Why the Best Realtors Work for Free (And Build Millions in the Process) | Melissa Jane Rubin

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Welcome everyone to doing business with a service heart podcast. Doing business in life with a purpose, serving others, and yes, achieving success. I'm your host, Steve Ramona. We created this show for you because we want everyone to be motivated, inspired, and educated to make an impact in your world. My guest today is going to blow your hat off. She is incredible. But while you're listening to her today, I want you to think out how you're going to serve today, not tomorrow, but today, and what impact will you want will create with that service today. You see, I said today twice. Let's not wait. Let's start serving people right now. With that being said, I want to thank my sponsor, pitchdb.com, be a guest at over three million podcasts, speak at over 18,000 conferences and much, much more. Build your thought leader platform with the incredible opportunity to show who you are. And I talk about impact and I talk about life and business. To me, real estate is one of the toughest industries and greatest injuries all in one because it's the most emotional thing most people are going to do. It's a lot of money. And my guest today is going to walk us through that journey and make it so simple for you that you're going to want to fly to Florida and have her sell your own. Melissa, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_03 2:13

Thank you so much for being here. I'm so excited, actually. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

Yes, and you've been extremely successful in your career in real estate. Why do you think it is?

SPEAKER_03 2:26

Because I am not um I am not attached to the outcome. I'm really attached to make making something special for a human another human being. Not, I'm never money driven. I'm really client-driven and family driven, and how we can make a difference and how we add value to another person's life, whatever that might look like for that person, because it's different for everybody. And I think for that reason, it separated me and I feel great great about my practice because of it.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

And that's why you're successful because you build relationships, it's client first, you do what's best for them. And even it might not be best for you, it's always best for the client, correct?

SPEAKER_03 3:12

100%. It's always client driven first.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

I'd love that I've been waiting for this show all week because this is one of the questions I wanted to ask you. As I said, it's an emotional event. I've talked to many people, oh my God, I'm buying a home. I'm freaking out, I'm excited. You know, you've heard that millions of times. How what will you tell people listening that are thinking of buying a cell on their home? How do they handle their emotions?

SPEAKER_03 3:35

It's tricky because it is emotional and we're passionate about things. But there's the emotional part, and then there is the financial part. And how do we combine those to make sure that they're they're right for the goals and objectives of that person? And you often see more of the emotional when people are buying in my market, buying new construction, and they're fabulous and they're dazzled with every amenity, amenity known to mankind. But then after the purchase, we also need to make sure that the numbers are going to work for them if they're going to live there, if they're going to lease it to somebody else to make sure that it's a good financial decision for their future.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

So there's always a time you're going to say no. Go, Steve, I know you love this home. It's it seems like your dream, but it's just not going to fit your financial, emotional where you are today, correct?

SPEAKER_03 4:28

They will never say no because it's not my decision. What I do do is provide as much knowledge as I can for whomever we're working with. And then it's up to them to decide if it will work. I was just talking to someone, an attorney yesterday, and he said to his client, you know, there's a million dollars in repairs. What should we do? And the people said, Don't rock the boat. It's no problem. We're just going to move forward. And that was their decision. He said, You know, it's a million dollars. And we're like, he said, yes, it's no problem. So really, it's their decision. It's not for it's for me to be an educator, to be a supporter, to be an advisor, and for them to make the decision that's right for their finances and their their lives.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

Why I have you on here. That's one of the best answers I've ever heard. It's so powerful. Again, it's back to the servant's heart. So, what's one tip you would um uh give to somebody listening to the audience that wants to buy or sell their home and they don't have a realtor and they're looking for a realtor? What should they look for?

