VITALS:
Infinity Real Estate Group
Years in business: 23
Size: 1 office, 36 agents
Regions Served: Greater Houston and many suburbs
2022 Sales Volume: $1 20 million
2022 Transactions: 315
Growing up, Christy Buck heard stories from her grandmother, aunts and uncles, who were all in the real estate business; she had an inkling early on that it would be a career she would follow as well.
That feeling came true after she had her second child and decided a real estate career would give her the flexibility she was looking for in life. It wasn’t long before Buck was achieving her lofty goals. She was awarded as one of RE/MAX’s top Texas agents for a number of years, ranking among the top 20 teams in the state and top 100 in the U.S.
But in 2019, Buck decided to build her own firm from the ground up and became president and owner of Infinity Real Estate Group, in Pearland, Texas, which also offers a title company and mortgage company.
Why was building your own company from the ground up important to you?
Christy Buck: I realized there was something more than working seven days a week, 18 hours a day. I hired a business coach to better understand how to run a business and build a business of value. That helped me build the mega-team I have now and understand that I could grow, delegate, have more work-life balance and not have to be the one in the trenches day in and day out.
What are your strategies to succeed in 2023 as the real estate market resets from the boom during the pandemic years?
CB: We are aligning ourselves with the correct lenders that provide our clients choices and the opportunity of owning a home in today’s market. We and our agents also continuously script the proper dialogue to help consumers overcome the objections that today’s market creates.
When things aren’t going perfectly, what are the keys to righting the ship and keeping business on track for success?
CB: The main thing I teach my agents is not to bury your head and hide and feel defeated. We need to rise and do the activities that other people aren’t doing. People will always have to move—it’s subject to life and it’s just going to be about who they choose to do business with. It’s not that there isn’t business, but about where one is positioning themselves. For instance, last year we had an average year, but we stayed stable and consistent by being strategic in the necessary areas required to do so. That involves focusing on the right scripting and dialogue.
Do you have any growth initiatives planned for the firm over the next year?
CB: We have goals planned for the next year. When we have a struggling market, it gives us the opportunity to rise as others aren’t willing to do the necessary work to tackle a challenging market. We hire right, train thoroughly, trust and delegate in order to grow. We always have the right people in place that will implement those steps correctly.
When you were first starting out, did you find that being a woman leader presented challenges?
CB: Real estate is primarily a female industry, however, being a woman does create challenges as far as working with certain buyers and sellers, and demanding the respect from men and women. The challenges came when I decided to build an 11,000-square-foot building and had to work with general contractors. There have been challenges to get the respect that men get as we’ve grown to the position that we’ve grown into.
How do you champion women in the firm?
CB: We’re doing vision boards and business plans, and we make sure that we set their goals and help them obtain those goals, and understand that they can be successful. I teach them to be strong, independent and financially stable. And I encourage them to apply to leadership positions at different boards and places where they can volunteer their time, making sure they have a presence.
What’s the secret for keeping your agents happy?
CB: As the broker/owner, having a cohesive team working together is what allows all of us to be happy and reach our goals. I start off every year with a kickoff party that celebrates different categories of agents (Diamond, Gold, etc.). We award them with gifts and they are recognized and appreciated. We do culture events where I take their entire families somewhere every quarter. We celebrate birthdays and have a monthly luncheon. Culture is very important to me. We get to know them, their families, their goals and where they want to be in life.
What is your favorite thing about being in the real estate business?
CB: My absolute favorite thing is watching my agents reach their personal goals.
