From Journalist to Top Producing Real Estate Agent with Madeleine Perez
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About this episode:
Journalist, producer, and now a top producing real estate agent in Los Angeles, Madeleine Perez joins us on the She Built It™ Experience today. She shares the ways her career has changed and grown over the years. She has the best experiences in trusting her intuition, leaning into her community, and leading a team. Listen in and enjoy!
Topics Discussed:
Madeleine's early career experiences and how they have helped her launch her own real estate career
Learning to let yourself trust your instincts so you can grow and change the way you need to
The importance of having a community that you trust
Why branding is so important, especially in the real estate industry
Madeleine's strategy for management so she stays on task in this busy real estate market
How authenticity will help your draw in more clients than anything else
About Madeleine:
Madeleine Perez is a poised and tenacious real estate professional, who provides the highest level of service to each client. She acts with honesty and integrity, making sure her clients are fully supported and informed when buying or selling a home.
Born and raised in New York City, Madeleine was educated at Wesleyan University and Columbia University’s School of Journalism. She was an award-winning producer for ABC News, covering politics, business, and real estate. Later, she became a freelance editor for Los Angeles magazine. As a journalist, Madeleine learned valuable skills that she would apply to her real estate career: gaining people’s trust and respect, excelling in high-pressure situations, and reacting with speed, composure, and precision.
Madeleine combines her expertise of real estate trends and passion for exploring the very best in Los Angeles to give her clients an educated and well-rounded viewpoint, and an unmatched caliber of market knowledge. Her personalized approach – asking poignant questions, listening to individual needs, and delivering comprehensive advice – has earned her a stellar reputation in the business.
In her free time Madeleine enjoys volunteering for The Concern Foundation for Cancer Research and City of Hope. She is a resident of Sherman Oaks, where she lives with her husband and son.
Resources:
Click here to read a raw, unedited transcript of this episode:
Melanie [00:04:02] [00:04:02]Thank you so much for joining us today, Madeleine.
Madeleine [00:04:11] Thank you so much for having me.
Melanie [00:04:13] Tell us about who you are and about your early career experiences leading to becoming the founder of Madeline Perez Properties.
Madeleine [00:04:20] Well, it's been kind of a long road. 00:04:23 You know, I was [0.4s] I'm originally a [00:04:25]New Yorker, [0.1s] lifelong New Yorker, [00:04:26]actually, and [1.4s] went to college at Wesleyan and then came back to New York City and started a career at Random House in book publishing and grew tired of that and 00:04:37 [0.0s] decided to switch careers. And I attended 00:04:40 [0.0s] Columbia School of Journalism. And as I was leaving there, 00:04:44 [0.0s] I was offered a really amazing opportunity to become 00:04:47 [0.0s] a producer for ABC News. And I covered 00:04:51 [0.0s] national politics [00:04:52]for them. [0.1s] And I was there for a long time 00:04:53 [0.0s] and it was a great, amazing experience. 00:04:58 [0.0s] And then 00:05:00 [0.0s] at some point, my family and I decided to relocate to Los Angeles. [00:05:04]My husband's originally from here, and it was something we had discussed for a long time. And [5.0s] I felt like it was the right time to make a move. 00:05:11 And so we relocated here almost 10 years ago. And [5.1s] in doing so, I [00:05:19]really [0.0s] decided I was going to make [00:05:20]kind of [0.2s] an overhaul and 00:05:22 [0.0s] choose a career path that served me better. 00:05:26 [0.0s] Journalism is amazing, but 00:05:30 [0.0s] it can be pretty brutal. 00:05:33 [0.0s] And so I wanted something that enabled me to live my life the way I wanted to on my terms. 00:05:40 [0.0s] And real estate for me was was that option. 00:05:44 [0.0s] I had always thought about doing real estate in New York, but it's a very different market and 00:05:47 [0.0s] Los Angeles is more welcoming. 00:05:52 And so [0.2s] I decided to get my real estate license about six years ago, 00:05:56 [0.0s] and it's [00:05:58]just [0.0s] been growing ever since. So I'm a I'm now a residential realtor at Compas and I saw all of Los Angeles. 00:06:07 [0.0s] And it's really [00:06:07]just [0.0s] been [00:06:08]an amazing, [0.2s] an amazing journey. And I really love it.