SPEAKER_03 5:27

They should look at their history. I think it's important to see how longevity in the business and to make sure that they maybe they maybe they want to ask for recommendations, but to listen and to see if that person is listening to them as opposed to talking at them and sharing all of their credentials. Because that's not as relevant as what's important to that client and listening to what's important and listening to the answers after they may say what's important. That to me would be like advice well taken. The rest of it, I mean, everybody's licensed for quite some time. And if they're in the luxury market, they're probably very, very good. But will they have a good synergy? Will they like working with that person? Because that is a whole other level. If you're not going to enjoy it, then and it's the most stressful situation, then that makes it even more stressful.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Ah man, that's so great. Because I've heard people say, I taught this realtor and they were pitching them, selling them. But what you're saying is you interview them, flip the table, interview them, ask questions, get to know to see if it's a fit. Don't let them pitch you.

SPEAKER_03 6:37

I don't want to pitch them. I don't want to share all of my credentials and why I'm the best known to mankind. I want to know what's most important to them, and then how I can add value to that, what's important to them.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Value is the big key word there, and that's what a server and art does is always looking at value. You know, the interest rates go up and down, and it's the big talk right now. And I'm a big money guy. This morning, a big report came out that might change some things. What do you tell a potential buyer or seller about these interest rates and where they're at, where they're going, and what's happening?

SPEAKER_03 7:12

It's, I mean, as you said, it's it's they are they are uh up from two years ago and last year. However, from 10 years ago, they're way down and they will ebb and flow. If someone wants to buy property now, it's their home. They're going to enjoy it. They can always do so now. And then as interest rates fall, once it's equitable, they can always refinance. It's really about what's important to that person in their lives right now. The extra dollars every month is not nearly as important as being at peace, living in their shrine, having a beautiful home that they can come home to, whether they're single with their families, with their pets, that's more important. How do you lead an amazing life? And is real estate part of that?

SPEAKER_00 8:00

You're you're selling me because I didn't think about that. That's a great phrase, extra dollars. It's not like you're buying a million-dollar home, you got a million dollars in interest, and it's a two million dollar home. It's just added to it. But your dream and your passion is more important than maybe the dollars, if it fits your what you're looking for.

SPEAKER_03 8:17

That's where if that's where people are. And if it's if it's the only the dollars, we can't we can't plan the market, just like we can't plan the stock market, eh? So we just have to do the best we can where we are in our lives, and how do we how does it fit into our current goals and living in the present?

SPEAKER_00 8:36

One of the things I love about you. Do you know one of the things? You don't. I'm gonna tell you because you're philanthropic. I see in your bio you raised six million dollars from Mount Cyanide Medical Center over the last 10 years. What's your passion for that? Why are you doing that?

SPEAKER_03 8:52

Since we spoke, actually, we I just um I just raised another $8 million. So oh my gosh, I know I'm triple excited about it. And we have another pitch to somebody for $25 million for research. So we'll know in a few months on that one. But I feel I feel like I can only speak for myself. I'm luckier than most. And people to be able to give back to community is so important. The hospital gives $150 million of indigent care every year, and it helps people that can't afford that medical. So to be able to do that knowing that we're helping other humans to me is really important. I feel like it's it's my obligation to be able to make a difference and to leave a legacy that I know people will be taken care of. And whether it's the hospital or animals or other people's passions for philanthropy, if I can make a difference just a little bit and do my part, then it makes me feel good.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

You know, audience, she said legacy twice. Think about that for your own life. That's so important. And you didn't put 8 million in, you went out to your network and said, I am passionate about this. All you come help me and support me, and let's do this together. We all can do that in different levels. Doesn't have to be 14 million, it could be 1400. But I love your thought process with that. Real estate is hard. You make it easier because you have it, you've done it for a while. But what is one of the most challenging moments in your business life?

