One of the things that the real estate and fashion industries have in common is that it’s all about appearances, baby! Just as people buy clothes to look and feel good, they want their houses to do the same. As Reno Davis points out, when they enter a property they’re interested in, they want it to be cozy and feel like home as much as possible, and it’s up to the agent to make that happen.
With that in mind, Davis went one step further as he believes that the way you look plays a huge part. That’s why you will always see Reno in his flashy and swaggy style, rocking everything from Dolce and Gucci to Burberry and Dior.
“If you’re dealing with expensive properties that look glamorous, you have to play the part,” he says. “Appearance is a huge deal when it comes to first impressions. And in real estate, the first impression matters the most.”
Reno Davis is a Miami-based real estate wholeseller who adores challenges. Before he got into real estate, Davis worked as a landscaper. Fed up with a low-paying job, he decided to find his luck elsewhere. His path led him into one of the most challenging markets in the United States — Miami real estate.
However, his cat-like trait to land on his feet wherever he’s thrown ensured success as Reno currently runs a multi-million dollar company that employs several dozen people. In this exclusive interview, Davis reveals what made him pursue a career in real estate and shares a few tips on how to get and stay at the top of the game.
What was your biggest challenge during the transition from landscaping to real estate?
The main challenge for everyone getting into Miami’s real estate is trying to be successful in the industry is that everyone’s hustling down in Miami.
I knew I needed to separate myself from the pack, and I managed to do that by investing in myself first. I had to put in extra hours for education, pay extra attention to detail, reach out further for networking, and just work when others weren’t.
You believe that besides looking good, power is in knowledge. Where did you master the craft? Did you have a mentor?
When I decided that real estate would be what I put my all into, I started investing my time, getting free knowledge from YouTube, different blogs, social media, etc. After learning the ropes, I bought several courses from other people doing the same thing. Once I got a full grasp of all that, it took me about a month to get my first wholesale deal.
How has your life changed since you found success?
Before I started real estate wholesaling, I wasn’t really motivated. I wanted to have nice things, but I just didn’t know what it took to get there. I was certain that school wasn’t for me, and I didn’t want to do physical labor my whole life.
And this avenue has brought me to a practically new life. I don’t recognize my old self because now I’m motivated, working from the time I get up to when I go to bed. I’m slammed with stuff to do, but that’s just me. I need chaos in life to function, and real estate is all but short on chaos. In this industry, you can always be busy, find new work, and always be on your feet and be on your toes.
It’s no secret you spent over $40,000 on clothes. Why is looking great and fashionable important to you?
Looking good does wonder for clients, but more importantly, it works like a charm for my confidence. Suppose you walk into a business meeting wearing a hole-filled T-shirt with a mustard stain. In that case, you get the wrong kind of attention.
But when you enter the room, and everyone stops what they are doing just to look at how great you look, it feeds into self-confidence, other people’s subconsciousness, and eventually into success.
And for the end, any advice for aspiring real estate entrepreneurs?
Success is made 100% from hard work. So whatever you put your mind to, invest all of you into the process — learning, clients, showings. Give your maximum because anything less than that won’t get you anywhere near your dreams and goals.