Melanie [00:06:11] Congratulations on building your business. That's wonderful. And you had an incredible career leading up to making your leap into real estate. What gave you the courage to say, I'm going to make this change? [00:06:23]You know, [0.1s] I've had and built this incredible career in journalism, but it's now time for me to make a shift and leap to do something different.
Madeleine [00:06:33] [00:06:33]Yeah, I mean, [0.4s] I've always been the kind of person who 00:06:34 [0.0s] is resilient, but it also recognizes when it's time to [00:06:40]kind of [0.2s] reinvent yourself and with the relocation and starting a family as well, 00:06:47 [0.0s] I felt like it was time to [00:06:48]kind of [0.2s] reinvent myself while doing something that had always kind of been on the back burner or something I had been interested in. But it was hesitant to do 00:06:57 [0.0s] because going out on your own and basically working for yourself because, [00:07:00]you know, [0.1s] essentially I am an independent contractor is very risky. But I had the confidence to do it. And, [00:07:07]you know, [0.1s] I had the skill set and the determination. And obviously I had worked in very, very intense high deadline, high stress environment. So I knew I could handle it. 00:07:20 And kind of you know, I did my background. [1.3s] I did my research to you know, I talked to a lot of other realtors, did a lot of my own interviews and kind of pulled my journalism skills in a bit 00:07:29 [0.0s] to figure out if it would really be the right fit for me. 00:07:33 [0.0s] And it was. But I really took my time with it.
Melanie [00:07:37] I'm really glad you said reinvent yourself, because so often we get on a path and then we don't give ourselves permission to make a change and our lives change as we go through them. Maybe we have a family. Maybe we make a move across the country, or we just [00:07:52]feel we [0.4s] wake up and decide. What I'm doing right now isn't really fulfilling me. I think I'm ready [00:07:58]to do [0.1s] to make that leap to do something else.
Madeleine [00:08:01] Yeah, absolutely, and, you know, I think I'm lucky in that, and I usually can sense when that moment is happening in my life 00:08:08 [0.0s] and it's happened multiple times. Like I said, I left publishing, went to grad school [00:08:12]and. [0.0s] I think it's really imperative as women that we recognize, [00:08:17]like [0.0s] as we're growing and changing, 00:08:19 [0.0s] that our careers sometimes need to change with us. [00:08:24]And, you know, it was that [1.9s] that for me was a really important element of my decision.
Melanie [00:08:30] And I love that you said you noticed that you were ready. It's trusting yourself.
Madeleine [00:08:35] Yeah, [00:08:35]I mean, I think you really have to look, [2.4s] you have to have a good support system, you have to have people around you who are helpful and will be honest, but also 00:08:45 [0.1s] will support you in that change because it is a big deal. 00:08:50 [0.0s] But you also have to trust your instincts and your gut. And my gut was telling me that journalism was no longer realistic for me for a lot of reasons. 00:09:00 [0.0s] And I I needed to do something I was really more enthusiastic about. And I also loved the idea of being self-employed for the first time really in my life. I had always been in the corporate world 00:09:12 [0.0s] and felt like I didn't need to be managed. I had enough drive and motivation to work for myself [00:09:19]and always have. [0.4s] And so I think that really was the tipping point for me to say, yeah, of course I can do this. I probably always could have.
Melanie [00:09:29] What is one of the. Most important things that you think building a successful business has taught you, and how does that help you in running your business today?
