We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Rubenstein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.

Melissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

After college I followed a fairly traditional path and graduated from Fordham University School of Law. I began practicing at a mid -sized firm in Manhattan in Corporate and Securities, transitioning to a large NYC firm in their Real Estate group. With a focus in commercial mortgage-backed securities my industry was hit hard by the 2008 financial crisis. After working the grueling hours of Big Law, I used this as an opportunity to look at other paths where I could use my skills with a greater emphasis on human interaction. What first caught my eye as a job listing for a real estate sales associate working mostly on Manhattan new construction became the career that has been a focal point of my life for the past 17 years. Leaving the law to pursue real estate sales was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken and the one that has been the most defining and successful.

Melissa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

After years of working in at Manhattan Big Law firms, the 2008 financial crisis hit the mortgage-backed securities industries hard, and my client base and department were eliminated almost overnight. I stepped away from law, a break that was supposed to be short and a chance to catch my breath after an intense time of late nights and weekends at my desk. A job listing in the Real Deal magazine changed my career trajectory forever. In 2009 I became licensed in real estate sales and represented buyers and sellers in the quickly rebounding new construction market. A growing family and a move to Bergen County shaped the last 10 years of my career. In 2015 I added a New Jersey real estate license and started my business from scratch in my new hometown of Wyckoff, NJ where I’ve represented buyers, sellers, investors and commercial clients for the past decade. In an industry marked by rapid and constant change I am proud that my business has consistently served my clients for 11 years with integrity and hard work. My goal has always been to help my buyers and sellers reach their real estate goals and I’m proud of myself and my business for how many people we’ve touched – families moving to their first home, single women achieving their dreams, sellers moving to the next chapter with security and businesses finding a space to expand and grow.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

In the real estate industry, the competition for new clients is intense. While many agents buy leads from online platforms or lead generation services, I’ve been fortunate to have built a base who are my fan club and biggest cheerleaders. I have had the opportunity to represent siblings and their parents, cousins, coworkers and more who have allowed my business to grow completely organically. Social media has been a great way to stay connected with my past clients and allow their family and friends to get to know me before they even reach out. A mix of professional accomplishments and a peak into my family life and what I love to do outside of work, my accounts allow me to connect with my greater sphere, so they aren’t speaking with a stranger on that first call.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I’ve been lucky to work with amazing clients over the past 15 years but there is one sale that just occurred last year that is among my favorites. A friend from high school reached out as her father was moving to a new community and they needed to sell their family in the town where we grew up. Emptying a family home after 40 years of memories and getting it sale ready isn’t an easy task but the family embraced my recommendations and the home presented perfectly. Offers came in but they had hurdles, until I received a call that changed everything. An agent who also went to high school with us was representing a buyer who, you guessed it, also went to high school with us. The buyer now had a family of her own and was searching for the perfect home to raise her family. The transaction was seamless, with seller and buyer working together to get to the finish line with not one tense moment. The joy of passing on this loved home to a family who would love it as much was one of the greatest moments of my career and the fact that I had known everyone involved since we were 14 was incredibly meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://movesbymelissa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movesbymelissa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissarubensteinrealtor/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissarubenstein/