CANVES-REBEL MAGAZINE: We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ruth Bruno a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below. (June 17, 2024)
Ruth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Early in your career, how did you think through the decision of whether to start your own brokerage firm or join an established firm?
The conventional real estate brokerage model often assigns one broker to oversee a large number of agents, sometimes as many as 200 to 300, and tends to recruit individuals solely based on their possession of a real estate license. Seeking something more tailored to my aspirations, I aimed to position myself for success in a distinctive manner.
I embarked on a thorough search, interviewing with 11 brokerages across Orange County, California. However, I found that many treated me more as a statistic than as an individual launching my own venture. Their focus seemed primarily self-serving, lacking a genuine concern for my individual growth.
Being rooted in Irvine, California, my desire was to affiliate with a brokerage that fostered collaboration, encouraged idea-sharing, training and promoted mutual support among agents to enhance their personal businesses, thereby enriching the brokerage as a whole. As I nurtured my own small business and brand, I sought an environment conducive to my goals.
Through extensive research, leveraging my background in corporate America, and networking with numerous professionals, I discovered the team and brokerage that aligned perfectly with my vision. Since joining, my business has flourished consistently year after year.
While it’s true that the growth of my business isn’t solely attributed to the brokerage’s name, but rather to my relentless hard work and dedication, I’ve found that the collaborative spirit within my team has played a significant role. Despite being an individual agent, we operate as a cohesive unit, offering each other support and assistance. It’s a dynamic that’s truly unique and somewhat challenging to articulate in mere words.
Ruth , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m currently in my third and final career, and I can confidently say I’ve found my true calling. It all began in my early 20s when I entered the dental industry, eventually transitioning into office management when the doctor I worked for retired. After that, I embarked on my second career with a small boutique marketing/market research firm in Orange County. As the sole salesperson, I focused on building relationships with top executives across various industries, including Medical Device, Dental, Pharmaceuticals, and Services Companies, all over the US. Over the course of 14+ years, I played a pivotal role in growing the company and achieving remarkable success.
However, challenges arose when the owner of the company faced personal issues that adversely affected the business. Despite my efforts, I was let go due to financial constraints, the owner made bad decisions, and this was the demise of that company, leaving the company with only two employees. While I secured another position at a research company, I found that they didn’t appreciate my value as a relationship builder and problem solver committed to delivering exceptional service. Their focus was solely on making individual sales, whereas my approach was centered on cultivating long-term relationships and generating multiple sales to foster business growth.
Driven by my passion for connecting with people and making a difference, I realized that I needed to align myself with an environment that resonated with my values and core ethics. Dissatisfied with working for those who didn’t value me, I made the bold decision to venture into real estate and establish my own small women owned business. It turned out to be the most fulfilling and rewarding decision I’ve ever made. Hard work and dedication.
What distinguishes me – Ruth Bruno of Ruth Bruno Real Estate – is my role as your guardian in real estate. I prioritize safeguarding your interests, maximizing profits, and minimizing expenses. Offering a fresh perspective on Orange County Real Estate, I treat every transaction as if it were my own, saving you time, energy, and money, all while delivering exceptional service and communication throughout the entire process. All while having fun too.
My ultimate aim is to achieve your goals, ensuring that the home selling or buying experience is among the best for you. For my buyers, especially first-time buyers, I provide complimentary buyer journey consultations, guiding them through the entire purchasing process, starting with establishing a budget. I am committed to preventing anyone from purchasing a home beyond their means, always looking out for their best interests.
For my sellers, I prioritize understanding their priorities and objectives, devising the most effective plan to accomplish them. While it may sound straightforward, executing this requires a dedicated professional. I handle all logistical aspects, preparing the home for the market, and once again, safeguarding your interests, maximizing profits, and minimizing expenses to ensure the best return on investment.
