Self-employment
Winner of Stevie Award for Women in BusinessBest Canadian EntrepreneurThe story of Sandra Rinomato's explosive career is a testament to the saying, "Do what you love, the rest will follow." |
|
 [ 2007-12-12 ] |
To find out, take this test by eCareerFit, the career assessment experts.
Host of Property Virgins
As a highly successful GTA realtor, host of the hit HGTV show Property Virgins, mentor to new real estate agents, and author of a forthcoming behind-the-scenes book on the real estate business, the 40-something Torontonian is following her passion, and reaping the rewards -- one of them being the coveted Stevie Award for Women in Business for Best Canadian Entrepreneur.
"I've always liked helping people in one way or another," says Rinomato, a Coldwell Banker representative. "It's very gratifying to be able to sell someone a piece of property that they're ecstatic about."
Rinomato's enthusiasm for her work has been the gain of the hundreds of clients she has served over the past 12 years. For home sellers, she has a track record of getting more than 98% of the asking price for homes ranging from the modest to the million-dollar variety.
Whether working with sellers or buyers, she excels at the fine art of negotiating, which enables her to earn them fair deals.
"In the end, I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly," she says. "Armed with the right information and knowledge, I'm able to make sure my clients don't get clouded by emotion and stay calm and focused so that we can create a win-win situation."
Win-win is what it's been all about for Rinomato throughout her stellar realty career, marked by her membership in her company's prestigious President's Circle, featuring the top 5% of Coldwell Banker reps worldwide, and the fact that she achieved top unit production at her branch in 2006 -- the same year she spent nine months filming the first season of Property Virgins.
Despite having no previous TV experience, Rinomato was chosen from hundreds of applicants to host the popular reality show, which examines the house-hunting experience through the eyes of first-time buyers. The hit show is now in its second season and is broadcast internationally to a strong and growing audience.
"The job of being on camera is completely different than anything I've experienced," she says. "It comes quite naturally to me, which I didn't consider a talent, but they call it a talent. I don't know where it comes from. But when I'm in real estate mode, I get totally lost in it and very rarely do I remember that there are cameras on me."
The long hours and lack of control over her schedule can be stressful, she says. But she enjoys complete autonomy over how she advises her clients, and says she gets a high out of helping them -- and viewers in similar situations -- wade through the complexities of the first-time home-buying process.
"I like being able to reach people across the nation," she says. "I get e-mails of thanks for giving viewers information that helped them when they bought a home somewhere in Canada. I think that's what I like best about being on the show."
Having achieved solid success in the profession, Rinomato is now doing what she can to give back. As a certified real estate broker manager, one of the most respected certifications in the business, she's able to mentor new and struggling real estate agents though coaching sessions.
"Coaching is extremely motivating to me -- I love it and I thrive on it," she says.
She has also shared her knowledge by contributing several articles on real estate to the HGTV website, and is the author of the forthcoming book Realty Check: The Real Scoop on Real Estate, due to be published in mid-2008.
"I think the difference is that I actually care," she says. "Each person you deal with is a human being who has their own intriguing story. Most people aren't very familiar with real estate, so if I can guide them in the right direction, it's immensely rewarding for me."
Does your employer subsidize your commute to work?