We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leah Richey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Leah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I grew up in a humble home in Alvin Texas with a stay-at-home mom and dad who worked in the chemical plants. I had an amazing childhood and two little brothers who I cared for often. My parents always taught us the value of a dollar, only buy what you can afford, respect, and always be kind to others. I distinctly remember all of us going to Wal-Mart before church one Sunday to buy a big coat for the down and out newspaper salesman we passed each week who was wearing a T shirt in 35 degree weather. At a young age I found out that my youngest brother had a terminal disease, and that really put life in perspective for me. It made me more of a free spirit, understanding that nature, adventure, making memories and family are most important in this too-short life we have. We always went on family trips and my parents made travel and nature a priority, even if we just went to San Antonio or Huntsville. This mentality of honesty, respect, empathy, adventure, and strong work ethic carried over into my adulthood and then my business. I found real estate when I was 25 years old and I am so grateful I get to do what I love. I have found in real estate, a way to connect with people on a deeper level, to use my empathy to help people through what can be a very stressful, arduous process. I often have hours long phone calls with folks who don’t understand the home-buying process and I walk them through it from start to finish, only for them to use another agent down the road. I’ve learned to be proud of those moments and conversations and it makes me happy that I could be of service to someone, because information is so powerful. In a digital world, I think we have lost sight of the importance of one on one conversations and community. I hope that my past, present, and future clients can see and feel that I truly care about each and every one of them and have created a lifetime bond. I wouldn’t be the woman, wife, friend or realtor that I am today without my parents and everything they instilled in me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Leah Richey and I am a real estate agent serving the greater Houston and surrounding areas. I have had my license for six years and absolutely LOVE what I do. I spent my early 20’s traveling the world and bartending, and throughout those years I tried many different careers with none of them being for me. I found real estate fascinating in that I could work for myself (every job I left was because of a terrible boss and no work/life balance), choose my own schedule, and help people while making decent money. So I put in my two week’s notice and quit my job! I studied for eight hours a day and passed my exam in four weeks. I love the autonomy and responsibility that real estate gives me and I love that I can use my creative side for marketing and social media. I have grown so much over the last six years in both knowledge of the industry and management of people. My strategy for my job is to always be honest with my clients, be kind and patient, and make sure that neither they or myself have any regrets in the process. I have sold and helped clients purchase houses all over Houston, from Katy to Mont Belvieu, and from Conroe to Texas City. It’s so important to me that my clients know I am here for them for life, always as a resource and friend. Real estate is definitely not as easy as what you see in movies or TV shows. There have been many times that a few days before closing, something happened with the client and everything fell apart, leaving me with no income for months. You have to save and be resourceful and always have something in the pipeline or your rent doesn’t get paid. I also feel like a therapist most of the time- reassuring clients, getting down to the root of a particular hesitance, or just being a diligent listener and encourager. It’s one of the hardest yet absolutely rewarding parts of my job. Real estate is not just about houses, dollars, and banks. It’s about people. It’s about community. It’s about family.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

My sphere of influence is the MOST important reason I stay in business. That is everyone I know. Every acquaintance, every friend, every relative, every vendor. These relationships turn into clients and those clients then turn into referrals from their sphere of influence. I am so beyond grateful for everyone who has given me the opportunity to work with and for them and then sent their family or friends to me. At the end of the day, I will never force a working relationship because I want to work with people who want to work with me. If we haven’t had the opportunity already, I would LOVE to work with you!

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I LOVE figuring out and understanding people. What makes them think the way they think, feel the way they feel, and act the way they acct. I am an avid reader in both fiction and non-fiction and I’ve found the most significant read to be books about personalities. Personality Plus is a must, along with How To Win Friends & Influence People. I love watching TED Talks from other prominent and successful real estate agents to see how they are growing their business. I also love listening to podcasts about psychology, business, and real estate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.facebook.com/leahricheyrealtor
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahhtownrealtor/

Image Credits
Daynalee Ferguson