Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Smith.
Hi Megan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was seven years old and in the foster care system when my Great-Aunt Kathy made me a promise that if I graduated high school (no one in my family had done so), she would buy me a one-way ticket to California. It was at that age that the only thing I could focus on was my way out of the city I grew up in and everything that was going on around me.
I’m from a super small town called Adrian in the state of Michigan. I went to high school in the middle of a cornfield, an even smaller town named Sand Creek. A lot of the people who grow up there never really leave. I was the exact opposite, I was like I’m going to go as far away as possible within the States. I had applied to only one college during my senior year of high school and it was California State University – Fullerton. When I found out I was accepted, I was like this is it; I’m out. After graduating high school, I left for college a week later. It was my first time having ever been to California, and I had the mentality of sink or swim – nothing would be as bad as where I was. As luck would have it (or you know, California is just amazing), I fell in love with this place, and 11 years later, I’m still here. I graduated college in 2017 (first-generation college student) and immediately went into real estate. It was never my intention (is it anyone? lol) to become a real estate agent. I thought I’d use my degree to do something sports-related or with a non-profit (still my dream).
After applying to probably a hundred jobs, I landed an interview with an agent at Coldwell Banker in Yorba Linda. I took it because I needed a source of income but also because the agent interviewing me was someone I was inspired by. His name was Frank Del Rio (he has the best voicemail). I started as an assistant making $12 an hour and was truly taught the value of patience. I remember within a month wanting to get my license and become an agent, but Frank assured me I needed to crawl first, learn to walk, and then I could run. I stayed the course and learned everything that I possibly could from him, and I owe a lot to Frank for where I’m at right now.
I realized not too long after graduating that Orange County wasn’t for me, I wanted to be in Los Angeles. I landed a position as a Director of Operations for a real estate team in Sherman Oaks and managed each agent’s transaction and was also the CEO’s assistant. It was in this position that I became aware of my potential and exactly what I wanted out of this business.
Fast forward to 2023 and I’m now an agent on the Brock and Lori Real Estate Team here at Keller Williams in Los Feliz. I’ve been with them a little over 2.5 years and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the success that I do. In 2022, I was awarded Rookie of the Year by Keller Williams Los Feliz and had over $22 million in volume in sales. It was my first year as an agent and I had almost quadrupled my salary from the year before. So far this year, I’ve closed 12 deals and I’m hoping to have two more in escrow before 2024 arrives.
This business has provided me with so much. It’s a lot of hard work and constantly changing, but I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many amazing individuals and it’s allowed me the opportunity to learn and explore every area in Los Angeles.
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?
My entire childhood was filled with abuse and poverty. I knew we were poor from a very young age. We were evicted from every place we ever lived in, the longest we ever stayed in one house was about 6 months. I was constantly changing schools and having to make new friends. The only time we truly had enough food in the house was when the first of the month came and my parents received food stamps.
When I was seven, my two little brothers and I were placed in the foster care system because my dad had escaped jail by forming a human ladder in the jail yard with a few other inmates. This had allowed him to scale the brick wall and hop over. He was on the run for about 8-9 days. His mugshot was in every newspaper and on every channel with the words WANTED right above it. We had the detectives at our door the entire time, and they followed us whenever we left. One night, my dad came home around 2am and hid in our bedroom closet. The cops obviously found him, arrested him, and also arrested my mom for harboring a fugitive.
A strange woman approached us and asked if we wanted to grab anything from the home and I wasn’t aware we would never be coming back so I said no. The only things we ended up taking with us to our first foster care home were the clothes on our backs and the Razor scooters we had just received as presents. We ended up in a total of three foster care homes and am grateful that the system was able to keep us all together. These years were a whole different beast, too much to tell.
My dad worked in construction and my mom was a waitress my whole life. In order to make ends meet, they did everything and anything. They robbed and cheated anyone they ever met. My parents developed a drug addiction when I was in my teenage years and that made things even worse. They spiraled and the money coming in was a lot less than the money going out towards drugs. When my friends ask what my parents do now, I usually try to make it as lighthearted as possible, and I say they live in prison and vacation in rehab.
