West Michigan Real Estate Expert Rachel Major on Building Trust, Referrals, and Long-Term Success

Rachel Major (00:00)
Absolutely, every time there is a mistake or something that happens, we create a system around that so that we won’t ever make that mistake again, right? So learning from that, making sure that our system and process is in place so that we don’t stumble again. So that is something we constantly are doing and reviewing on our team level, absolutely.

Scott Bursey (02:35)
Hi everybody and welcome to the Real Estate Pros Podcast. I’m your host Scott Bursey. And today I’m joined by someone I’ve really been looking forward to chatting with. Rachel Major. When it comes to the 616, there’s knowing the market and then there’s leading it. Rachel is a powerhouse who has turned a passion for West Michigan into a legacy of excellence as the CEO of Major Homes and a recognized National Association of Realtors.

30 under 30 alumna, she has helped over thousand families find their way home from Grand Rapids to the lakeshore and everywhere in between. Rachel is making major moves in Michigan real estate.Rachel, welcome to the show.

Rachel Major (02:37)
Thank you for having me, Scott, I appreciate it.

Scott Bursey (02:39)
I think our audience is really gonna take something away from the way you’ve been able to bridge the gap between high level market strategy and the genuine local heartbeat of West Michigan. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Rachel Major (02:51)
That sounds great, thank you.

Scott Bursey (02:53)
So first off, for those who may not be familiar with your world, give us the short version. What’s your main focus these days?

Rachel Major (03:01)
⁓ Thank you for asking Scott. So our main focus these days is of course helping clients achieve their real estate goals. So we help investors, clients buying land to build, we’ve done developments, relocations is pretty high right now as well. A lot of relocations to the Grand Rapids market ⁓ and for some home buyers and downsizing and upsizing. So we help everybody and we really, really enjoy that process.

Scott Bursey (03:26)
That’s awesome, Rachel. And what markets are you operating in exactly?

Rachel Major (03:31)
Mostly the Grand Rapids market and we do about an hour radius around that, so not quite over to Lansing, a little bit above the Kalamazoo market and about as north as Big Rapids and then of course to the lakeshore. So it’s a pretty good market, covers about five counties.

Scott Bursey (03:48)
Okay, pretty

broad. Interested to know what was the specific leading indicator that made you plan to flag there in West Michigan? Was it job growth, landlord friendly laws, or just where the best margins were?

Rachel Major (04:50)
⁓ Great question. I was born and raised here, so I know the Grand Rapids area really well. And yes, I am an investor in the market in Grand Rapids, and it is a very ⁓ affordable market if we’re comparing mid-sized cities to others. So a lot of people really appreciate that, and it’s also a very family-friendly market with a lot of job opportunities here with a very nice airport too.

Scott Bursey (05:15)
Absolutely, yes, and fairly accessible. What caught my attention about you was the way you’ve been able to stay human in a high volume industry. That’s not easy, especially in this climate. What’s been the key to keeping that machine running smoothly for you, Rachel?

Rachel Major (05:34)
Yeah, I really think clients gravitate towards an agent that’s relatable. Obviously, honest and trustworthy is very important. And really giving them my angle of the market and so they can make an educated decision on their real estate goals. So I’m here to advocate for them, give them ideas and directions, look at the transaction from all angles so that they can make that decision. And of course, due diligence around that. So

That is something that I think clients really gravitate towards, especially in this ⁓ world of tech and AI and robots and people really want the human side of things.

Scott Bursey (06:16)
Couldn’t

agree more and that is just spectacular. It’s impressive that you’ve reached that level of let’s say autonomy. Was there a specific moment or a particular deal where you realized, okay, this is actually working?

Rachel Major (06:31)
⁓ I think that’s just my, my nature and how I was raised. ⁓ so I don’t know that that’s ever been a shift. It’s just been organically how I’ve grown my industry and my, my sphere and my, my team and my clientele. ⁓ so it all started, ⁓ you know, from friends and family, and then that referral girl snowball effect as they appreciated and enjoyed the transaction. They wanted to refer their friends and family and coworkers.

and everybody in between.

Scott Bursey (07:01)
Well, I can see why.

And now, Rachel, every operator I know has a moment where things got real. Maybe a deal that went sideways or a time that you had to pivot fast. You mind sharing one of those moments with us?

Rachel Major (07:15)
Yeah, I can definitely think of quite a few where I’m not perfect. I am human. And when you have some, you know, a deal that you stumble upon or you do something incorrectly, you own it and typically pay for and learn from it. So yes, definitely have had those moments in my career and I then you don’t make that mistake again. So

Scott Bursey (07:37)
Absolutely. And that kind of leads

me to this question as well. Looking at your business today, what tripwire or system have you built specifically so that exact misfortune can never happen to you again or you can reduce it? Let’s put it that way.

