Gabe Schmidt is a Redfin Premier agent in Orange County. He joined Redfin in December 2023 after building a successful team called Eighteen Property Group. We took some time to get to know him and learn more about his experience at Redfin so far.
What were you doing before you joined Redfin?
I’ve been in the real estate industry for almost two decades, doing everything from mortgage to inside sales and internet leads. I became an agent in 2012 and have been at several brokerages over the years. Most recently, I ran a 14-person team called Eighteen Property Group, where my business partner and I were responsible for lead gen, technology, and marketing in addition to working with clients. I personally closed over $26M in sales over the last two years.
Why did you decide to join Redfin?
It was kind of a perfect storm. My business partner, Chris Sidlow, and I felt like we were running out of growth opportunities and didn’t quite know what to do about it. Then, Tamara Robinson, who oversees Southern California at Redfin, called to tell us about the Redfin Next program they were launching in our area. To be honest, I was really skeptical and even told Chris he didn’t need to join the call. But when Tamara explained how much more productive we could be with Redfin’s support, I started to think maybe this could work. Some people in the industry think Redfin’s model attracts inexperienced agents, but then you see these employee agents have sold more homes than most agents in Orange County because they’re so much more efficient. It was like I finally saw the light. Chris and I both decided to join Redfin, along with a few people from our team, because of that conversation.
What was the transition like?
I’ve found the transition to be pretty seamless. Right now I am feeling a sense of relief that I have not felt in years. It’s like someone at Redfin followed an agent around and figured out every pain point in their day, and then created technology or a process to circumvent it. I’m kicking off the year feeling really confident that Redfin has the tools, the process and the people to help make me a better agent.
What makes Redfin different from other brokerages?
The quantity and quality of leads really stands out to me. I have bought leads from practically every lead source out there, including being part of a very successful Zillow Flex team, but I have never in my life had a more qualified lead come across my phone as I have with Redfin. If you had told me last year that your phone will ring 10-15 times a month, and 3-4 of those people will go on to buy, I would have been thrilled.
Another big difference is the Redfin brand, especially agent branding. So many people use Redfin to find homes, and as a Redfin agent, consumers are seeing you over and over again on the site. No other brokerages do that. They highlight your experience and achievements in a classy, professional way.
Finally, the balance an agent can achieve at Redfin is so valuable. With the anxiety I had over the last year as a traditional agent, someone asked me how I was still alive. I have two kids who are involved in all kinds of activities, so on any given day I’m an Uber, I’m a cook, and I’m also an agent. At Redfin I can be all of those things and still feel like my business is under control. If I can’t attend a showing for some reason, I know I have a teammate that can help me make it happen. I’m honestly waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and say “gotcha!”
What would you tell other agents who are thinking about joining Redfin?
Redfin’s competitors may be bigger, but Redfin is on track to make agents way more successful. I took a cut on my split moving to Redfin, but the opportunity to grow my business outweighs that for me. The math still works: If I hit my goals this year, I’ll take home $100k more than I would in the traditional world. Plus you can’t put a price on the peace of mind that comes with having consistent leads and support behind you.
I’ve talked to a few people who are interested in Redfin Next but hesitant to pursue it now that the market is picking up and they have some deals in their pipeline again. But just like there’s never a “good time” to have kids, there’s never a “good time” to switch brokerages. How many opportunities are you missing out on this year by waiting? And what happens in six months when the market slows down, and maybe Redfin isn’t hiring as much as they are now? This is too big of an opportunity to risk waiting.
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