Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Gindele
Hi Rebecca , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been in Austin since 1998 when I moved here to accept a job at the Fox TV affiliate, my first “big girl” job as an Account Executive. I worked in that field with a few other stations for nearly 10 years. In 2008, I began my Masters’s Degree at the University of Texas, and in 2009, while still attending UT full-time, I began my time at Groupon. I was the 49th employee and enjoyed launching the platform in the Austin market and helping grow the company into the “Unicorn” it became (Billion dollar valuation pre-IPO). By 2010, I had finished my Masters Degree and married my husband, Joshua Gindele. As I adjusted to life as a wife and mother, I decided to leave the corporate world to have more flexibility and be home more since my husband travels a great deal for work. I spent a couple of years as the Event Director of the iconic Austin Kite Festival.
By 2014 we had two children, Nora (now 13 years old) and George (now 11 years old) and it was then that I decided to pursue my ideal career as a full time Realtor. Since then I’ve experienced the ups and downs of the Central Texas real estate market and even in the “tough” years, I could not see doing anything else. I love what I do and I have the ability to be present for my husband and children while also providing a solid income for our family.
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?
The hardest part of getting started in Real Estate is, well, getting started. Once you take all the courses and pass all the tests, that’s when the real work begins. It’s a 100% commission position and it can take months before realizing an actual transaction. 99% of my business is friends, family, and their referrals. I’ve had a small handful of folks call me from seeing my sign in a yard. And I’ve never really worked a “leads” system or paid for leads. If I do work with strangers, it’s been from meeting them at an open house. That’s all to say that starting out, I was lucky enough to have friends and family who trusted me even though I was new to being a realtor. I believe that’s because I was always the person that friends wanted along when they went house shopping. I had bought and sold so many personal homes already between 2000 when the market was insane, and 2014 when it was still coming out of the housing crash a few years prior.
Business has been steady, and even when everyone thought Realtors were “printing money” in 2020 and 2021, it was NOT an easy time! I had several buyer clients that would spend their weekends house shopping with me only to lose out in multiple offers on home after home for months! So much work goes into what we do and there’s not single dollar paid until we have gotten our clients to the closing table. That means there are times I’ve gone months with no paycheck!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
First, if it’s not clear, I am so very passionate about what I do! After over a decade as a full-time Realtor (and now I have my broker’s license, not many Realtors ever accomplish this level of expertise and education) I’ve realized I do have a special niche. While I love helping all buyers, I really love helping first-time home buyers. But where I really shine is in helping people list their homes. I am extremely hands-on with this process and have a recipe for success. I ask a lot of my sellers. I don’t want to ever put a home on the market without making it stand out in every possible way. This could mean hiring painters, power washers, landscapers, and more. I always insist on a deep professional cleaning and I always stage every home. If the sellers are living there, I work with them to get the home decluttered and will stage with a mix of their items and my own inventory. If the home is vacant I’ll work to bring in my staging items and often partner with other professional stagers to curate the perfect mix of furniture, art, and accessories aimed at who the potential buyer may be.
One of my favorite examples is the story of my sellers, the Ellisons, a few years back… they had moved out and agreed to give me a small budget to fix up their home before putting it on the market. They went out of town on spring break and when they came back, I had transformed their home, and they could not believe their eyes. New carpet, and new paint throughout, I remodeled their kitchen, changed out all the light fixtures and door knobs throughout the home, then staged the whole first floor and primary bedroom as well as the massive back deck. They were floored! I sold the home after the first weekend on the market, receiving multiple offers and getting $103,000 over the asking price. I have so many stories like this, and I explain it like this: If I told you to give me $25,000 and in a couple of months I’ll give you back $50,000 or more, you would do that, right? That’s what happens here. Some paint, some fresh hardware, flooring updates, and a light remodel makes a huge difference. And I never skip on staging. Never! I LOVE the transformation! This is where my creative side gets to come out. If I do my job right on the front end and price it properly, the home sells quickly and for more money. I love that! I like to go to the open houses and see the reaction to my vision when buyers are touring the home. It’s so rewarding.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I used to feel my identity was tied to my career and my title. I was always chasing the next promotion or title…Account Executive, Sales Manager, Director. I feel like getting my Masters Degree in my 30’s was just another way to add to my “title” and put more letters under my name!
When I married my amazing husband (Grammy-nominated world-class cellist!) and we had our beautiful babies, I realized how often I introduced myself as “Josh’s wife” or “Nora’s Mom” or “George’s Mom” and now I realize those are the very best titles I could ever have. I am no longer concerned with what my career title is or what it says about me.
I love being Rebecca Gindele, Wife, Mother and then beyond that, Volunteer, Friend, Caregiver…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rebeccagindele.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccagindele/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaglenngindele/
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/3ZU5hv8
- Other: https://www.compass.com/agents/rebecca-gindele/
Image Credits
@SMCSophia
Sophia Bouhaddou
