Login
iscover
An unexpected issue in staffing led to this agent’s first successful sales gig, outselling more experienced staff members. Now, she’s an REB Rising Star.
Before getting into property, McGrath Estate Agent’s Jennifer Rainbow worked for a car dealership, where she accidentally “fell into” sales.
“[I was] assisting with stock control when they got short-staffed for a big sales weekend. So they asked me to help out, and I ended up selling five new cars over two days, outselling the most experienced staff!” she said.
“I spent the next couple of years selling new cars, which I believed taught me many valuable lessons, like how to talk to people, listen, follow up, ask the right questions and ask for business.”
Her first taste of real estate transactions occurred at the age of 23, when she decided it was time to sell the first property that she ever purchased.
That real estate experience fell short of her expectations, and inspired her to pursue a career in property, eventually leading to her first real estate job — assisting her father in property sales.
“I decided it was meant to be. I was determined to do a better job than I had experienced!”
According to Ms Rainbow, buying and selling properties herself allowed her to be more empathetic to her clients and ultimately provide the service that they need.
“Between my dad and myself, I also feel very proud to have assisted around 1,000 people to buy or sell a property,” she said.
Rising star
After taking on her own clients, the real estate agent moved on to become a part of McGrath Estate Agents, where she continued training and eventually became one of the company’s emerging talents.
Ms Rainbow was the top-selling individual agent at McGrath Sutherland Shire in 2019–20.
She also won the Rising Star award at the REB Women in Real Estate Awards 2020.
But for Ms Rainbow, one of her biggest achievements is being able to maintain a career while also taking care of her children, a feat she said was “something that is not possible in a lot of other industries”.
“I’m very lucky to be able to raise a family and continue doing something that I really enjoy and that I am passionate about,” she reflected.
Consistent values amid changing times
Like many other real estate professionals, Ms Rainbow has had to make adjustments to her business once COVID-19 hit Australia, along with the entire world.
She had to be more regimented to keep her focus on hitting targets, all while maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
The agent also found her clients in need of more constant reassurance, so she made it a point to offer constant updates, whether via phone, messages or email.
“People are drawn to you when you have a plan and you know what you’re doing, so I’ve found it really important as of late to be very upbeat and confident in what you’re putting forward,” according to her.
Through the changes that she had to make amid the pandemic, the values that her father taught her in the beginning of her career ultimately sustained her shine.
Ms Rainbow said that respect and trustworthiness has made her clients stay during the toughest times.
“My dad always says, ‘People often don’t remember what you say, but they remember how you made them feel’. So I make the effort to leave everything on a positive note, no matter what the situation is,” she said.
“It is difficult to not be emotional about some situations, so I think it’s important to really think things through and give advice based on what is the best outcome for your customer.”
Looking ahead, Ms Rainbow aims to continue being a “beacon of light” to her clients, “someone that you could trust and go to for anything property-related”.
She concluded: “Whether I’m getting paid or not, I want people to feel like I am their trusted adviser.
“I am a firm believer that you get back what you offer… I definitely work very hard, but I think it’s just as important to be a decent person and offer to help, without the expectation of anything in return.”
Newsletter