As the fifth daughter in my family and a single mother, I believe negotiation is ingrained in my nature, coupled with a strong work ethic. I possess an in-depth understanding of contracts, deriving immense satisfaction from protecting my clients and helping them achieve their goals. I believe these qualities set me apart from the majority of agents in the industry. Despite being in real estate for 5.5 years, I have sold more homes than many who have been in the field for over 20+ years. My dedication to my clients is unwavering. I truly love what I do and protecting as many families as I can. This is your largest asset, it’s important who you hire.
I take immense pride in having the courage to bet on myself. My business isn’t just a venture; it’s a reflection of who I am as a person. Throughout my life, I’ve diligently sought to surround myself with positive influences and contribute to the community. The success of my business fills me with pride because it reflects my unwavering dedication and genuine passion for assisting others. Aligning my authentic self with my business, Ruth Bruno Real Estate, felt like the most natural step forward.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
October 2019 marked my debut in assisting a friend with a significant real estate endeavor. Despite my relatively limited experience—I had only sold three homes since obtaining my real estate license—my friend entrusted me with the dual tasks of selling her Irvine home and facilitating the purchase of a highly sought-after single-story lakefront property.This decision wasn’t part of my friend’s original plan; after residing in her Irvine home for three decades, the opportunity to acquire a stunning lakefront residence presented itself unexpectedly. Recognizing the uniqueness of the property, we swiftly embarked on the journey to make it theirs.
However, to have our offer on the lakefront property taken seriously by the listing agent, we needed to list my friend’s home promptly. With just one week to prepare, I mobilized a team comprising another friend, my sister, and my clients to declutter, stage, clean, paint and photograph the property. Despite our efforts, our initial offer on the lakefront property was not accepted.
Continuing to monitor the market closely, we seized the opportunity when the lakefront property reappeared on the MLS. We submitted another offer, only to face disappointment once more when the listing agent accepted a different offer (after verbally telling me he would accept ours). This escrow was also canceled.Frustrated by the lack of follow-through, I urged the listing agent to honor his commitment, ultimately securing acceptance of our offer. It is true 3rd time is the charm!
Yet, our challenges were far from over. My clients’ offer on the lakefront property was contingent on selling their Irvine home—a task made even more challenging by its proximity to a railroad track and high powerlines. Despite these hurdles, I organized open houses and successfully secured multiple offers, albeit with setbacks when the chosen buyer withdrew from escrow.
Undeterred, I persevered, holding more open houses and ultimately finding a suitable buyer for my friend’s home. It was ironic that both homes fell out of escrow twice.
The situation with the Lake house listing agent became increasingly stressful, especially given that it was an estate sale involving a probate attorney. As I engaged more with the listing agent, I began to understand the root cause of the problem: he wasn’t fulfilling his responsibilities adequately. Despite the home’s stunning remodel, the lack of proper paperwork organization had led to two failed escrows. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, I took matters into my own hands. Spending hours meticulously combing through the paperwork, I compiled all necessary documents into an Excel spreadsheet, detailing the renovation expenses and ensuring all relevant information was readily available for the appraiser. I am excited to share my hard work paid off and home appraised above the purchase price! My client/friend was so happy.
This accomplishment paved the way for the successful purchase of the lakefront property, albeit with its own share of negotiations and challenges along the way. Despite the setbacks and frustrations, the end result was a testament to perseverance and determination in the face of adversity.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
What’s the best way to expand your client base? It’s all about staying connected in a friendly and engaging manner. I organize fun giveaways, host events, and keep things lively on social media with posts and updates. From emails to pop-bys, I make sure to keep the lines of communication open. My goal is to build even stronger connections with clients and friends through more personal interactions in the future.
Plus, I love to get to know people, so really engaging at my open houses has been very successful for me in getting new clients.
Image Credits
Photo credits, most from my own cell phone, and designs I made in Canva. One of my photographers took the picture of the home I sold in North Tustin, Greg Rys.
Lea Prokopowicz took my headshot.
Contact Info:
Website: https://www.ruthbrunorealestate.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthbruno/
Other: Google: https://g.page/r/CSSVLV057HTAEAI/review
Brokerage: Regency Real Estate Brokers, Inc
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