I never thought this life's journey would take me into the real estate sales sector, but having a passion for investing in real estate myself, I felt the need to serve people in that way. It has brought me some unforgettable clients.

"I want to be sure I'm understanding correctly. You're specifically looking to buy a house that doesn't have any bedrooms?" I asked the four-trench coat-clad figures standing before me.

The one at the left end gave a shrug. "It's not a deal breaker if the house has bedrooms. It's just not a feature we really care about."

"Where will you all sleep?" I regretted the question as soon as it left my mouth, realizing there could not possibly be an answer that would put my mind at ease.

One of the middle figures looked at me as though I'd grown an extra head, "As we explained, we're vampires. We will not be needing bedrooms or beds. We sleep in coffins. We are more interested in the cellar of each home."

My career path could not have started further away from these self-professed Satanists looking to buy property. I had originally gone to college to become a youth minister, wanting to distance myself from my father's career as a realtor.

At that time, I wanted to effectively serve a community and felt this was the best way to do so. Early in my studies, my entrepreneurial, business brain had been crunching the numbers, and I decided I should talk to a professor for advice.

"What I'm really wondering," I explained, "is what kind of pension plan a minister has when they retire?"

The professor frowned. "Rob, I think you may be asking the wrong questions. Why were you drawn to youth ministry?"

"I feel called to serve my community and do the Lord's work. I felt spiritual leadership was the best way to do that."

The professor paused, clearly considering how best to phrase the next question. "And you realize there is very little to no money in ministry?"

"I do...but ministers have to have some sort of retirement. So, there is no real opportunity for a 401k or any type of pension plan either?" I asked.

"Based on everything you've said to me to today, it's clear you have a real mind for business," replied the professor. "I think maybe you're being called to serve your community in a different way. That would not be a bad thing. The church needs people in business as much as anything else. I think you should pray on it."

In the end, I accepted that what the professor had said was right. Business had been my calling. After success in a few different career paths, I felt the one where I could most help others was real estate. But I had not expected so many supernatural clients in real estate!

Aside from the vampires, I met a woman looking to sell her property, who had a strange interview process for her realtors. I was one of four agents she was considering and when I met her, she requested that we have our interview in the basement. I thought this was odd, but it seemed a small price to pay for a client. As I descended the stairs, I heard her call out from the top of the staircase, "The realtor's coming downstairs!" I admit I was finding the whole thing a little bit creepy, but she joined me in the basement and proceeded to ask me some standard questions.

The next day I got a call from her. "Congratulations. You're going to sell my house." Apparently, she had conducted the same interview in the basement with all the realtors she was considering. Then, she had a seance in the same spot and asked the spirits in the basement, which realtor she should choose. She said they picked me. So, apparently, I am ghost approved now!

Serving people within my community has remained my number one priority. Even the more unusual members of the community. These experiences have led me to believe I can find or sell anything in real estate. Together, we will get it done.

10% of realtors do 90% of the business. I am proud to be in that 10%. In any market I sell clients homes for top dollar and help them purchase homes at the best possible prices. Regardless of the market, I find ways within the industry to benefit my clients. When the great recession hit, I shifted to teaching people how they could become investors, make money, and own more property. I am not in this because it is easy. I just love doing it so much that I do it well. If I am doing it right, and adapt through all the difficulties, I can roll with the changes. I provide an immense amount of knowledge in our area whether it is investments and/or buying and selling homes. I gained that knowledge from intent learning. Along the way, I found how passionate I was about real estate. Not because any glory comes from it, but because it is the best way, I know how to serve a community. I hold myself to a high standard, opening my own video production company so I could create professional HDTV style videos for each house I sell. The business is generally stressful but has the most rewarding outcome: Helping my clients buy and sell their greatest investments.

Sincerely,

Rob Reinmuth
Broker-Owner