I’ve been doing this on my own since I was 16, and I’m now 30 years old and have worked my ass off to get to where I am. It wasn’t until two years ago when I finally started to feel like everything I’ve worked for has started to pay off. It was hard and at times it felt like I had to work harder than most just to get what everyone else was already given but I learned to work incredibly smart and to just continue working towards what I wanted. I think growing up the way I did has given me this confidence that no matter what room I walk into, I know I’ll out-hustle everyone there because when you know what having nothing feels like, you’ll do whatever you have to do to never feel that way again.
I know it would’ve been easy to just give up or to model after my parents and almost everyone else in my family, but I don’t think you’ll truly know success without first knowing struggle. I’ve had my fair share of obstacles, moments of crippling depression, and have lost a lot of sleep at night questioning everything and anything, but there are two things I want to do in this life, I want to make myself proud as hell, and I want to help those who have had similar upbringings and those that are also trying to take a different path than what they may see around them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a real estate agent that focuses on single-family homes, condominiums, and multi-family properties. As of right now, the areas that I specialize in are Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Pasadena, Glendale, Echo Park, Atwater, La Canada Flintridge, Mount Washington, Larchmont, and Mid-City. However, I’m all over the city and will sell anywhere. My 2024 goal is to break into the market on the west side (get ready folks). I currently have a track record of beating out multiple offers to get my clients their dream homes within 48 hours.
What sets me apart from others is that I didn’t just jump immediately into becoming an agent, I started from the bottom and worked my way to it. I’ve seen all sides of the transaction from having been an assistant, marketing coordinator, transaction coordinator, and director of operations. It’s given me the advantage of not only knowing what is happening in the market but also being knowledgeable about the contracts, disclosures, and operations side. I also care a lot about my clients and making sure that they not only get the home they want but more importantly, that they feel comfortable with the decision because it’s one of the biggest financial decisions they’ll ever make. I’m most proud of how I’ve stayed with it and did it my own way.
Real estate has allowed me to dig deeper into each pocket of Los Angeles, and because of this, I’m very familiar with all areas. I work on the east side, live in mid-city, and my life is on the west side. I can easily tell you the best restaurants, coffee shops, parks, hikes, streets, pickleball courts, and bars to go to in each one. I’m constantly seeking out the next biggest hot spots in LA and dragging everyone who is willing to come along with me.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I was incredibly fortunate that right out of college I stumbled upon Frank Del Rio via the job site Indeed. He taught me the basics of this business but more importantly, he taught me how to treat clients with the utmost respect and appreciation. Frank was also my example of what a role model should be and I’m eternally grateful for having worked for him. He built his own empire from the ground up and I hope to do the same.
I’m on a team now that feels more like family than work most of the time. I also met Brock and Lori on Indeed (shoutout indeed; maybe Indeed has worked well for me, haha). Being in real estate in LA is a whole different ball game than what it is in the OC. From day one, Brock and Lori made it clear that they were genuinely invested in my success and always checked in to make sure that what I’m doing is aligning with where I wanted to be.
Meeting the right people in LA can be difficult; it’s a hard place to live because everyone is trying to be something or just trying to find their way. I think that as long as you don’t lose sight of your values and your own personality, networking and finding mentors will come a little easier. Honestly, just do you and the right people will make their way into your life, whether it’s your personal or professional life. It’s important to surround yourself with those who have similar morals and who are also striving to reach their own goals. I also believe that as you get older, you’re able to dial in more on the criteria you not only want in a mentor but also in the groups that you’re a part of.
My mentors are also my friends and family. I wouldn’t be where I am today without everyone who has listened, gave me advice, and supported me through it all. I’ve had a lot of people take me under their wing and words will never be enough to show how grateful I am.
A huge shoutout to Kegan, Kathy, Kyle, my Grampa, my brothers, Austin, Annabelle, Cory, Riza, Katherine, Nikki, Brock, Lori, and Frank.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmithrealestate
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/megansmithrealestate
Image Credits
Trisha Harrison Photography