Madeleine [00:09:40] [00:09:40]I think. One of the things that's taught me, I mean, [4.0s] there's been a lot of lessons along the way, [00:09:46]of course, you know, when you're starting a new business, I think [3.3s] one of the things that's taught me is, [00:09:53]like I said, [0.3s] to trust your instincts, to be sure, to surround yourself with good mentors and good people who are going to guide you, 00:10:00 [0.0s] because when you're starting in something new, you need that. 00:10:05 [0.0s] And that has really contributed a lot to my success, I think, because there's always people I can bounce ideas off of and, [00:10:12]you know, [0.2s] I think it's to not really go it alone, even if you are working for yourself 00:10:17 [0.0s] and to find resources and people who have already done what you done and kind of study their path and study their, you know, their wins and losses and kind of use that information to inform how you operate.
Melanie [00:10:29] Thank you for bringing up community, because that's one of the reasons why I started in line. She built it because I realized so many of us need the same resources and it's so much better to take a trusted resource to say, hey, I've worked with this person or company. I had a great experience. Or one of the most fun things for me is seeing the women and as she built a community doing business with each other.
Madeleine [00:10:53] Yeah, and [00:10:53]that's you know, [0.5s] that's a huge part of it, that that that element of collaboration and especially for women, is so essential 00:10:59 [0.0s] in an industry that [00:11:02]couldn't, [0.0s] you could argue is male dominated. [00:11:05]And so [0.3s] having that sense of community with other female realtors and other female clients 00:11:12 [0.0s] is really, really important to me to be able to bounce ideas off of and also just kind of build my business and build theirs at the same time and [00:11:19]kind of [0.1s] support each other in both directions.
Melanie [00:11:24] What is one of the most memorable experiences that you've had while building your business today?
Madeleine [00:11:31] I've had a few, [00:11:32]you know, I think, you know, in terms of like [2.8s] one specific deal that always [00:11:37]deals [0.0s] stands out in my mind that it happened. Right. [00:11:40]You know, [0.2s] when it hit and we were really uncertain about what was going to happen with the market here in Los Angeles, although the market here has done very well, [00:11:48]actually. [0.0s] But at the time we didn't know and I had clients who ran into a house and we're desperate for it and fell in love with it. And they accepted an offer within an hour of going on the market and we didn't get it. And it was a really big learning experience for me because what happened was the listing agent was getting screamed at by a million other agents for doing that.
Melanie [00:12:08] And I didn't
Madeleine [00:12:09] I was [00:12:09]like [0.0s] trying to help her, actually. And I was very nice to her because she was in a tough situation. I said, look, my clients look this house, if I can get your back up off or will you accept it? And she said, you know what? You're the only person who's been kind to me today. Absolutely. I went home. I submitted that back up offer. Long story short, the original buyer fell through and my clients got that house. And to me, that was such a lesson. And you get what you give and you never know when you're going to cross paths with people again and always be kind in your interactions, even if it's not your natural instinct or you're frustrated or whatever. And so that was a really big moment in my career [00:12:49]for me. [0.3s] And it was amazing for my clients, too, because they just like, got their dream house and it was just so wonderful to hand them the keys, and that's really one of the joys of my business 00:13:00 [00:13:00]and it's what keeps us going. So know, that was one thing. And I think, you know, [3.7s] the other thing is [00:13:05]to really learn and [1.1s] I learned this probably within the first year, how important branding is. 00:13:13 [0.0s] There are so many real estate agents in Los Angeles and you have to find a way to stand out. [00:13:19]And so, you know, [1.6s] my marketing background and my journalism background definitely helped me, but also reaching out to 00:13:25 [0.0s] my community of contacts and helping them, helping me to 00:13:30 [0.0s] brand myself, who am I, what's my style, what's my logo, what's my vision? [00:13:34]You know, [0.1s] that was a huge 00:13:36 [0.0s] moment in my career when I realized [00:13:38]that [0.0s] how important that is to set you apart from this huge, huge crowd of agents that people could use y why to me. And [00:13:49]it was [0.1s] it made me realize how important I was. And I think that is really contributed to my success. Look, I haven't been doing this that long. Six years in this business is considered still relatively new. And yet I've had a ton of success. And I really do believe the branding and the messaging was one of the most important things I did.
