Inspiring Conversations with Tami Greenslade of Property Brokers

Hi Tami, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I went to college from 1988-1992 at St. Cloud State University to be an elementary teacher and coach. Completing my student teaching in England, living in Alnwick Castle, and traveling to 10 countries was a lifetime opportunity! This truly opened up my eyes to the rest of the world and helped me appreciate what I had back home in MN. After 5 years of teaching and coaching volleyball, I sought other career opportunities. Summers were spent working in various offices, and I realized I loved organizing events, marketing, sales, and helping people of all ages. I knew that I loved to learn and I loved houses, so I earned my real estate license in 2004. Helping first-time buyers has been a passion of mine for 19+ years. Taking them under my wing, teaching them the buying process, and showing them what to watch out for and what expenses to plan for have been very important to my business. Showing sellers how to prepare their homes for the market and my problem-solving skills have helped grow my business.

My motto is “Take care of people, and they will take care of you.” My clients learn quickly that I care about them and will go above and beyond to get them from the showings to the closing table. I am detailed, thorough, extremely reliable, and responsive. I take my career seriously and am available for my clients when they have questions or need guidance.

The real estate market has changed so much over the last 19 years. I have seen it be a buyers’ market with several foreclosed properties, a market where sellers were upside down on their properties, to a strong sellers’ market where properties were receiving 10-20 offers $35k above list price with no foreclosed properties, to now a slower market, yet still strong sellers’ market with fewer buyers and more negotiations. Interest rates have gone from 7% to 2%, back up to 7%. This is why learning, growing, and staying in touch with current trends and needs are essential to my business. I am the president of my networking group with Master Networks in Rochester, MN. I farm 2 neighborhoods of 400-500 homes and over 75 local businesses, sponsor Neighborhood Garage Sales and National Night Out every year, attend Chamber of Commerce events, and do a ton on social media. Being involved and volunteering for my local neighborhood, organizations, and businesses are critical to the success of my business. I just started working with Bolder Options to be a mentor to a teenager in Rochester.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Obstacles and struggles? Oh my gosh, yes. It helps to think back to those challenging times. My long-term goal was to be a college professor to teach others how to be a teacher. After 5 years of teaching, I realized that it wasn’t for me and that I could use my talents in another profession. I met with someone who assured me that my career did not have to meet all my passions and loves and that I could still work with children in a volunteer position and have a different career. I realized that I did not want to be a workaholic. I wanted balance in my life and to be able to focus on what was most important: my family and friends. I am the oldest of 7 girls, including a twin sister 5 minutes younger than me, and 27 nieces and nephews! Being self-employed allows me to attend many of their school and sporting events, and I love it! Switching to real estate has been a perfect fit for me, but it hasn’t always been easy. Being self-employed, not having a boss telling you what to do and when, can be tricky, and you are only paid when you close on a property. Real estate is an expensive business to be in. Fortunately, I am great at saving money and living within my means. The ever-changing market is also challenging, so being open-minded to learning and surrounding myself with other like-minded and positive people has helped. I know that my networking group has saved my business, my confidence, and my mindset. I stepped up to be the president of my chapter 3 years ago, despite my preference for being behind the scenes. This leadership position was my best decision in years, and my accountability has soared! With the right team and support, I have learned that I can get through anything, no matter what the market, lack of inventory, interest rates, and obstacles thrown at me.

We’ve been impressed with Property Brokers of MN, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
I am a full-time real estate agent at Property Brokers of MN. We currently have 21 experienced agents at my brokerage, and my broker, Brian Rossow, is amazing as a leader, problem-solver, and cheerleader!

I have worked with many first-time buyers and sellers of all ages and price ranges, and I am known for making the buying and selling process educational and fun! The biggest compliment I receive from my clients is my availability to answer questions and show homes. I take my career seriously, and I take care of my clients. I am most proud of my involvement with my local community and other business owners via networking, sponsorships, and attending events. I am also an independent consultant for Pampered Chef, as I love giving amazing closing gifts to my clients that are useful and top quality! Because I’m obsessed with proofreading, I have a side business called Tami vs Typos! It’s a good use for my very detailed eye.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I am fortunate to be in a very sought-after real estate area in SE MN. Home of the Mayo Clinic and an area with many businesses, restaurants, schools, and recreational areas will always keep us a desired area in MN. We have so many smaller communities within 20 miles available for those who work in the city but want small-town living. I love Rochester and everything it has to offer!

The outlook for the next 5-10 years is encouraging, and I look forward to helping even more buyers find their dream properties and sellers to sell and put that money towards their next property. As interest rates stay steady, buyers and sellers will start to accept the rates and decide that it is time to sell and buy their next property. I believe that it will become a more balanced market with more inventory and buyers. Prices will stay strong due to demand, and negotiating terms such as home inspections and seller-paid closing costs will return. We cannot control the interest rates or prices, but we can educate the market about current trends and changes that we are seeing and work together to help them reach their housing goals. Helping educate people on home ownership, home maintenance, and home improvement projects to increase their equity will be an essential goal for my real estate career.

Contact Info:

• Email: justsoldbytami@gmail.com