Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Todaro.
Olivia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Back in 2016 I was a fashion stylist and ready for a change. Before I worked in fashion I worked for a marketing group, which I enjoyed but I really disliked being stuck in an office from 9 to 5. I’ve always been interested in real estate, so when I got a Facebook message from an apartment locator recruiter, I decided to go for it!
After I got licensed, I quickly realized I had a leg up on the industry with my marketing background. The group I first joined focused on Craigslist ads for lead generation… That’s when I knew I could do things better.
Long story short, I launched Real Cool Apartments, built a website, began creating content for social media, and I’ve been going strong for over 7 years now.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
One thing I wasn’t told when I became a realtor is that it takes 6-12 months to actually start making good money. So, I worked 3 jobs while beginning my real estate career. That first year was TOUGH. As I built up my pipeline and the commissions started to roll in I was able to quit one side job, then another… The day I was able to quit my last side job was such a relief. Working on straight commission can be stressful, but as long as I stay focused and continue to create consistent content, then the leads keep coming in and the commissions get paid. If I put in the work, then it always works out.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Dallas is an extremely hot locator market with a lot of competition. Unlike all the other locating services, Real Cool Apartments allows you to search the entire rental market at once, not just complexes. In addition to traditional apartments and lofts I also send live private listings such as condos, duplexes, townhomes and houses. To my knowledge I am still the only realtor that specializes in all rentals.
I focus on organic leads through social media content. My favorite part of the job is creating video tours. You can find me with my iPhone scouting locations multiple times a week. As a result I get many online leads from out of state relocation clients.
Recently I have expanded my focus to include home sales as well as rentals. One of my clients went from renting a condo for $1700 to buying a million-dollar home with me! It’s been really rewarding to help so many of my clients become first time home buyers.
Currently, I have about 4000 clients in my database, and it’s growing daily. I’m also in the research phase of expanding my market to other cities.
What were you like growing up?
I was actually quite shy growing up, which is funny because I’m the total opposite now. School was boring for me, and I wasn’t a great student. I had my small group of friends and I focused on the arts, especially theater, choir and dance. I really didn’t come into my own until college when I began working more. Having a degree is great, but my personal growth and self confidence really took off when I got my first “big girl” retail job. Later I became a fashion stylist which further challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and collaborate with new people on set every day.
I’ve always been a creative, and my potential became manifest after I finished school. My innovative branding and marketing strategies have allowed me to be successful in the ultra competitive Dallas real estate market, and I’m really looking forward to having a similar impact in other parts of the country.
Contact Info:
- Website: Realcoolapts.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/realcoolapts
- Facebook: facebook.com/
realcoolapartments - Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/oliviatodaro
- Youtube: youtube.com/RealCoolApartments
- Other: tiktok.com/@realcoolapts
Image Credits
Kalan Briggs
