Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Geilman.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Greg. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 2001, I borrowed $10,000 from my step-dad for a down payment on my first townhouse in the Valley. Everyone threw caution my way, “Be careful!” “We’re in a bubble.” “Don’t get in over your head!” In hindsight, I wish I was less careful because that property doubled in value. That little townhouse earned more money than I did during the years that I owned it. Unlike me, that property’s value grew in income without enduring lengthy commutes in LA traffic and daily 8 hour laborious days to the elusive rat race finish line. I took notice, “OK, you’ve got my attention now…”
I decided to take a couple of real estate classes to learn more. I passed those classes and the teacher asked if I was going to take the state exam. I did and I woke up the next day a Realtor.
Fast forward 4 years, I quit my job and became a Realtor in one of the worst real estate climates in my life. Eager, green and ready to hustle, I left my longstanding career in tech and never looked back.
Through a lot of hard work and a little good fortune, my business partner and I have built one of the top real estate teams in the South Bay.
I am a former board member of and currently sit on the Professional Standards Committee at the South Bay Association of Realtors which determines the outcome of ethics complaints brought forth about other realtors. I am also a former board member of Leadership Manhattan Beach. I am a Certified Negotiation Expert, International Real Estate Specialist and an e-Pro.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Although we’ve had a hockey stick trajectory, I attribute our success to our awesome team, a determined group of super star players whose dedication match their talent. You don’t get to nearly $100M in annual sales volume as a part-time agent playing the game from the sidelines. It’s an all-in effort.
It has not been a smooth road. I do not have formal business training so everything I’ve learned has been on the front lines and in the trenches. I sought out business advisors and have been fortunate to train with the best mentors in the industry. My business partner, Rob Freedman, is a fixture in the South Bay as a 35 year real estate veteran. He has a wealth of knowledge and could write the book on everything real estate. He and I leverage the best local real estate attorneys to keep us on the straight and narrow, and our clients out of trouble.
The real estate business is not rocket science, but it’s not easy either. There are lots of moving parts and barriers to problem solve on a daily basis. I’m always digging into the latest tools and attending industry conferences to continue improving my craft for our clients benefit. My biggest challenge is finding that delicate work/life balance that I hear people talk about. 🙂 My wife, Autumn, would like me to key into that secret I’m sure.
Please tell us about The DOMO Group.
I run an 11 person real estate team at RE/MAX Estate Properties in Manhattan Beach. We were the #1 producing team in 2016 out of 18 offices and over 700 agents. We are in the business of making happy customers. Our mission is to make life better for those around us by providing expertise, world-class service and unparalleled guidance in the process of buying, selling, owning, investing in and managing real estate.
We’ve recently rebranded “The DOMO Group” around one of our core values which is to always Be Appreciative. “Domo” means “Thank You” in Japanese and at the core of our team is a real sense of appreciation that we get to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in the world. A lot of real estate teams focus on how many transactions they close. We are known for always focusing on how many people we helped this month. People love referring us to their friends and family because we’re laser-focused on the happiness of our clients. Over our careers, Rob and I have made our clients hundreds of millions of dollars.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to do it all over again, I’d definitely join a team right from the get go. There is such a synergy and a heightened sense of collaboration that happens when you’re a part of a team that doesn’t exist when you’re a single agent. Also, I would probably go get my MBA.
Contact Info:
- Address: The DOMO Group
1040 Manhattan Beach Blvd.,
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 - Website: www.SouthBayResidential.com
- Phone: (310) 251-7725
- Email: [email protected]
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