Melanie [00:14:11] You are so right because you can be an incredible in real estate and if no one knows you exist, you can't help people. So you're so right. It's that marketing and branding and getting your story out there because clients want to know who you are and the story about finding a home for your clients and being kind. [00:14:32]That's [0.0s] I see why that's a memorable experience, because covid was so stressful for everyone and you had no idea what she was going through. And that kind of seemed to really pay off and then to help someone again during the stressful time to find their dream home. [00:14:49]Really awesome. [0.5s]
Madeleine [00:14:51] Yeah, it was really it was just like one of those great moments where 00:14:54 [0.0s] real estate can be extremely stressful and competitive. But when you have those moments, it reminds you of why you're [00:15:00]doing [0.0s] doing this in the first place. 00:15:03 [0.0s] And I think the other piece is also just being true to yourself, [00:15:07]you know, [0.1s] being honest, having integrity. [00:15:09]You know, I've mentioned this before, but like, [2.8s] there was a point in time when I felt in the beginning I had to [00:15:16]kind of [0.2s] temper my my New York nature of talking quickly and, [00:15:22]you know, [0.2s] being very direct and honest because I didn't want to spook L.A. clients and I realized that that was a mistake. And now 00:15:30 [0.0s] I am who I am. And [00:15:32]and [0.0s] I think that's actually brought me so much more business because I've earned so much respect for being honest and saying, hey, maybe we shouldn't buy this house or maybe this is the right house for you. And [00:15:42]I think [0.1s] that was another hard lesson to learn is like you don't have to pretend to be anything you're not. And in fact, by being true to you, you're going to draw in more people than you would the other way.
Melanie [00:15:56] [00:15:56]You're so right, [0.5s] because authenticity clients can see through that. [00:15:59]You know, [0.2s] if you're not absolutely your true self and when you're trying to buy a house, you really want someone that's on your side and tenacious. So I see how that strength can [00:16:11]play to your advantage and [1.0s] be to your advantage.
Madeleine [00:16:14] Yeah, absolutely, [00:16:15]I mean, [0.1s] it's essential in this business to be tenacious 00:16:17 [0.0s] and the authenticity doesn't always happen here 00:16:21 [0.0s] in any market. So having that under my belt and that reputation really does set me apart.
Melanie [00:16:31] How has your business shifted over the last year and what obstacles have you [00:16:34]been able to [0.9s] overcome?
Madeleine [00:16:38] 00:16:38 [0.0s] To be honest, my business [00:16:39]is not finished. [0.3s] Has never been this strong. [00:16:42]I mean, I'm doing amazing. [0.7s] I've always done really well. But this year has been really phenomenal. 00:16:46 You know, [2.1s] we've been lucky in that business has maintained here. 00:16:52 [0.0s] There's still it's still a very active [00:16:54]market.(UM) [0.0s] But in terms of shifting, I mean, the day to day is tricky. We have all kinds of obvious covid regulations we must obey and extra forms and extra rules, and they're constantly changing them. So it's been a lesson in [00:17:12]constantly and [0.9s] being able to constantly adjust in a way that we didn't have to do prior. And so [00:17:17]being flexible and [2.8s] being willing to learn new systems and new documents and new methods 00:17:25 [0.0s] on the fly has been a huge advantage for me. 00:17:30 [0.0s] And so that's how my business has changed. But I think my personality and [00:17:38]my [0.0s] my willingness to learn as really, again, really helped me a lot this year.
Melanie [00:17:44] And you can see that [00:17:45]through [0.0s] through your career path. And with all that shifting and changing, what is your strategy for management, for staying on task, to accomplish what you set out to do and [00:17:54]then [0.0s] motivating those around you?
