I used to be a bank manager. I loved that my job allowed me to help others every day, from training new employees to assisting customers. I was making a difference, however small, and this desire to help others was the reason I chose real estate when it came time to change careers.
Today, I am a Redfin real estate agent serving the western part of Los Angeles. But my Redfin journey started a couple of years ago, when I was a real estate rookie feeling discouraged and overwhelmed at the idea of building my business from scratch.
I had finished my real estate education and was interviewing at brokerages. I heard about Redfin through a friend of mine and knew I had found my brokerage the moment I read the business model: agents that can truly focus on their clients, a mentor program for new agents and an amazing website? I immediately applied for every position open in the Los Angeles area. After two months, two phone interviews and three in-person interviews, I was told they were interviewing a few other candidates and would be in touch.
It was the end of December 2013, and I was on a backpacking trip in the Arizona mountains. Cell service was sparse to non-existent, but on December 16 we decided to go into town for breakfast. That’s when I got a phone call with the news that Redfin was extending me a job offer to be a part-time weekend tour coordinator. A tour coordinator communicates with clients and juggles the schedules of agents to get customers in to see homes quickly.
It wasn’t an agent position, but I knew Redfin was doing something revolutionary and I wanted to be part of the change! Within my first few days on the job, I attended the annual company meeting and had the opportunity to meet employees from across the country, as well as all the agents I would be working with as a tour coordinator. I told my team lead how eager I was to help with anything, and that I had a goal of becoming an agent within a year. The whole encounter was a blur because I was so excited.
Over the next six months, I learned the ins and outs of the tour coordinator role; I took every extra shift, volunteered to cover anyone’s vacation time and made sure to get to know every agent I was working with.
Soon I felt ready to take on a new challenge, and I decided that the next step for me was to become a support agent.
The support agent role had always stood out for me. I loved the idea of being the bridge between our website and our agents. I applied for the position, and after a Skype interview and two in-person interviews, I got the job! I spent the following six months assisting our clients with finding the perfect agent to fit their needs. I was challenged every day with difficult and even kooky client inquiries, from questions about a home’s square footage to what color of paint was in the living room. I learned the MLS in detail, built relationships with the selling agents and built even better relationships with my agents.
Because the support agent role was still new to the company, I was able to help develop and create the job. I loved this opportunity! I had a contributing voice, and was part of some great changes. I helped create awareness about the position with our agents, helped train new support staff and coordinators, and assisted with our home-buying classes. This role gave me the confidence I needed to seek a Redfin agent position.
I had a virtual conversation with my area manager to discuss my potential to become an agent. This meeting was one for the books! I was terribly sick and taking the meeting from home. The invite said, “Let’s talk about the agent role.” I can remember wearing a sweatshirt and scarf with a box of tissues at my desk. At the time, there wasn’t a position open in my area, so I never imagined this would be THE interview. A position opened shortly thereafter and I applied; a few weeks later, I was offered the job.
Thanks to my previous roles at Redfin, I had developed confidence in myself and had instilled enough confidence in my managers that they felt I was ready and right for an agent role.
My first week as a Redfin agent was spent at our annual meeting, one year after I had set the goal of becoming an agent within a year. I did it!
Shortly after that meeting, I wrote my first offer, and since then it hasn’t stopped! As a new agent, I have my mentor to help with everything. I don’t know what I would do without her or my transaction coordinator! At Redfin, I found the support and training I desired and a company I can stand behind. Redfin took away the worry and loneliness I associated with becoming an agent.
I work for Redfin because I’m able to do what I love, with a team that supports me every step of the way!
About Nikki Kilmer
A former banker, Nikki’s passion for real estate and the Redfin business model emerged upon learning that Redfin focused on the customer, rather than the commission. Nikki’s goal is to help house hunters realize their dreams and experience the pride of home ownership. She enjoys building lifetime relationships with clients by working at their pace and for their benefit.
This post is part of a series titled “Why I Work at Redfin.” Check out other posts in the series to learn more about what it’s like to work at a growing next-generation real estate brokerage. For more information on Redfin, and to check out open jobs at the company, visit Jobs at Redfin.
United States
Canada