SPEAKER_03 10:27

In actually challenging is so I my my background was fashion, and I was in that career for for many, many years. And when I moved to Miami to do a startup, we opened a thousand stores and it was amazing. Except two years later, we were sold. And I decided to take a package and not move back to the Midwest where I was living in Ohio. I decided I wanted to focus on life rather than that. So I struggled initially, and so I went to real estate school for fun, never thinking I would ever practice real estate. And then I started interviewing for larger jobs in the in the fashion business. And I realized that it wasn't my passion any longer. But to separate who you are and what you do, I think that was like my biggest emotional challenge because what I did and who I was was attached to my previous career. And then starting over again was very humble and humbling to know nothing and to, but what I found amazing is because of the work I was doing in the community, people trusted me and gave me an opportunity in a new business because they knew me as a business person previously and through their boards. And from that, I've been very, I feel very lucky to have that support. But the challenge between who I am and what I did was, I think, very hard for me to come together to recognize that they were separate and not together.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

What a success story! Building relationships by building your network. And now you're able to do this as uh be a realtor, be very successful and support other people. That that is that's a lesson learned. And I tell people your network's your net worth. And Melissa's living that and she's giving back and being philanthropic with that as well. What is, you know, I want to ask this question, it's very interesting. What is something I support that I have not shared with anybody? You support, excuse me. I read that right off the word. I should say, what is something you support that you've not shared with anybody? See, the host can screw up too at moment.

SPEAKER_03 12:26

I do it every day, it's perfect.

SPEAKER_00 12:28

Amen.

SPEAKER_03 12:28

I mean, what I don't share, I mean, I don't share often is that when for everybody that we work with, we make a charitable donation to a charity of their choice, not my choice. And so we've had the opportunity to support Tusks in Africa, Saint Jude, the SPCA, the Save the Pelicans, Tribes in around the country, the world. So different things like that that I won't just really speak to, but I have all the cards of all the things that we've supported over the years.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

That's very cool. See, more giving, more philanthropic. It's see, you can do it and still be extremely successful. I love that. I uh I'm a believer in partnerships collaboration. We've talked about that. How important and how can realtors collaborate together to build these great partnerships to grow together?

SPEAKER_03 13:22

We always say it's uh co-opetition, and we all we all support, we all have different markets, different skill sets. In fact, um several years ago, I started a group within Compass called the National Advisory to do just that. It's brokers around the country, and we support each other philanthropically through our business, referring each other, educating each other, because we all, there's so much business to be done in the world, so many relationships to be built that there is no reason why we can't collaborate from different different companies, different countries, within the same offices. There's plenty to be done. In fact, I would if it me personally, if some if if I have an opportunity and I know that somebody else is stronger, I will ask them to participate with me. And we just did that this week in in working a potentially on a new construction property that's very targeted. I brought in someone that is in that community and to be able to collaborate together, and that added so much equity to the meeting, and the person was so impressed because of that.

SPEAKER_00 14:33

Your answers are just incredible. Those that's such a great way of doing that. You went up and found somebody, and everybody's gonna win. Maybe you're not gonna win as much, but everybody wins, and that's the most important. It's not a scoreboard. So as you're talking and you're making me excited, I don't know. Not that I could be a realtor, but you're really making real estate sound uh interesting and something somebody may want to do. What advice would you give somebody that's listening and says, Man, I want to think about getting my real estate license?

SPEAKER_03 15:02

Super fun. So I would say the first thing to is to get your real estate license and then to join a team, because a team you will get educated on, and that that team lead will ask you to do so many things to help you grow, collaborate without ego, do whatever it takes. There's nothing, I will do everything. There's nothing that I would not do that I haven't done myself. And especially I always learned that if you're gonna ask somebody to do something, always make sure you did it, you do it yourself first so that you're able to teach them and to learn and to absorb and to recognize that it's really hard work. That the television programs make it seem super simple. And hi, let's buy the $50 million property. Okay, great, let's go for tequila afterwards. But it's really, it's really beautiful work, but it's hard work and it it's romanced on television, but the reality isn't as always as romantic. And you will see the top agents that work 24 hours a day at some point to make things work for their clients.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

I'm glad you mentioned the TV shows. I watch them, probably a guilty pleasure, but I watch the dream and look at big house. I some of those houses I wouldn't even think about buying. You know, these athletes are buying eight-bedroom, 20-bathroom, basketball gym, 800, 8,000 square feet for themselves. It's crazy, and I won't get into that. But that's just how people are with real estate. How important is that new realtor or the person to get into it to ask questions?

