Meet Devin Schlaufman | Associate Broker, REALTOR®, Vacation Rental Owner and Operator
We had the good fortune of connecting with Devin Schlaufman and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Devin, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Consistency I believe is the biggest roll in succeeding. Early on in my career I realized that if I wanted to build a business and have it be sustainable I would have to implement major consistency. Knowing what my marketing plan was months in advanced and executing it consistently. Knowing what my follow up procedures were and executing them consistently. Knowing how to follow through in lead follow up and past client follow up and executing them consistently. It is not always easy but it has been the foundation of my success.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I currently have 2 businesses. I own my own corporation under EXIT Realty Pikes Peak where I help people buy, sell and invest into real estate. The second one is owning and running Vacation Rental Properties. Currently my better half and myself own three in three different states. We have one locally in Colorado Springs. Another in Tempe, Arizona and just recently we opened one up in Cape Coral, Florida. It was a natural progression into owning rentals by being in the real estate environment day in and day out.
When I got into real estate I wanted to make sure that I kept the most important part of my business, my true passion, at the forefront of my business… My people. It’s incredibly difficult to stand out when there is literally thousands of other agents people can pick from. So I knew I had to do more of what I do best which was to provide the best customer service, know as much as I possibly can, commit to never stopping learning, and to treat people how I truly want to be treated. Each deal is not about the check at the end of it all but by the way my people feel before, during and after the sale happens. I work incredibly hard to make sure that each client I have feels like they are my only client. Im present at as many appointments, showings, conversations, inspections, design center appointments, and closings that I can be. It is a rare event that i’m not present for my people throughout the process of working for them. Sometimes I show up with a baby on my hip… but I try to always show up. I also end each deal with a thank you gift from me ranging from ring doorbells, to robot vacuums, to home warranties and many awesome gifts in-between. There are thousands of REALTORS® to choose from and I feel truly honored to be the agent someone picks. The least I can do is provide them with an awesome thank you gift at the end of our adventure together. The trust so many awesome people have placed on me has landed me in the top 5% of REALTORS® for production of a single agent in Colorado Springs. An accomplishment that I am extremely proud of and hopefully can continue to maintain. Getting to that point though hasn’t come without lost sleep and challenges. Learning how to juggle so many requirements of the job to achieve success was beyond stressful and exhausting. I knew what I wanted to achieve though and I wasn’t going to quit until I got there. Which leads me to my second business.
Vacation Rental Homes most commonly called Airbnb’s are my second passion. Everything about them from deciding on location, the research, the hunt for the home and designing the interior lights a fire inside of me and brings me true happiness. Knowing that something I am part of becomes part of someone else’s story is really exciting. I hand pick each and every item that is placed inside of the homes and I do it with great thought and detail. With every 5 star review and positive comments I know the time and energy were worth it. Each happy guest is an incredibly rewarding moment in my book.
I think it’s important to know that everyone has the ability to achieve great success as long as they are willing to work extremely hard for it. Prior to building my real estate business and investing into real estate I was a single mom who served tables 40+ hours a week. I desired more out of life though than just surviving every day and I was willing to work, grow and develop the skills necessary to have the life I always wanted. No matter your passion do it to the best of your ability and treat people well. When you do those two things you cant ever go wrong.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things to do is visit our Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It’s the only zoo built on a mountain and the views are absolutely stunning. A quick drive up the zoo to the Shrine of Remembrance will take your breath away for the views and the history. We would spend an evening doing Fondue at The Mona Lisa In Manitou Springs. If we felt super adventurous we’d hike the Manitou Incline. There is nothing more rewarding than going 1 mile, gaining 2000 feet in elevation and successfully taking 2,768 steps. It is not for the faint of heart but its absolutely worth doing once in your life time. We would reward ourselves with a meal at The Loop at the base of the incline. Local hole in the wall with killer margaritas and delicious Mexican food. An afternoon hitting balls at our new Top Golf while enjoying the scenery of our Rocky Mountains has quickly become a local favorite. A quick drive down the street brings us to the Colorado Mountain Brewery where they brew local beers in house. We’d check out the terror-dactyl at cave of the winds. A 150 foot free fall into Williams Canyon at over 100 MPH. We’d enjoy dinner at McKenzies Chophouse downtown. A local Chop House with fabulous dessert martinis.
Colorado Springs isnt quite known for endless entertainment but is an amazing place to live, raise a family or just establish roots and im here to help anyone who wants to establish their home in Colorado Springs.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have three. A professional, personal and a book that I would like to recognize.
First my Employing (Sheryll White) and Managing (Jeni Vanornum) brokers have been a huge contributing factor in my success. Combined they have over 40 years of selling real estate and real estate investing and are a wealth of knowledge. They have always been a shoulder to lean on or a brain to pick when needed. In Real Estate there is not one day or one transaction that are the same. Each deal presents problems that all need different solutions. They have always been the cheerleaders that were behind me pushing me forward on my road to success.
Secondly, my family. My hubby and three kids need a huge pat on the back. They are completely understanding with my long hours, endless phone calls and text messages, and tagging along for showing houses or running work errands. They rarely complain and encourage me to continue to follow my dreams.
And thirdly, -The Compound Effect- by Darren Hardy. I have listened to the Audible version of this book several times and each time I take away more of what I can do to succeed more in all aspects of my life. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Website: www.Realestatewithdevin.com
Instagram: realtor.devin
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/devin-schlaufman
Twitter: @DevinSchlaufman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realestatewithdevin
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZEUxbnFbar2iRN5mJp2Biw
Image Credits
Karina Palmer Photography for the outdoor/family shots and PixVid for all of the real estate pictures
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