Madeleine [00:17:56] [00:17:56]Yeah, so, I mean, for me, you know, [2.2s] I do something called time blocking, which is really important, which is basically like I lay out my mum, [00:18:05]you know, [0.8s] obviously real estate is not something you can always predict. But I have a general calendar for every month where I Tyahnybok when I'm going to work on my marketing, when I'm going to work on my email campaigns, and I'm going to work on that sort of stuff that I can predict 00:18:18 so that I've [2.6s] I've committed myself to that time window to do that project. And I'm not going to change [00:18:25]for that. [0.1s] So I, I don't let things slip. 00:18:28 [0.0s] I'm also very good about being in constant contact with past clients. That's on my whole CRM system set up through my agency and they remind us to follow up [00:18:42]and that sort of stuff. [0.5s] So I'm very good about that sort of stuff as well.
Melanie [00:18:47] That's great, because you never know when a client's going to give you a referral.
Madeleine [00:18:50] You don't, and it happens so often and sometimes you just touch base. It's like, hey, how are you doing? You guys doing all right? And covid you need anything? And then something will come up like, oh, by the way, my cousin is looking to buy a house and you're like, OK. Had I not reached out and a genuine concern of my clients, [00:19:11]I might not have heard that. [1.0s] So I, [00:19:13]I, I [0.6s] really make a point of staying on top of that [00:19:17]sort of stuff [0.4s] on purpose. And in terms of motivating other people, [00:19:25]you know, [0.1s] it's just about management and being respectful and everybody works differently. And I think it's important to have people on my team and it's important to understand personalities and how people work best and learn best and to be patient, because sometimes it takes some time to figure that out. A lot of people are visual learners versus auditory learners and so on. And so learning people's strengths and learning how they learn best has helped keep the people that I work with motivated, I think, because they feel they feel seen.
Melanie [00:19:59] Magic happens when we focus on the part of ourselves and our business that brings us joy, what is one tip that you can leave with us today about how you find and live your joy?
Madeleine [00:20:12] [00:20:12]You know, it's [0.6s] it's a Day-To-Day thing, [00:20:14]it's not [0.3s] for me, it's something I have to remind myself sometimes. My son is my wife. 00:20:20 [0.0s] I do all of this for him. 00:20:23 [0.0s] I also do it for myself. 00:20:26 [0.0s] And the joy is really in the clients. [00:20:29]Frankly, it's [0.5s] it's helping them 00:20:31 [0.0s] sell [00:20:32]their [0.0s] their family house that they raise their kids in and the emotion that's involved in that and getting them through it. And then, [00:20:39]you know, [0.1s] sometimes it's it's getting a buy or a house that has thirty seven offers and they win. And, [00:20:44]you know, [0.1s] it's those wins and those moments where you're helping someone make the biggest purchase of their life 00:20:52 [0.0s] and seeing just how happy they are. And then, [00:20:55]you know, [0.2s] months later you go to their house for a barbecue or dinner and it's like, wow, [00:20:59]like [0.0s] I really influenced this person's life forever. 00:21:03 And so [1.4s] that's where the joy of this business comes for me.
Melanie [00:21:09] [00:21:09]And what a really wonderful thing it really is. A personal. Sales and it's [5.6s]
Madeleine [00:21:15] [00:21:15]extremely personal business you you're talking to and working with your clients nonstop throughout a transaction, and, you know, there is an element of therapy involved in understanding personalities and really every every situation is different. But it really [17.5s] it is really, really rewarding at the end game to see how much you've helped someone's wife.
Melanie [00:21:43] Madeleine, your kindness and your tenacity and your care for your clients really shines through. Congratulations on the business that you have built.
Madeleine [00:21:52] [00:21:52]Thank you. [0.3s]
Melanie [00:21:53] [00:21:53]Can you [0.2s] tell our listeners how and where they can find you?
