Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Strother.
Hi Kristin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My career path as a REALTOR® truly started right after I graduated from Texas Tech University. It’s funny because when I tell the story, I always have to mention how I accidentally graduated college a semester early. Although, graduating early ended up being the best thing for me! I planned on graduating in May of 2012, but some high school dual credits that I was originally told wouldn’t fill multiple credits, ended up doing exactly that. In July 0f 2011, I found out I only needed 9 hours to graduate. I took 12 hours that fall semester and graduated in December of 2011. I still had a lease in Lubbock until July of 2012, so I decided to start towards my goal of being a REALTOR® in January of 2012. I was hired as an unlicensed assistant to the broker and co-owner, Tim Garrett, of a phenomenal company in Lubbock called WestMark, REALTORS®. He took me under his wing as well as many other REALTORS® at that company. He taught me everything he knew and also let me go through new agent training because he knew my goal was to get my real estate license. My high standards for myself and others as a professional started here. While working for Tim, I was doing online courses for my real estate license. In May of 2012, I completed the coursework and passed both portions (State and National) of the real estate exam on my first try. Once the end of June came, I decided I wanted to move closer to home which is Brenham, TX. I wanted to be closer to my parents and family! I decided Austin would be the best fit because the beautiful hill country, volleyball scene, lakes, and fun city life. I interviewed with three different companies and was offered jobs with all three. My dream company in Austin, Moreland Properties, was one of the companies so I was ecstatic. I was hired as a REALTOR® and a licensed assistant to work for three top-producing agents at Moreland Properties. Clayton Bullock, Doug Roberts, and Tiffany Peters were the agents that gave me a shot fresh out of college. I will forever sing their praises as they treated me like family and trusted me completely. They are incredible agents in Austin, TX and I absolutely recommend them to all of my friends. They taught me who I wanted to be as a REALTOR® and a person. They will always be family to me! I worked with them for 6 years up until I decided to move to the Bryan/College Station area. My boyfriend at the time, Hunter, and I had been dating long-distance for 2 years when he proposed to me in June of 2018. He was born and raised in Bryan which we decided was the best fit for our future family. I love how the BCS area is a big city, but still has a small-town feel. It’s the best of both worlds! I often refer to moving to BCS as moving back home as I grew up in Brenham, so I came to BCS all the time. In July of 2018, I interviewed with three different companies here to be a full-time REALTOR®. I was offered a job at all three, but decided TM5 Properties was the best fit. I loved the owners Terrence & Erica Murphy, the agents, the vibe of the company, and the athlete mindset. We merged with eXp Realty in March of 2021 and I have loved it. I love that I have so many resources at my fingertips. We have so much support, flexibility, and I have ownership in the company through stocks. This past May, I celebrated 10 years of being a REALTOR®! Time has completely flown by, and I’m not slowing down. I wouldn’t be where I am today without so many incredible people, companies, friends, and my family. I love what I do because I feel I am truly making a difference and helping people with such an important part of their life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not always been smooth sailing and probably won’t ever be. This job can be very high-stress and very emotional for a lot of people. I joke it’s a rollercoaster ride! Plus, there are so many people involved in each deal! I had to develop thick skin very early on. Although, I’m still pretty sensitive as much as I don’t want to be. I realized many people want to blame someone if they’re not happy and often times it’s us REALTORS®. Some people didn’t and still don’t take me seriously because they thought I was too young or still am too young. I’ve been yelled at and taken advantage of for being too nice at times. We even deal with people being inappropriate! It’s a crazy world and there are crazy people out there, but there are also such incredible people out there. The more I set boundaries and know what I deserve or don’t deserve it has helped me. You have to take care of your mental health. It has also helped to try to look at it from other people’s perspectives. Selling and buying a home is emotional- people are going to act or react with their emotions rather than logic at times. Another struggle can be that we work on complete commission. As in, you can work for months and spend money, but never get paid. You will always be spending money on dues, marketing, advertising, etc, but that doesn’t guarantee a paycheck. I love what I do, but you have to have passion for it in my opinion.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I help people with one of the biggest decisions of their lives- buying or selling their home! I specialize in residential sales in Bryan/College Station and surrounding areas. I have also specialized in the luxury market since my career started 10+ years ago. That looks different in every market, but in BCS it’s homes that are around $500,000 or more. I also specialize in people looking for their next home. The home after the starter home which is often because of an expanding family or just outgrowing a current home. I’m big on not pressuring anyone into making a decision. I think most of my client testimonials mention that and for a good reason. It’s my client’s decision- not mine. I’m happy to help them vision something and to provide information or my opinion, but I won’t be pushy. I don’t like when salespeople pressure or push me, so I don’t want to do that to anyone. I think my attention to detail and communication skills definitely set me apart. I’m very organized which can be rare in the real estate world because we are all over the place. I think communication skills are so important in general and a good communicator can save confusion. I’m also proud that I work pretty exclusively with previous client referrals and don’t pay for much marketing or leads. I prefer to be sent a client from a friend or previous client. I have the best clients!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
This is too funny because I always joke that I’m just not much of a risk-taker! However, my job in itself is pretty much a huge risk. I am a person that invests in the “safe” options that are less risky. I guess I like a little risk, but not high-risk situations. If I do something risky, I often times have a plan or backup plan. With real estate, I made sure to have savings built up and be able to live off just my husband’s income just in case. I think it might depend on where you are in your life on how risky someone is willing to be? I loved sky-diving, but now that I have a husband and dog, I would be a little more hesitant. I think for me, it depends on who all my risky decision can affect and how much it will affect them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kristinstrother.exprealty.com/
- Instagram: kristinstrotherrealtor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057439998347
Image Credits
Faith and Fire Photo & Films
