Today we’d like to introduce you to Rylie Schroeder.
Hi Rylie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Real Estate was always the goal for me. I knew going into college that I loved looking at houses, I enjoyed sales, I wanted to work for myself and I strongly desired the autonomy over my personal life that being a real estate agent would grant me. I was acutely aware of the financial risk or hardships that many agents go through upon entering the industry and as a competitive person, it was a priority for me to rise to the top of my field as quickly as possible
Therefore, I created a plan that I am proud to say accomplished everything I needed it to and more. In college, while working towards a bachelor’s degree in marketing and sales, I took it upon myself to research and reach out to the local top real estate agents asking if they were looking for an assistant. Through persistence, I was able to secure a job working for THE top agent in San Marcos and started to connect the dots between HGTV and real life.
Upon graduation, it was important to me to gain some hands-on sales experience to learn more about people and push myself to get comfortable being uncomfortable, not to mention save some money in a position that offered salaries, so I went into sales for about 3 years before getting my real estate license. The next piece of my plan, which I had my sights set on for many years, was to work for the #1 Real Estate Team in Texas, which happened to be based in Houston. Upon getting licensed, this is the only company I applied and, am happy to say, was hired and worked for 2 years.
This accomplished my goal of closing the gap that many new agents talk about regarding months without a commission check as well as jumpstarting my knowledge of the market and contracts. I was able to break their record for monthly sales volume and in May of 2021, had 15 homes close. After closing over 100 transactions in 2 years, today, and for the last year and a half, it is a priority of mine to share my success and knowledge with other agents, while being a real estate resource to anyone and everyone I know.
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?
I wish. However, the struggle is where you learn and grow. Beyond the learning curve, finding my own identity as an agent took some time. Between the hustle and bustle of becoming a top producer and internalizing these very intense contracts, I had to recognize how important the relationships I am building are.
Additionally, having the discipline to do the smaller, more mundane type tasks in between showing homes and closing, like prospecting for future business. My biggest struggle by far, and one I continue to fight, is getting in my head. As a real estate agent, helping people twice your age make one of the largest financial purchases of their life, it’s easy to convince yourself you’re not qualified (even though I am beyond proficient in my career at this point).
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a Realtor, I am truly driven by my passion for the business. Very few agents chose real estate as their first career, and I think there’s a lot to say about those of us who did. This wasn’t a backup plan but instead THE goal I worked towards for years. I think I am most proud of the success I was able to attain so quickly because it opens up a conversation and an opportunity for me to help other new agents do the same.
There are over 25,000 agents in the Houston area and so many who couldn’t talk you through the standard one-to-four residential contract, which is terrifying. I believe what sets me apart is my emphasis on knowledge and education as it pertains to real estate and the market and this is a pillar of the service I provide to my clients and any agents looking to learn from me.
Other agents know me as a powerhouse who is very committed to rising to the top of our field. They know when working with me, we will have reasonable negotiations and a clean contract. My clients, on the other hand, trust that they are working with someone who will advocate and fight for their best interests, approach challenges head-on to create winning strategies and solutions, and deliver expert guidance and market knowledge. If I am known for anything, it’s that I am a hard worker and will hold myself to the highest standards.
My success as a real estate agent has enabled me to become an investor myself, completing my first flip in 2021 and becoming an Airbnb host in 2022. As I’ve immersed myself in the world of real estate investing, I have become a skilled advisor with first-hand knowledge for other investors looking to accomplish similar goals.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Be prepared for anything (haha). I don’t think anyone was expecting real estate to blow up the way it did when the lockdown was first announced. The agents I worked with closely at the time and I all thought we should be preparing to go months without commission checks. Little did we know, it would be the craziest 2 years many of us have worked through. While I am so thankful, I learned a lot about how to protect myself from burnout, which is so real and so important.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @rybabess
Image Credits
Laura Sanz, Harlow & May Studios, Visually Listed, and Strata Visuals
