Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Fultz.
Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi I’m Ashley and I am a Los Angeles residential real estate agent. I am partners with my husband, Doug McFarland, at our own brokerage, DMF Realty, which he founded over a decade ago! He started his own brokerage because he wanted to be an honest, hands-on, hard-working realtor in an industry where a lot sometimes that work ethic is hard to find. He worked as an architect and designer with an amazing LA firm before going into real estate, so having that design and construction knowledge really helped set him apart from the rest of the agents and is a huge value-add to clients. During this time, I was a producer and TV Host appearing on KTLA, Access Hollywood, E! News and Extra doing fashion and home decor segments, I would often help Doug with open houses and design projects since my schedule was so flexible, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I made the transition to working full-time as a real estate agent. Doug was busy and needed help and I always wanted to get my license, so I did a quick career change and I have to say, it’s the best decision I have ever made! It’s been such a blessing and one I don’t think would have happened without the pandemic. We are a really good team and what some clients call “The Dream Team”, because we are total opposites in terms of personalities and our strengths and weaknesses. Doug is amazing at negotiating and handling contracts since he has been doing deals for over a decade he brings that expertise to every deal, whereas I am more of the client-facing team member who not only on-boards clients and handles marketing, but I also am there to listen to the client’s needs and concerns and make sure they are feeling good about this crazy real estate market and understand the process. Because we have also purchased several homes over the years, I am able to break things down in easy to understand terms and I can put myself in the client’s shoes because I have been there before. That’s really important when it comes to real estate because it can be very overwhelming at times.
We are now two years into our partnership and Doug and I have definitely found our groove! We have closed over $10 million in deals already in 2022 and already have a half dozen more deals in the pipeline. Our current clients are actually all referrals, which we attribute to our clients, past and present, knowing we are the real deal with experience and expertise and people they can trust. They know we have their best interest at heart. It’s not a numbers game for us – our clients are our number one priority. I also have to say Doug and I LOVE real estate. Everyday and every deal is different and it’s fun and challenging. In addition to helping our clients buy and sell, we also help with staging and prep to sell and when our clients are buying, we help them envision themselves in a new house by giving them ideas on remodeling now or in the future, costs associated with that, and provide vendor and contractor referrals when it comes time. Our clients love us for this and that’s how we know the sky is the limit for us in terms of where we go from here.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We definitely have had some struggles over the years. Anytime you start a business, it’s hard. You have to constantly have a good list of clients and have a way to get more. Doug and I are both not from LA so that is harder when you are real estate. Some agents are able to rely on family for their first few deals or their friends from high school or college, but for us it was a hustle from day one to get our name out there to try and get clients.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
DMF Realty is a Full-Service Real Estate Brokerage. Ashley and Doug are a husband and wife team who live in the Valley but buy and sell for clients all over Los Angeles. We call ourselves full-service because we help sellers prep and stage their homes (we can usually save our clients thousands of dollars by being able to partially stage for them on our own without a professional staging company), and we help our buyers envision and know what they can expect in terms of work and pricing if they want to remodel or redesign the home they want to provide. We have a great comprehensive list of vendors from painters and contractors to pool contractors, interior designers, etc. that we share with our clients based on their needs. When you choose us as your agents, what you see is what you get! We are hands on every step of the way – it’s not an assistant handling the biggest transaction of your life – it’s us! We are the team you know you can trust and will always fight to get you the best deal. We are both from the Midwest and still have that Midwest work ethic and values. We are honest and always go the extra mile to make sure our clients are taken care of!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Lean into your strengths and know your weaknesses. Always under promise and over deliver when it comes to clients. And always be honest and forthcoming with clients, even when the truth is hard to hear. Loving what you do goes a long way. We wake up every day excited about the deals we have going and clients we are working for to land them their dream home!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://dmfrealty.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmfrealty/ https://instagram.com/ashleyfultz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmfrealty
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dmf-realty-north-hollywood?osq=dmf+realty
- Other: https://www.zillow.com/profile/DouglasMcFarland1
Image Credits:
Samantha Klose