SPEAKER_03 16:32

It's it's so important. And we're learning just like you, we learn every single day. But if you don't have an answer, the most important thing is to be honest and say, I don't know, but I will get you that answer really quickly and then do so and follow up. If there are several skills as a professional, anyway, but just follow up, be respectful. I always say if they have to ask me before I get the answer to them, then I'm not doing my job well enough. So always, always ask. Don't be afraid to ask, because if we're not making mistakes, we're not learning and growing, and we're going to grow every day, even if you're in this business for 25 years, you're still growing.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

Question came to my head. I don't know if you can answer. It's kind of a unique question, but what myth about real estate and realtors is out there that's just completely wrong.

SPEAKER_03 17:24

Uh the biggest one, I think, is we talk about is that we we don't really, we don't, we make a lot of money for very little work. That is the one that we get talked a lot about. And um, so, but it's it's so not true. In fact, we mostly work for free because the reality is not that not every client is ready to do whatever it is that they're doing, and you're working as hard for them and as diligently as those that may be ready. And the reality is, is that in there that we work very hard and sometimes we don't we don't make money, and that's perfectly fine because it's you set yourself up for your future, but it's not easy. That's the biggest myth, I think.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Read my mind, that's exactly where I wanted you to go. Because you know, so you mean I can't just get my real estate license and make 50,000 every year? Come on now. I'm advocating because I hear that, and I'm sure you do too. They jump into real estate because they see these shows and they talk to their friends. Hey, you know, I sold six homes and made $300,000. I want that. And like here in California, one house goes up, 15,000 realtors can sell it. Florida, where you are, I'm sure it's the same way. Yes, it is. What kind of personality is a good realtor?

SPEAKER_03 18:41

Someone that listens, someone that is responsive to what the client wants and doesn't defend. Defending is defending makes the client feel like they are that that you are not working for them. So if they if a client wants to put in an offer of Zed and it's the market is Y, it's perfectly fine because that's what they want to do. And defending the market doesn't mean you're working for your clients. You have to do the best that you can to fulfill your clients' needs, whatever that looks like for them.

SPEAKER_00 19:16

And that's a great story that leads to the second part is so how do you handle? I go, hey, I want to sell my home for six million, you comped it at four million. Look at me, I got a little bit of words. I don't know, comp it for four million. I go, I want six million. I'm selling this home. And two months go by, three months go by. Is that where you become obligated to come to me and say, hey, let's look at this and and talk about it?

SPEAKER_03 19:43

You know, it's it's two separate, I think it's two separate situations. If someone wants to sell their house for six and the value is four, I often ask why to better understand, because I'm going to have to explain that. So if Bob's house next door, which is almost identical, is is is asking four, why do you feel that yours is six? So we better understand. The second is what's the plan B if it doesn't sell within a specific period of time? Because if if they're a seller and they're like, well, I don't care, I this is my number, then that's one thing. And as a broker, then you go in there with your eyes open knowing that situation. And if they say, Well, I have to sell it within six months or whatever, there's family issues, then your direction is going to be different for them.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

That's well said. Thank you. You're absolutely incredible. I love talking to you about real estate. Like I said, I almost want to be a realtor, I won't be. But I want to get a little personal. Can I get personal with you? Of course. Oh, I love it. What's your most challenging moment in your personal life?

