We recently connected with Thomas Davis and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Thomas thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

I’m in real estate sales. So, I’m trying to sell the exact same product as everyone else in my business. Most agents think they are competing with each other when in reality the only competition is against your own laziness or self-doubt. We can have a stronger industry, a stronger reputation, and a stronger bottom line by working together and not against each other. It’s silly to think that you have some special sauce that others don’t. There are no secrets. There are those out there who are either willing to do what we all know needs to be done or aren’t willing to do those things needed to be successful. I love to share what I’ve done and how I do it with anyone who asks. They likely will go and do it an entirely different way than I have and that’s their advantage. The steps are all the same, it’s how we implement or execute them that is our individual advantage.

Thomas, 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?

I grew up in the upstate of SC and spent my summers on a beach in Florida where we did not have TV or AC. In my opinion, that beach was and is the most beautiful place on earth. I moved to Charleston to attend The College of Charleston in 1997 and never looked back. I knew from the first month I lived here that I didn’t want to be anywhere else. The beaches, historic city, airport, rivers, proximity to mountains…it truly has it all. I didn’t even mention the food. The food!! I got in to Real Estate back in 2009 when everyone else was jumping out, I was jumping in. I had a 6 month old baby girl at home, so going from a steady check at the bank to the unknown of a 100% commission-based job was pretty scary. After 10 years in real estate I started my own brokerage, Abode. Professionaly, that is what I am most proud of. I left what many consider to be a dream job at my previous brokerage to create my own dream job. I’ve built Abode on one thing above all others, Ethics. Yes, we work hard and build relationships rather than treat clients like transactions, but I’m not sure there is anyone else turning away as much business as we do simply bc we will not allow our clients to enter into a deal that will be bad for them in any way. We want what is the absolute best for our clients. A lot of times that means telling them not to buy the home they are ready to write an offer on bc we can see pitfalls that they cannot. We take a great deal of pride in this.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

We are a broker’s broker. We are constantly reaching out to other brokers in town to help. We treat brokers and agents as a part of the team rather than adversaries. We think that in the long run this is not only better for our clients but it is better for our industry as a whole. I worked for one of the country’s most prestigious real estate firms for 7 years, Kiawah Island Real Estate, and this lesson comes directly from my time there. Working together, sitting down across from each other rather than relying on emails or text messages is crucial when trying to find the common ground that leads to the best deal for you client.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Giftology has changed the way I think about my business as a whole, not just for closing gifts. There are a lot of books out there that talk about the “why” or the motivation of a buyer/seller. But, Giftology just struck a chord with me. It’s about really intently listening to what is important in their everyday lives. Children, time around the kitchen island, going out on their boat…if you take the time to really listen to your clients, friends and family and see what it is that they truly value in their lives, not just in home in the case of a client, you will make deeper relationships. Also, never make it about you. No one wants a gift with your name or logo on it. Make it about the person who is receiving the gift. If you do it correctly they will remember you every time they use it without the cheesy logo.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.abodecharleston.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/abodecharleston

Image Credits
Erin Turner