of that one too, because that was in 2022 when rates first started going up and home prices were coming down. But, and because of the per diem and the rent that we're able to capture, he actually got more than what he could sell the house for if we had to go back on market. Like that was cool.

What a Good Realtor Does Behind the Scenes

So what do consumers misunderstand about a good realtor and like what they actually do? I don't think people realize how much goes into it on a day to day basis. You know, I think they think like, Oh, we put your home on the MLS and then that's it. And it sells itself.

Someone will come and open the door and buy it and that's it. When there's so many moving pieces to selling a home and there's a lot to look at, so that way there's not future problems, uh, you know, in a day and age where I think people are Yeah. And they're just looking for a quick buck.

You really have to know your paperwork, your documents, your disclosures and how to protect your client after the fact. Yeah. And people just don't realize those things.

Yeah. That's been the biggest thing is like making sure not only is the transaction the right way for the client meeting their goals financially as far as getting an offer, but making sure, you know, in this litigious world, there's no litigation or liability afterwards. Yeah.

Um, I lost my train of thought there. I might come back to that. It happens a lot.

Communication and a White-Glove Client Experience

Hey, hey, hey, watch it over there. So what do you think makes someone feel like genuinely taken care of during a transaction? The communication aspect. Yeah.

We've done a really good job of how we've set up our weekly communication with our clients. The number one complaint of a real estate agent from their client used to be their communication is horrible or I can't get them on the phone or they don't respond to my emails. And so I think that's something that separates us is how we approach that with our clients.

And so they feel super comfortable because they know what's coming. They know that we're going to answer the phone. They know we're going to respond to emails.

And what they'll learn is that we actually try and do that ahead of like ahead of them thinking of the question. Right. They didn't even know that that was something they needed to consider or think about.

And we're crossing that off for them. Yeah, I think one of our clients, Mark, he left a review. It was one of my favorite reviews we've gotten recently.

But it said like we're a white glove concierge service. And if before he knew he needed it, we had already done it. And by the time he thought of it, it was already done.

Yes. And I was proud of that because he owns a restaurant. He knows customer service.

So that was pretty cool. But real quick, I remember my thought. So we're working on trying to get more AI in our business.

And that guy who's building it out for us, he's helped other agents. And then he got like our list of steps and what happens behind the scenes in a transaction. He goes, you realize you just sent me 103 items.

He's like, this is more than anybody's ever sent me. And I think most people don't realize that all that goes in there to make sure it is stress-free and easy for these people. I love getting that feedback from people.

When they actually get to dive into our business because we don't show everybody what we do. That's for our team. And so when people do get a glimpse into that and they're like, wow.

Like you're running this like a well-oiled machine and there is a lot that goes into it. I love that. Yeah, that guy was blown away.

He was. Yeah, he was like, this is better than any business owners ever sent me. And I was pretty impressed.

Common Concerns for Home Sellers

I was like, good job, guys. So what do you think that sellers tend to worry about that they shouldn't? Probably, well, I mean, I really think it's as simple as, will my house sell? When we sold our first house, even doing this as my business and in it every day, I was getting up slightly stressed out. My house needs to look a certain way.

I mean, I even think one day I was like, oh, my gosh, the carpet lines aren't there. People aren't going to like the carpet. And you're like, but it's clean.

And I'm like, but there's no carpet. It's like you don't need to freak out to that extent. It's like, just know, if you have taken care of your house, you're doing the plan that you have given them, right? Because every listing plan that you do is custom tailored to that person.

If you're following that, the house will sell. Yeah. I do think people get so nervous, especially they're like, a showing just happened.

What do they think? Like, you know? Yeah. And really, I think if they follow the plan, they're going to be fine. Yes.

Pricing, Marketing, and Presenting a Listing

So what makes a listing stand out besides the price? Great photography and staging, right? If you have a home that showcases really well, everybody's blowing up photos on their iPhone. Or if you're using a tablet or a laptop, they're blowing up the photos. Yeah.

So if you have those dialed in and you can't see anything that is alarming or red flags to people, or tend to be decor decisions that are very niche, then I think that's a big thing. It's the photos. Yeah.

I mean, I remember early on as an agent as we're starting to get started, sometimes on lower price listings, we're like, we can't even afford professional photos. Yeah. And then we decided like, no, no, no, this is our minimum standard.

It's a non-negotiable. Yeah. Always have professional photos.

It really was a game changer because I've had clients at the lower end, they'll be like, you're taking professional photos? I was like, I didn't think you would do this. And then you see high-end clients listed with other agents, and you see the agent in the mirror with their iPhone. You're like, why would you ever present it like that? Yeah, it's first impression.

Yeah. First impressions are big. Well, nowadays, everything's online.

So from your perspective, how important is marketing versus pricing versus presentation? I mean, definitely pricing. Yeah. Then marketing, and then presentation.

Because pricing and presentation can kind of go hand in hand. If you priced your home according to, say, you need carpet and paint, and you price it accordingly, that's fine. Yeah.

So yeah, I would put them in that three order. So pricing, marketing, presentation. When I'm ever meeting with a seller, I always ask them, like, what's the number one search website in America for homes? Zillow.