Rachel Major (08:28)
Absolutely, every time there is a mistake or something that happens, we create a system around that so that we won’t ever make that mistake again, right? So learning from that, making sure that our system and process is in place so that we don’t stumble again. So that is something we constantly are doing and reviewing on our team level, absolutely.

Scott Bursey (08:51)
Excellent and Rachel that’s the kind of stuff people don’t talk about enough and honestly It’s what truly separates the folks who just dabble from the ones who stay in the game long term Let me ask you this. What are you most focused on solving or scaling next?

Rachel Major (09:06)
So scaling next, I have a new assistant now. So I had one prior for five years, now I have a new one. So what’s awesome about that change is it promotes growth and it helps you reanalyze all your processes and systems to see if they’re still working or they need a change. So helping that assistant grow her world and our world together is really a great ⁓

⁓ plug and play together so that we can grow efficiently together.

Scott Bursey (09:40)
Absolutely, that unique blend of prosperity. What’s the next real big goal for you?

Rachel Major (10:27)
Well, right now ⁓ I am on the board of directors for the next three years. So that is taking a good chunk of my time throughout the day and months, but I really appreciate that knowledge and growth and connections. We will have travel throughout there, learning from other markets and industries to bring back to our market to improve. ⁓

I am a mom of two kids with another on the way, so it’ll be a big year this year for me too. So lots of change ahead, but very excited. Real estate is something I’m extremely passionate about and I’ll be here for very long time. So I’m constantly learning ⁓ and growing and appreciate this industry for that reason.

Scott Bursey (11:09)
We can tell and it’s an exciting time for you, no doubt. We see people chase doors of revenue all the time, Rachel. For you, is that goal the destination or is it just the fuel that allows you to do something perhaps bigger?

Rachel Major (11:13)
you

Great question. So I do appreciate, of course, more doors and opportunities, but I don’t want that to compromise quality either. And I also learned that no one makes a good decision under pressure. So if the numbers work and we analyze them correctly, that is, of course, maybe a good decision, but otherwise under pressure, not so much. So my personal goal is about a door a year, so slow steady growth over my career.

And I do encourage and help clients with their investment goals too. I really appreciate those conversations and sharing what I’ve learned over the years. So that is something I do help clients with as well.

Scott Bursey (12:05)
That’s huge. And that next move can either compound things or create chaos, depending on how you play it. Now, I know a lot of our audiences either earlier in their journey or looking to level up. And I think they’d benefit from hearing this, Rachel. When it comes to building relationships and growing your network, what’s made the biggest difference for you?

Rachel Major (12:26)
that’s ⁓ instrumental. Like that is so important to grow.

You never want to burn a bridge with somebody in this industry because you’re going to see them the next day, of course, karma, right? ⁓ So growing the network is so important. Even the other day, I made a phone call to someone that I hadn’t talked to in surprisingly about 12 months, but we picked up our conversation back and I was able to connect with her on some questions I had. So had I not had that connection pre-established, I wouldn’t have had my answer so quickly. So that is that’s huge.

for me, Scott.

Scott Bursey (13:01)
It

really is, absolutely. Couldn’t agree more. And everyone says provide value, but when you were starting out and didn’t have a huge bank account or let’s say a massive portfolio, what was your currency? How did you actually get the attention of the heavy hitters?

Rachel Major (13:19)
Great question, Scott. And something I definitely paid attention to and I knew it was important. You’re right, I started my career in 2013 and I think I was 24 at the time or 23. Either way, I was young.

and female and I knew I needed to hit the ground running fast. I attended every single training session I could find, conversations, I wrote articles, I got my broker’s license as fast as humanly possible, and in Michigan you have to have a certain amount of deals and three years of career, so and I did that right at the three-year mark. So I knew the importance of getting established and creating a reputation, a good reputation.

in the market.

Scott Bursey (14:05)
Absolutely, and that’s

something you just can’t Relationships are everything in this space. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts. They really are the trademark of being able to reach the level that you have. All right, before we wrap, if someone wanted to reach out and connect with you, maybe collaborate or learn more about what you’ve been doing, what’s the best way for them to contact you, Rachel?

Rachel Major (14:28)
Absolutely, I’m happy to share. My number is 616-430-0807 or they can email me at [email protected]. I am on social media as well, pretty easy to find. Major Homes is my company, powered by Keller Williams in the Grand Rapids Market.

Scott Bursey (14:46)
Perfect, well listen, I appreciate your time, your story, and definitely your perspective. We need more people in this space who are doing it the right way. Thanks again for being here.

Rachel Major (14:57)
Thank you, Scott. I really appreciate that.

Scott Bursey (14:59)
And

for those of you tuning in, if you got value from this, make sure you’re subscribed. We’ve got more conversations coming up with operators just like Rachel, who are out there building real businesses. We’ll see you in the next episode, everybody.