Madeleine [00:21:57] [00:21:57]Yeah, absolutely, so you can find me, [2.5s] you can find me on my website, Matip Properties dot com, 00:22:04 [0.0s] I have a strong Instagram presence at the same handal. 00:22:07 They can always [2.2s] reach out to me via email [00:22:11]or [0.0s] text or call [00:22:13]or whatever it may be. [1.5s] I am extremely accessible and I respond very quickly. [00:22:17]So [0.0s] I love talking to people, even if it just questions. So I'm always happy to talk.
Melanie [00:22:24] [00:22:24]OK, we're done with the recording. That was great. [1.9s]
Madeleine [00:22:27] [00:22:27]OK, good. [0.4s]
Melanie [00:22:29] [00:22:29]One quick thing. I don't think I don't think you mentioned Compass. [2.9s]
Madeleine [00:22:33] [00:22:33]Do you want. I did. Did you I a real realtor. Composites. OK. [4.1s]
Melanie [00:22:37] [00:22:37]OK, good. You know, I just wanted to make sure because I did I did a piece of [5.3s]
Madeleine [00:22:43] [00:22:43]paper to remind myself [1.0s]
Melanie [00:22:44] [00:22:44]I think I was expecting more of a I didn't know if you wanted to talk more about that, but as long as it's in there once. If that's [6.3s]
Madeleine [00:22:52] [00:22:52]if that's. Yeah. I just need it in there as a sentence. Literary agent one, my agency one. So they got crap. So that's all I needed. That's all that needed to be OK. [9.8s]
Melanie [00:23:02] [00:23:02]I was kind of expecting a little more. You know, I just want to make sure, [2.6s]
Madeleine [00:23:05] [00:23:05]you know, I mean, look, I'm here to promote my business, that there are agencies. So, you know, it's more about me, but I am obligated to mention them. [7.8s]
Melanie [00:23:13] [00:23:13]So I didn't mention it in the intro. You're OK with that, right? Or should I go back and you have to go back and add it? [4.9s]
Madeleine [00:23:19] [00:23:19]Because, I mean, in my heart, you know, just you can say I'm a residential realtor at Compas in Los Angeles. [5.7s]
Melanie [00:23:25] [00:23:25]OK, hold on a second. [1.3s]
Madeleine [00:23:28] [00:23:28]It's important to make the residential distinction because a lot of people are commercial agents and I'm not. [4.1s]
Melanie [00:23:33] [00:23:33]And let me grab a pen and just make sure I do this in the way that you want me to. Sure. OK. They say that you were born and raised in New York City and this pen isn't working. [11.2s]
Madeleine [00:23:47] [00:23:47]That's OK because my phone number. So we're even. [1.8s]
Melanie [00:23:50] [00:23:50]OK. And with speaking fast, I love someone that talks fast, [6.3s]
Madeleine [00:23:56] [00:23:56]so I was trying to slow myself down, but I know I was talking [4.6s]
Melanie [00:24:02] [00:24:02]I recorded with a woman recently and she spoke really fast. And I know what I was like. Oh, this is good. She's speaking at my pace. [7.8s]
Madeleine [00:24:10] [00:24:10]Oh, good. [0.3s]
Melanie [00:24:11] [00:24:11]I'm glad. Yeah. Benedikte prior to making her leap into residential real estate at Compass in Los Angeles. [8.0s]
Madeleine [00:24:21] [00:24:21]Sure, that's fine. Yeah. [1.0s]
Melanie [00:24:36] [00:24:36]OK, I got it, so I'll just I'll rerecord the it'll it's really quick, so, OK, but I just want to make sure that I was saying because I know when I saw that you were I was reading about you on campus and then I realized that you also had your own business. It took me a minute. [13.2s]
Madeleine [00:24:50] [00:24:50]Yeah. I mean, to figure that out like it, it is my business in L.A. The rules are if you're not if you're not a broker's license, you have to be with an agency. And so they are my agency. Right. So it's like a tricky misnomer. I think for any information about me, I would go on my site, the compensators disaster.