Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Robinson.
Hi Kathryn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After leaving a Fortune 500 company as a district manager, I felt the need to put down roots in my local community. My family and friends who knew me best told me unanimously that I needed to be in Real Estate, so I began my journey as an assistant to a team in Sugar Land. After having the ah-ha moments of “I can do this,” getting my license, and finding my Realtor voice through 2-3 open houses a weekend I found an incredible groove that substantially changed my family’s life. Since 2012, under the umbrella of 3 incredible organizations, I have been able to help over 300 families find their way home. I had to build out a team 2019, due to the expansion of my business to Clear Lake and the Tailored Real Estate Group was born with Samantha Plomer by my side. Now the team is 6 people strong and celebrated closing 76 deals in the 2021 calendar year and are slated to double with new systems in 2022. What I am most proud about my team is watching 3 of my team members accomplish their own American dream by buying their own home in the last 18 months!
Another layer to my real estate career is my involvement in my community, I wanted to put down roots, right? So besides helping individuals accomplish their dream, I wanted to help on a larger scale. So I began that journey with the Texas Realtor Leadership Program where I learned about our incredible association led by Bob Hale and his crew. I was amazed at the camaraderie and loyalty that the culture exudes and I had to get more involved. I began volunteering with the Young Professional Network Advisory Group in 2015 and was so excited to lead the group as Chair in 2019. Through that leadership, I was able to vote on major Realtor issues as a NAR and TR Director and was the first Houstonian to be on the NAR YPN Advisory Group. And now I’m ecstatic about my newest role as a HAR director for 2022-2023. I’m so excited about serving the members of HAR, continue to contribute to ensure that we are best association in the country, as well as help consumers find the best Realtor and information to purchase a home.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The path to my current location has been an incredible ride. I believe that success is a series of failures and you are truly successful because you choose to get up and learn from the bumps and bruises. So here are a few things that I learned:
1. You will take a wrong turn even though GPS is telling you otherwise.
Showing properties is quite an adventure since it requires an acute mind to multitask. The key is making light of the situations, like taking the wrong turn when your GPS said otherwise. I’ve done this so many times with clients IN MY CAR. It is so embarrassing! So you just say that you wanted them to see that side of the neighborhood, do a u-turn, and keep moving. Can’t find the lockbox, it is an operation Easter Egg Hunt with a real estate twist. Can’t open the door with the key, talk about Murphy’s law and ask if your clients have the magic touch.
2. Working with people will make you uncomfortable.
The adventure of working with people is so much fun since they all bring incredible insight and experience to the table. If you know that your client negotiates billion-dollar contracts, don’t act like you know it all about negotiations or be selfconscious because you don’t. Bring your expertise about the market and how real estate transactions work, but ask them how they may want to handle the negotiations. They may surprise you with a strategy that you would have never considered. One of my clients wanted to use a shotgun approach with his offers (GASP!) and he ended up buying 2 properties with me. It was a win for him and both sellers. I come from a conflict avoidant background so when people challenge me I have to be centered. In order to find that center, I practice yoga on the regular. It has taught me to find peace in the midst of shaking and being uncomfortable. That skill has allowed me to work with hyper-intelligent attorneys and anxious clients because it isn’t an emotional or ego-centric conversation, it is data-based and worthy of their time and consideration.
3. Investing in your career goes beyond taking Continuing Education.
When I was invited to a tequila tasting by a co-broker, I was so excited. Little did I know that I would learn about TREPAC and the importance of investing in it. When I attended the event I didn’t even know how to pronounce the acronym and what they did. I just knew that HAR wanted me to give to it when I paid my dues. TREPAC or the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee works hard to fight for homeownership and our careers. Since that date, I definitely gave the $110 level that HAR asked when I renewed, but then stepped up to Major Investor ($1000 investment per year) because I knew the good that they were doing. In 2020, they were able to fight to get Realtors accepted as essential workers during our shut down from COVID19 which allowed us to continue to help people find refuge from the chaos and space to live their new lives with less accessibility to the outside world. In 2021 TREPAC was successful in getting HOA reform passed through legislation requiring all HOAs to have a website with their deed restrictions, covenants, and other documents for the public to find in addition to capping fees. They will continue to fight the idea of taxing our services and capping appraisal valuations increasing for homesteads. You should consider investing if you’re a commercial or residential Realtor as they are in your and your client’s corner.
