Making the American Dream of Homeownership a Reality
Despite the ever-accelerating advancements of technology, the process of home-buying is still much more than clicking a button and signing on the dotted line. The reality is that most critical life decisions will always involve people working with one another. For Minnie Rzeslawski, a career in real estate is one that lends itself to serving others and helping them achieve the American dream.
Minnie and her husband began investing in homes – purchasing, remodeling, and selling them for a profit – in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. “I was 25 years old when I had my first child, received my real estate license, and started doing loans when interest rates were 12-14 percent,” says Minnie.
After finding success selling homes on her own, Minnie decided to launch 24K International Realty in 1988 and has not looked back since. Over the years, she has become an active member in numerous professional organizations including The National Association of Realtors (NAR), The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), The California Association of Realtors (CAR), and The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR).
After 10 years of being a RE/MAX franchisee, Minnie recently joined COMPASS as the 24K Real Estate Group. She shares with GB Magazine, “I have been 24K since 1988 and loved working with RE/MAX but I decided to partner with COMPASS due to their extraordinary technology. It is the first modern real estate platform, pairing the industry’s top talent with technology to make the search and sell experience smooth and seamless.”
And when it comes to her leadership style, Minnie says it comes down to four things: great communications skills, sharing the decision-making process with your team, being knowledgeable in your field, and understanding when to evolve with the times. “Open lines of communication are vital – this can spell the difference between success and failure,” she says. “Sharing decision-making tasks with your team helps fuel cultivate their creativity and productivity. Being a leader means you have – or should have – more knowledge than those you lead,” she adds. However, Minnie also notes that it is important to also acknowledge those team members that bring their own expertise to the table. Learning to evolve in these changing times is crucial, as a leader needs to be a visionary who can learn to adapt quickly to change while also assuring growth.
Minnie’s leadership style is the product of the various standards her parents instilled in her, and her own ethics she has developed over the years. “I lead according to what feels right and natural. I really don’t like to boss anyone around especially, when my team of 10 realtors are all independent contractors. However, I do have a set code of ethics and a style that my agents need to follow in order to stay the course with 24K. We are definitely family,” she shares.
Real estate tends to be a 24/7 type of environment, especially as a team leader and business owner. Minnie does make time, however, to decompress, enjoy a nice dinner with family and friends, and travel. She adds, “For me, there’s nothing more relaxing than playing my favorite music, having a glass of wine, and cooking recipes from my mother or online chefs.”