Zillow. But homes.com has over a billion dollars they spend, more than any other company. And so it's like, if you don't have the right price, people will still see it, but they're not going to use it.

Does that make sense? So all right, if your best friend were selling your house tomorrow, what would you tell her or them before they hired an agent? Call Richard. If someone were interviewing us and a few other real estate teams, what would you tell them to ask every agent before making the decision? What they actually do to sell homes, apart from putting it on the MLS and taking professional photography, and then probably their track record to see what they've actually accomplished, what they've actually sold. I do think that's important.

I think having experience under your belt to know what to do, and especially if that agent has sold multiple homes in that neighborhood, they know what's going on. Right. So those two things.

Yeah, I think that's super important. I meet with a lot of sellers, obviously, and some of the appointments are competitive, and it's really interesting because most people usually get a real estate agent through a referral, and they actually never do any research on the agent to say, is this person actually selling homes? Have they sold homes? Because all that stuff is on Zillow or Homes.com. You can actually see an agent's track record. A lot of times I do this with sellers.

It's like, let me ask you this. Is experience important to you? And then they say, yeah. And then it's like, well, let's just compare experience so you can make the best decision for you.

And you can just type in those agents online and see what they have. And I also say the same way an agent's going to market themselves is typically the same way they're going to market your house. So if they're only showing up on one company website, they got no Google business page or any of those other things, is this agent a real business person, or are they just putting it on the MLS and waiting for a buyer to show up? Yeah.

Advice for Couples Who Work Together

If somebody is watching this and they're thinking they're going to start working with their spouse, or maybe they already work with their spouse, what advice would you have for somebody like that? Don't do it. Don't do it. I'm just kidding.

No. I really think it's being able to communicate. You have to have strong communication skills, like not being scared to hurt your feelings.

Sometimes I – I mean, we do this together. Sure, yeah. But I'll put my foot down on something, and I'll say, hey, no.

I know you love this idea. It's not going to work, and here's why. And I may need to have, like, a really strong hand with it, and I can't be nervous to tell you that or nervous of your reaction.

And even if – like sometimes I'm – you know, we get – we have poor reactions sometimes. We're human, right? Yeah, we've definitely had some heated conversations. Especially now.

It's weird because, like, you have the staff, and it's like, oh, shoot. When Olivia walks away from her desk, we know we're in it. But then that's, like, the second piece, too.

It's like, okay, we're – if the communication has slightly failed, then it's recovering from that quickly and not holding on to things. So we're able to resolve it and move on and reset. I do think that's one of our greatest strengths is, like, when we do have a disagreement, you know, and it happens in that moment, we don't really take it on into, like, the rest of the day or even at home.

Like, we're not rehashing what happened at the office. So I think, like, it's super important to – if you are going to have a disagreement or you have one of those heated – because it is easier with your spouse to, like, kind of push each other's buttons, too, about stuff. Oh, yeah.

How many times have I threatened to quit when I get mad at you? You quit a lot, but you're not allowed to. I'm not. To, like, say, okay, this conversation is – you know, table it, basically, and then revisit later when maybe tensions aren't so high.

But I do think we have really good communication, and I don't know that working together is for everybody. It's not. I wouldn't say it's not.

So, like, I wouldn't say everybody go run out, grab your husband, and work together. Yeah. I mean, sometimes it's just okay to have separate lanes, and there's nothing wrong with that.

But you would have to, I think, I would say have, like, a really good conversation about if you're contemplating working with your spouse, what does that look like? The defining of roles is huge. Huge. And then, you know – and not just what it looks like right now.

Going forward. Yeah, the future as well. Like, okay, well, where do we see ourselves in a year or five years? And say, will this still work for us? Yeah, because, Mike, more recently we've had this conversation just a few nights ago at date night where it was, like, you maybe think some of my goals are a little more ambitious than you want to pursue.

And so I do think, like, having those goal-setting conversations is super important because if we're not both bought into the same goal, then we're kind of sometimes counterproductive with each other, right? Like, I don't really want them to do that so they could hold you back. Yeah, well, because it still has to be fulfilling for both of you. One person can't – it's not outshine, but, like, overtake the other person because then you're not going to be your happiest self.

Well, especially too as, like, we're building it together. Yeah. Yeah, so it's like you want that, but I'm not going there.

How Richard and Katie Met

We haven't pulled out boxing gloves, so I think we're doing pretty good. Well, that's true. Where did we meet? So you and I actually met out at a bar randomly, completely randomly.

I like to say it was fate. Yeah, I think it was. Because I was in a very long line to get in.

You were already there, and you had known the bouncer who was letting people in, and you had asked him to bring my friend and I up to meet you and your friend who were out, and we have never been separated since. Yeah, that's true. So it was definitely fate.

Well, I believe that because I was up there. We were waiting for my friend to get there from Spain. He was just studying abroad, and so my other buddy was like, hey, you should go grab those two girls down there.

And so had he not said that, I probably wouldn't have come down there. And then how did it progress from there? So, I mean, we really just started hanging out casually and going out on little dates and getting to know each other, and then from there it went into us dating. You were climbing up in your job that you were doing.