4. Find your voice. Use it.
When I first began real estate, I didn’t know anyone other than a few that I saw on a regular basis on Sunday mornings. I doubted my ability to approach, convert, and execute business with them and complete strangers. So I took the time to learn andbecame obsessed with learning. Anytime I was in the car, I would listen to audiobooks and podcasts about what to say and do to earn business. The biggest ah-ha moment was when I heard one fellow say “You are responsible for where you are today. If you don’t like it then change. No one else can or will do it for you.” Wow! I found taking responsibility for my actions in business empowering and I knew that I wanted to be successful. In turn, I because hosting 2-3 open houses a weekend as I knew I needed to try these new skills and scripts on actual people. I thought open houses would be the best since it was in person because I could always smile and call out the awkwardness if it went there. (Learning by doing pageants in my past taught me if you made someone laugh, you won them over. So calling out awkwardness usually will get at least a chuckle.) Through that exposure, I was able to find my voice to help me convert buyers. I also tapped into the expertise of those around me and asked questions of inspectors, builders, lenders, team leaders, etc. I asked top producers if I could take them to coffee and took in their wisdom to help shape my day-to-day activities to help me be as or more successful than they. I’m still so amazed by how many movers and shakers made themselves available. Ultimately every new skill/script I would try that worked, I kept it in my toolbox to use for future business.
5. Build your toolbox.
I’m not talking about hammers, ladies and gentlemen, I’m talking about people. People are our greatest assets and they needed to be treated with respect, honesty, and thanked with referrals. We all love referrals and as Realtors, we can be the connectors of our community members. When I started in real estate, I knew no one. To change that, I joined my local chamber of commerce and began meeting them for coffee. The goal was to learn what they did. why they chose their path, and how I could help them. I always followed up with a thank you card. Through those coffee dates, I was able to learn so much about different industries and creditble professionals who I could help by connecting them with my clients. That immediately added to my value as a Realtor. I recommend that you meet with local artists, politicians, restauranteers, designers, plumbers, electricians, teachers, coaches, doctors, dentists, in addition to the lenders, inspectors, title, and insurance people we need in order to get a home closed. Smile and have fun with those people. Send them a thank you card and keep them in mind when your clients need something. They will ultimately be your advocates in the community which creates an incredible sense of community that cannot be faked.
6. Success is not glamourous.
Finally, please remember that success may look easy on the outside especially with all the filters that social media uses. It is messy. There are late nights, tears, scrubbing toilets, running from crazy cats, plenty of rejection, and broken heels. Don’t let that one moment define you. Learn and keep moving forward.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I believe my resiliance, ability to build relationships, and my love for Houston sets me apart from others. I love our city. Houston is the absolutely most fascinating place ever! I pride myself on getting to know more and more of it every day. The incredible amount of talent wrapped into kind approachable people blows my mind on a regular basis. Houston is diverse and the beautiful people bring their incredible culinary arts to share. You can chat with a person in line at a coffee shop and never know that they were a CEO of a Fortune 100 company because they hop in their F150 and drive to their multi-million dollar home. The arts are inspiring between our symphony which apparently is a stepping stone for budding musicians who find their way to New York and London after being here. We have award-winning artists in every medium that is highlighted all over the city, with my favorites in Montrose and Sawyer Yards. Can we revisit the food? You will not ever go hungry here, we have the best grocery stores and restaurants that boast of simple mom and pop shops to the most eloquent 5 star/award-winning eateries that you can imagine. Houston is generous: some of the most incredible non-profits are here and are funded by our hard-working residents who want to make a difference by making sure families have food, health care, clothes, housing, etc. It blows my mind that every time a gala is held raising 1/4 of a million dollars is not a big ask. I love our city and all the burbs with their quirks and personality. There is always something to do here between the festivals, galas, parks, restaurants, organizations/clubs. We are centrally located in the US so traveling to either coast is about 4-hour flight, just long enough to get some work done and watch a movie AND we have 2 airports that are simple to get in and out of, oh and don’t forget about Galveston and the cruises that will take you to a tropical paradise. I pride myself on staying in tune with this incredible city and try my best to make sure that the grocery store clerk, the car that just cut me off, and my colleagues know that we have so much to be grateful for in this amazing city.
What does success mean to you?
Success is getting up and moving forward. For some that may include fighting mental disorders, broken hearts, childhood wounds, and financial troubles. Success is found when someone does not allow one thing to define them and they choose on the daily, if not in the moment, to do the task in front of them that they don’t want to do. They will send the email, make the phone call, get out of bed, do one more rep at the gym. It is the little decisions that we make that ultimately build habits that build lifestyles. The lifestyle of success is the accumulation of small decisions that aren’t easy and require discipline.
Contact Info:
- Email: tailored@compass.com
- Website: www.tailoredrealestategroup.com
- Instagram: @TailoredREGroup
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/tailoredregroup
- Other: www.liinks.co/tailoredregroup
Image Credits
Jasmin Chen Photography
Perry Homes
