Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Johnston
Hi Ryan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My first foray into real estate was as a leasing consultant for a 500 unit luxury hi-rise that was opening in Connecticut. As part of the job they required us to get our license. It was an awesome experience but left me wanting more. I was drawn to the homes and the false portrayal of residential sales on shows like Million Dollar Listing thinking it looks easy enough and I could do it. I decided to leave my job and take my shot at residential sales instead of leasing and within 3 months I had burned through my entire savings, ate a large piece of humble pie and had to go back to a normal job again to survive. I was naive and lazy in my initial approach and the industry showed me very quickly it wasn’t anything like television. After going back to a property management role, I transferred within my company and moved to Georgia and got my license down there as well. I decided to take what I learned and try again. Luckily, this time it worked out and I have been selling in Georgia for the past 10 years and have helped over 225 families along the way. It’s definitely not easy and is a constant learning experience!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge outside of completely failing the first time around is just that when I moved to Georgia, I had no network or sphere to work off of. I am also not the most extroverted person and didn’t see a future cold calling or door knocking, which was going to make the path in real estate quite a bit harder. I opted to start on teams that provided leads but the splits were so low that I was working non stop 7 days a week and not making real money. It was an amazing way to get years worth of experience and knowledge of the city but it took a toll on my personal life and I couldn’t find a work life balance. Over the years as I have increased my price points and developed more of a network, it has made it easier to truly run things as a business. When you are able to treat real estate as a business and have a better understanding of budgeting, marketing, social media, you can then delegate and outsource to take back some of your time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My wife and I live in Alpharetta with our 2 daughters and absolutely love it there. I sell residential real estate full time and try to be ingrained in the community. We love the area so much after living all over the city that I have even started the @LivingInAlpharetta YouTube channel as a way to not only grow my business but also promote the area. As far as work goes, I am a numbers person and analytical. When it comes to helping clients, every piece of advice I give is based on what I would do if I was in their situation. If I am only focusing on getting deals closed at the expense of proper guidance to clients, it means I will be the first one they complain about down the road if they feel I didn’t have their best interest at heart. Sellers can always expect me to tell them if I honestly think there is a better offer out there and buyers know I will give my honest opinion if I think there are better homes options for them.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The easiest social channels are finding me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube. My cell is readily available as well even if it is something as simple as getting a market update or a recommendation for a vendor or contractor. As much as any Realtor loves referrals to keep growing their business, one of the best ways to show support is if you have worked with me before and had a great experience, to let others know by sharing it on Google or Zillow Reviews.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ryanjohnston.atlantafinehomes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryansellsatlanta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.johnston.94801
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-johnston-4bb0a935/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInAlpharetta
- Other: https://www.zillow.com/profile/RyanSellsAtlanta#reviews
