Randy Lindorff: Expanding Your Career

Real Estate Agent Magazine recently spoke with Minnesota real estate agent Randy Lindorff of the Real Home Team RE/MAX Results, White Bear Lake. Father of three, Lindorff has built a successful real estate career over the last decade, but like many this is chapter two in his life. Prior to launching his career as a real estate agent, he was in the construction side of the business.

REAM: Tell us a little about your career prior to becoming a real estate agent.

RL: I started my career in residential construction. I enjoyed being outside, the camaraderie and the creativity of building. Throughout my career I was very fortunate to have surrounded myself with smart and highly motivated people, including business partners, employees, and associates. This allowed me to be involved in many successful ventures, from ownership of a multiple state contracting business, land development, design services to remodeling and new home construction. I was also able to spend many years with industry groups such as American Lung Association, Minnesota Cold Climate Housing, University of Minnesota Building Science Department, and I had the honor of sitting on the board at The Moisture In Buildings Group with the state of Minnesota.

REAM: What prompted the change in careers?

RL: I’m a people person and have always been drawn to sales. Helping people buy and sell homes gives me the opportunity to use my past construction experience to help educate my clients on how homes are designed, function and maintained.

REAM: Did you have a mentor or someone who helped/encouraged you when embarking on your real estate career?

RL: Absolutely! My business partner Jordan Schroeder has been an industry leader and a top producer for many years. Jordan is a great educator and will always go the extra mile for his clients and team members.

REAM: What was your first year like?

RL: My first year was 100 percent designated as a year for learning. I was fortunate to have been drawing a full time salary from my remodeling company as I navigated the turbulent waters of becoming a real estate agent. It takes a while for anyone other than close friends or family to have faith in you as a new agent that you can competitively market, negotiate and successfully close on one of your clients biggest if not their biggest assets.

REAM: Looking back, is there anything you might have done differently?

RL: Looking back I’m happy with the road I chose that brought me to where I’m at today; although, if I had the chance to step back in time, I would likely get my real estate license earlier.

if I had the chance to step back in time, I would likely get my real estate license earlier.

REAM: What have been the most successful “tools” for you?

RL: Building relationships is the most important part of my business. I treat all my clients with the same respect as my immediate family and I never want them feeling pressured to make a decision. The most rewarding part of my job is being blessed with countless lifelong friends who were at one time just strangers looking to buy a home. I did not expect so many people would be a part of my life long after the transaction is over.  As far as tools, I love technology and its steady flow of new industry software and tech gadgets. New innovative tech keeps me excited for the future and I continually can’t wait to see what the next year brings!

REAM: What do you enjoy most about real estate?

RL: Helping first time owners purchase a home is my favorite aspect of the job. The energy and emotions of buying your first home is so exciting and a typically a monumental event in one’s life, it is such an honor for me to be a part of it.

REAM: What have been the greatest challenges?

RL: Time management, balancing work and family time is always a challenge, especially in the first-time homebuyer market. The majority of my clients tell me they want to be respectful of my time and they do not need me to get them into new listing the same day request. My response is always thank you, but if we are going to find you a house in the current sellers’ market we are going to need to set up a showing to get in the home same day or at least within 24 hours. A successful real estate agent figures out a way to basically be on call the majority of the day and night within reason.

REAM: Is real estate what you expected it to be?

RL: It is far more rewarding than I ever expected. The financial rewards are nice, but the friendships I have acquired are priceless.

REAM: If anything, what surprised you most about being a real estate agent?

RL: As I mentioned earlier, I’m continually amazed at the amount of nice people I get to spend time with. Being involved in one of someone’s major life events can definitely result in a strong bond that continues far into the future.

Being involved in one of someone’s major life events can definitely result in a strong bond that continues far into the future.

REAM: What made you choose RE/MAX Results?

RL: RE/MAX Results is a brokerage that provides its real estate agents with industry leading technology, tools and support. They allow their agents to run their business as they see fit and as a result their agents are continually ranked as the top producing agents in the industry. I have spent the majority of my life being self-employed as a business owner and when I was making my decision on who to work with I was most attracted to the fact that RE/MAX Results has a hands off approach when overseeing their agents.

REAM: Do you ever miss your career in construction or consider returning to it?

RL: My past career is so tied to my present I feel I have never changed just expanded.

REAM: What advice would you offer someone who, like you might want to switch careers?

RL: Spend some time shadowing as many real estate agents as you can before making the decision to enter the industry. As you can tell from my answers I feel very fulfilled with my career, but it is a real grind during the first few years and the balancing act between your personal life and career is almost always why people leave the profession.

REAM: What do you do in your spare time?

RL: Everything I can! I love spending time with my family and friends, but my passion and is Kiteboarding and I will try to ride whenever the opportunity allows. Snow covered frozen lakes with a snowboard, twin tip and foil boards in the water on a local lake, or a surfboard and huge waves on frigid Lake Superior! It is all good with me 🙂

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