SPEAKER_03 20:52

Two, I would say. When, right in general, in my life. So when I was nine, my mother drove herself off a cliff and not intentionally while driving. So I was nine and at age when I lost my mother, my natural mother. But then three years later, my dad married Beatrice. She was my mother. She gave me my values, my life lesson. She told me I was beautiful, even when I had a huge nose and looked like Tiny Tim and had no teeth. I mean, she like she was so supportive of me and gave me the values that I have today. And I learned that you don't have to be a biological parent to love a child and take care of a child. You just have to love a child. So that was an amazing lesson. And then when I was 28, I got divorced and I had a War of the Roses divorce. And um, at 28, you're like, really, let's just part and just move on. But when I grew up in Montreal, you go to college, you live at home, you go to college, you get married, you have children. That was sort of, and so I I was I was one of my four best friends. We all walked Each other's weddings. And it was a time when, oh my God, divorce was not like popular, if you will. And I thought no one would ever talk to me again. And I guess to get through that and to recognize that it was it was beautiful while it lasted, it was a it wasn't the end all and be all. And to know that I could live a fulfilled life and potentially get married again was another lesson. So those were two lessons in my life that, and again, it depends. You know, is the glass glass half full, glass half empty, or was the glass just the wrong size?

SPEAKER_00 22:35

And I love it.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

So life lessons, not bitter, just taking those life lessons and learning from them.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Shout out to Beatrice, your mom, for building a wonderful woman. Your heart is exuding, and she's probably super proud of you. I am not that that means anything, but I just as I'm listening to your story, I'm like, that is so powerful. One last one. What does Melissa do on a Friday night?

SPEAKER_03 23:04

Oh my goodness. Well, Melissa will Melissa will have dinner parties because I love to host and cook. It's one of my passions. So I will have a dinner party. I will go out for supper with friends, go to theater. I love going to theater. So we'll do that, go to the movies. And um in the movie theater near near me, we can order supper in the movies. So it's like a guilty pleasure to have popcorn, to have a to have supper, watch the movie, and just sort of be like quiet.

SPEAKER_00 23:35

Theaters have changed so much. You know, we're yeah, I'm 62 back then. It's like you and then you go bouncing the theater theater. I love that you do the QR code, the food comes there. You don't miss any of the movie.

SPEAKER_03 23:47

So I love that you're so fun and popcorn, of course.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

And I'm gonna put this out there publicly in a recording. I'm gonna get your address the next theater party. I want to come out because I'm a foodie. You get me.

SPEAKER_02 23:58

Oh my gosh, you tell me what you that would be amazing.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

True, it would be, it would be very cool. Well, Melissa, I want to thank you so much. This has been incredible. Thank you for such a great show.

SPEAKER_03 24:10

Well, thank you for having me. I would loved it. And anything I can ever do, I'm always here.

SPEAKER_00 24:14

I'm gonna reach out. We're gonna do this again because a lot more we can talk about. An audience, there were so many tips. If you're in buying and selling a home, want to become a realtor, use the forward and reverse buttons on your podcast platform or on YouTube and go through it because I I get this it bothers me when people go, Oh, the YouTube is or excuse me, the podcast is too long. Well, then fast forward, reverse through it. Find that part that really resonates with you. If you don't want to listen or watch the whole thing, me and Melissa would love for you to watch everything, but if we take five minutes and it changes your life or makes a difference, me and Melissa are going to be super happy. So don't lose that opportunity. Use those technical tech tools uh in the platform to be able to do that. And don't forget my TV show, Together We Serve. It's Fridays at 2 p.m. and uh 5 p.m. Eastern. And don't forget doing business with a servant's heart, put it on your chest, on your hat, wear hoodies, t-shirts, pants. I have those in the show notes. I want to spread this message out to the world. You can see Melissa, what she's doing with a servant's heart. If we had a million of Melissa's, this world would be so beautiful. So follow her lead, follow what she's doing, and let's make this world such a better place. And as always, me and Melissa, thank you so much for watching and listening to this podcast. And we look forward to seeing you in the next episode of Doing Business with a Servant's Heart.