Today we’d like to introduce you to Elena Richey.
Elena, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My professional story began as a graduate of UNT with a degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis. I always loved the idea of making an impact and helping people. I started as a Case Manager for a private company funded by Medicaid that helped children with developmental delays. My role was to help these clients gain access to all the resources they needed to succeed. I worked in that field for about three years but realized over time that seeing my clients deal with such challenges, struggles and hardships took a toll on me emotionally. Right on time, a new opportunity presented itself for now defunct Borders Bookstore handling corporate sales for the Preston/Royal location in Dallas. I managed author events, built relationships with local private schools and acted as a liaison between the store and publishing companies. I absolutely loved everything about that job, but unfortunately, two years into my career there, Borders filed for bankruptcy and went out of business. The timing actually worked out, as I was a first time mom and was able to stay home with my son. During the next few years, we welcomed our second child to the family, and I loved being able to be with them every day, but started to think about the future and pondered what to do with myself when they started school. At the time, house flipping and fixing shows were all the rage, and they were really interesting to me. I started researching where I could fit into that world, and being a real estate agent seemed like the perfect fit. I enrolled in evening classes, received my license, and began my journey! Fast forward five years, and here I am. I love the flexibility that working in real estate provides and all of the people that I meet. I now have another agent that works with me, and my husband manages the business side of things. This way, I can focus my time solely on our clients and not get too wrapped up in the behind the scenes distractions. We have made it a point to include our community in our business, and that is one of the things that I am most proud of. We love being able to sponsor events and take advantage of volunteer opportunities that benefit our local schools and community. A few years ago, we incorporated a give-back program that is part of every transaction we complete. We donate a percentage of our earnings back to whatever organization our clients choose. This is where our slogan, ‘Real Estate. Real Purpose.’ comes into play. I love still being able to help people. We help a lot of first time home buyers and families looking to upgrade into bigger homes as they grow. I am so grateful for the freedom and flexibility that this life in real estate has given me, but most importantly, I am so thankful for the clients that choose us to help them on their journeys.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have definitely been some obstacles along the way. The name of the game in real estate is longevity, and the fact that Dallas is home to so many real estate agents presents a challenge in itself. But, fortunately, this keeps us on our toes and thinking outside the box. Additionally, we are passionate about what we do, and I think people recognize that. When I first started out, I was caught off guard by the costs associated with just being in the real estate business. There are association dues, membership fees, license renewals, education, taxes, costs of advertising, fees paid to your broker, expenses to get homes market ready, and so many more. The fact that you continue to pay all of this, whether you are busy with clients or not can be pretty discouraging for an agent new to the business. Also, as a real estate agent, you are responsible for generating your own business. Unfortunately, this coupled with the ongoing costs is the main reasons that most new agents don’t make it past the two year mark.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We help people buy and sell homes. That in itself sounds simple but is so complex. There are a ton of details involved with a real estate transaction and we take pride in helping our clients every step of the way. We are super detail oriented and love being available to our clients. The fact that we have two agents working on behalf of each client really helps to set us apart. This makes us more nimble and available to advise and advocate for our clients when they need us. Our home turf is East Dallas, but we love helping people all over the DFW area. We delight in working with first time home buyers, but also seasoned buyers and sellers too. I love the fact that this business allows us to be so involved in our community. It’s the perfect circle – the more business we have, the more we can give back.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Dallas is a great place to be! The influx of new businesses coming to our city brings with it people looking to buy homes. Over the years, property values have been on the rise, which is good for people that have owned their homes for a while and are looking to upgrade. I always encourage anyone thinking about starting out in any profession to do their research. Ask people who are in the business and get their perspective.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.richeyrealestategroup.com
- Phone: 214-680-9288
- Email: connect@richeyrealestategroup.com
- Instagram: richeyrealestategroup
- Facebook: richeyrealestategroup
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