I was still going to school, so this is before I got my real estate license. And then we kind of packed on a lot. I mean, a lot of things happened really quickly.

I got my real estate license. We got serious. And then a couple years later, we got married at the same time as building a house from the ground up.

And, I mean, it just took off from there. So, I mean, it's been a long road. We've been together 15 years.

Yeah, it's been a long time. Yeah. I do remember like in the beginning when we first met you, you were sneaking in there with your fake ID.

Yes. You like to leave that part out. I do.

I mean, well, you got to put it together, though. I didn't get my real estate license until I was, what, 19 turning 20? Yeah. So if people can do the math.

Yeah, well, and then Jeremy and I bought that first house. That's actually the realtors you worked for. Yes.

Yeah, I showed you the house. Yeah. Helped you buy it.

You did not have your real estate license yet. And I think that was kind of like your first taste of like, oh, okay, like, you know, what's Alan doing, right, in real estate? Because you've always kind of been interested in real estate. Yeah.

So that was like the first, I think, scene. Well, I remember I was really drawn to Alan because it was like he was the only person you and I had gone to a Tony Robbins event. Yeah.

And we came back and you're like, yeah, Alan was like super excited that we went to that. Yeah. And then you said, yeah, he has a coach.

And I was like, I've never met anybody with a coach. Like who is this guy? This is crazy. Yeah.

Rapid-Fire Questions

So a couple rapid fire questions. Who's a better realtor, you or me? You. I would argue that.

I don't know. If you hadn't been so like wanting to be a mom and all those things, in the beginning when it was just you and I, like you were killing it. Who's a better negotiator? You.

I would say yes. And then who's better at reading people? I'd say you probably because you are with people more. Yeah.

I think if I had the same job as you, I'd give you a run for your money. I agree with that. More likely to work on vacation? Oh, you for sure.

I don't even know vacation. More likely to say yes to something we don't have time for? You. Okay.

Who worries more? I do. You do? Yes. Who's more likely to think an idea is genius before thinking it through? You.

What's one thing you'd ban me from buying for the business? One. A treadmill desk. Dude, that thing's sick though.

No. Seriously. No.

Next. I'm getting everybody a treadmill desk after this. Favorite house we've ever sold? Oh, that's a good one.

Ours? Can I say? Does that count? Not including ours? Probably Kevin. That one was a cool house. My favorite one was Mark's house who gave us the review.

Yeah. He had the badass garage for perfect for a garage gym. And then a sauna.

It was sweet. Yeah. I think you asked to buy that one a couple of times.

I call him all the time to go over there. Because only for the garage and the sauna. Nothing else would fit for our lifestyle.

Well, one day that's going to be our office. All right. One word to describe your first year? Hard.

Favorite Client Stories

Hard. What's your favorite client story? I actually, so it would be with Jessica in the beginning. Yeah.

So I met Jessica when she was buying her first home for herself. And it was a really cute two-story and double diamond. I actually took Matthew on that appointment.

Yeah. And fast forward, Jessica and then her now husband, Lawrence, want to sell that home to buy a larger home because they are having kids. Yeah.

Well, they're two daughters. They had two daughters and wanting a bigger family. And so it's cool because we help them achieve that, right? So we sell that starter home, help them get a dream home in Collin Ranch.

And it was pretty neat because it's like we're helping them take their baby girls home. And like, you know, having Matthew in the beginning, it's just such a cool experience to have. Yeah.

She actually recently just texted me. They ran into a neighbor because the house they bought in Collin had multiple offers. And the neighbor goes, I don't know who your realtor was, but you better send them a thank you card because they got you that house.

We lost out on that thing. Oh, man. Oh, that's cool.

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No, I think that is super cool. I don't have one favorite client story. I have a lot of favorite clients.

But I do like the stories where you see them through each phase, right? And they come back around. And so it's really cool that way. And then I get a big kick out of like selling houses like Jessica and Lawrence.

And they're renovating it. And they're sending you all the photos. They're all excited.

You get to see like what people have done to their homes. I think that's like the funnest part too. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. Seeing Doreen's backyard like transform into this like beautiful oasis that she always wanted. That was incredible.

Dude, not only that, but like all the bathrooms that she renovated there. Yeah. Yeah, that was a cool house.

And then I do think like Kevin, you brought up earlier, like they sold that house to fund their charity, nonprofit for veterans, which is really cool. Well, that's why I loved that so much because it was more than just selling a house. Yeah.

I mean, they're truly trying to make an impact in people's lives. And we were able to be like a little part of that to help them, you know, keep that charity going and growing. I mean, it's growing.

Building a Life and Business Together

Well, they have a huge facility now for all their horses, which is really cool. Okay. What are you most proud of about the life we've built? That we've done it together.

Yeah. Yeah. Even though it was hard, we never gave up on each other.

We never gave up on our business. And we still do that. We're still shooting for those big, big dreams that we have.

Sometimes they're a little too lofty. Okay. I think that's it for today.

Thanks for having me. Yeah. Thanks for being here.

Hey, thanks guys. Listen for the Berman Brief. We'll see you on the next episode.