SAM REAL-TOP AGENT MAGAZINE
SAM REAL-TOP AGENT MAGAZINE
Sam Real never intended to be the topgrossing agent at Nest Seekers International
of Beverly Hills, in fact he never intended
to be a REALTOR
®
at all, but that’s exactly
what hap pened after a blessing disguised as
a layoff left him rethinking his career path.
Now, seven years later, he finds himself a
rocketing star in the L.A. real estate game. Ever gracious
about his success, however, Sam is reluctant to attribute it to
anything more than common sense: strive harder, keep
learning, and, above all, listen with sincerity.
This sincerity distinguishes Sam. It’s in his voice when he
says he enjoys every aspect of his work and, most especially,
getting to know clients. “I love realty’s array of personalities,
learning to navigate so many different character types.” Sam
prides himself on his desire to honestly read people, to be the
sort of agent who goes with a given client’s personality flow.
“It’s not about me, but about each step of the process, when to
support or lead, to advise prudence or encourage leaps.”
In addition to the three elements of Sam’s common-sense recipe,
crea tivity also plays a major role. After all, it was creativity
that first drew Sam to California. Having graduated Arizona
State with degrees in Economics and Communications, Sam
moved back home to New Jersey with the dream of becoming
a talent agent. When a prime L.A. agency offered him a position,
he packed his bags and headed west. However, after a year of
quickly climbing the agency ranks, his bur geoning career
was shaken amongst the 2007 Writers Guild strikes.
Tapping his own creativity, Sam used this uncertain time to
rethink his goals. During his ASU days, he and a friend had
tried, as little more than an economics experiment, flipping
fore closures. Where these ventures had been a thrill, they’d
paid off too. As Sam puts it, “I’m one of the few people I
know who somehow made money in college!” Using this ex -perience and his trusty mantra—Knowledge is Power—Sam
dove into the intimidating L.A. real estate game. With no
formal mentorship, he doggedly hoofed neighborhoods,
atten d ed every open house he could find, and unabashedly
picked the brains of each successful REALTOR
®
he met. “I
made a point to remember property and neighborhood
details—stories, floor plans, eclectic former owners—‘Sure I
know that house! With the mermaid tiling and the pet
potbelly pig!’”
Knowledge is Power, fine. But Sam doesn’t blindly believe
this senti ment— he demonstrates it. “I can prove it to my
clients,” he says, “because I had to first prove it to myself.
Copyright Top Agent Magazine
And I still try to, every day.” Any strong agent, Sam asserts,
should always view him or herself as a REALTOR
®
and a
wealth manager. By being a shrewd analyst of local,
national, and international financial trends, Sam provides a
voice of expertise his clients can bank on in any market
climate. As he points out, for 90% percent of people a home
is the biggest investment they’ll ever make. “I want you to
get the best possible deal, to find your dream home, but also
make money in the process—it gives me a rush.”
Sam calls this rush “Hustling”—the classic sort, an athlete
hungry for a win. When he’s not out with his clients, he’s in
the office from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. hustling for them. For
example, try his new-client pitch: Sam says pick the most
obscure hours you can think to call him and see if he answers.
Then try the trick with five other agents. Does his tactic work?
“I’ve received more than a few three a.m. calls!” Sam laughs,
solemnly adding, “I answer immediately.”
Despite Sam’s fortitude, enterprise and gregariousness, most of
his achievement, he’s fast to point out, is a matter of dedicated
collaboration. With an L.A. team of seven devoted associates—
a team already posting $50 million in sales this year—and a
New York partner, broker Ryan Serhant, with his own team of
ten agents, Sam is part of a bi-coastal, real estate powerhouse.
But despite having expanded far beyond is initial career
goals—Sam’s latest passionate venture is luxury property
speculation and development—he certainly hasn’t forgotten his
humble beginnings. As just one way of engraining sincerity into
every aspect of his business, he requires his junior associates
attend local gallery and restaurant openings. “Get out there and
meet people,” Sam says. “It’s about listening, not about rubbing
shoulders. It’s about having genuine conversations with people
who also genuinely love the area.”
