Case Study: Doug Rahaim

Doug Rahaim has been at DOBI since the very start. He has over 10 years of experience in the industry and has grown up in the world of real estate. Doug has a passion for helping his clients team, and colleagues here at DOBI and lives by our core value “Create Value”. Check out his full interview below!

DOBI: How long have you been a realtor? You were one of the first here at DOBI.

Doug: I’ve been a realtor for 10 years, I’ve been with DOBI since we started. I was one of the original 5 at DOBI.

DOBI: Tell us about your background. How did you get into real estate?

Doug: I’ve been involved in flipping homes with my dad at a young age and fell in love with it. I went to college and saved enough money and was fortunate enough to buy a couple of homes. After college, I worked in insurance for a year and knew it wasn’t for me but I was still working in real estate on the side. I started to buy investment properties, and that shifted 6 years ago, so I started focusing on residential home sales. I fell in love with it ever since. 

DOBI: Is there something you learned from your family growing up that has helped you in your business now?

Doug: Always take care of your client. Put their needs first, they are the most important people in this transaction. Create Value for them. 

DOBI: That is such a huge part of DOBI, with one of our core values, “Create Value.” Very client-focused.

Doug: Yes exactly. When I was helping to create our core values at the very beginning, ”Create Value” really stood out to me, because we are here to serve our clients and to help them to the best of our abilities. If my client thinks that I didn’t help them, then I didn’t do my job. 

DOBI: You’ve been able to see DOBI from the beginning, and see it grow and evolve, as well as your business. Tell us about that.

Doug: It’s been crazy. A few years ago there were five of us and now there are 80+ agents and growing. It’s a whirlwind to think of where we started and where we are now. It’s almost undoable. The innovation, marketing, and social media sets us apart. We pride ourselves on taking care of our clients and that is important to every agent here. The camaraderie in the office, the vibe, sets us apart and I think everyone enjoys coming to work here. The office environment is what helped DOBI become what it is today.

DOBI: Tell us about the collaboration here and how is that different from other places you’ve been at?

Doug: In this environment, no one turns anyone down, getting or giving help. If you need help with showings, open houses, or have any questions, there is a sense of community here in everyone wanting each other to succeed. 

DOBI: How do you think DOBI has helped your business and your team?

Doug: DOBI helped me find my wife, which I am appreciative of, which also helped to grow my team. Being a part of DOBI, the knowledge from Simon, and the presence we have. Not only in Birmingham but the Metro Detroit area. The marketing is the best you’ll see and that helps when I am on a listing appointment or client meeting, to brand myself and our team more cohesively. We want to continue to grow, but DOBI has helped to set the platform to get us to where we are now.

DOBI: What would you say is your DOBI Difference?

Doug: You know for me, I am horrible with technology and DOBI makes it so easy to just hop on Canva, and create a whole marketing report and I love the marketing we have in place. But really, I think it comes down to the Broker Support. Simon and Chris will never not answer a question or answer a phone call – they are always there to help. I think the biggest difference is there is always help around the corner at DOBI.

DOBI: What is your favorite part of working in real estate?

Doug: Helping families find a home and I like getting to know people. I can make a connection with my clients. If they aren’t already friends of mine, they become good friends of mine. I like the connection I get to have with people. I try to keep in contact as much as I can. I am old school in my approach – meeting in person for lunch, a simple phone call to see how they are doing, people love to talk about real estate. It is important to be around and keep in touch with people.

DOBI: What is your advice to your clients in this market?

Doug: Don’t panic. I am always looking out for my client’s best interest. I want people to be satisfied and happy with the decisions they make. Things happen for a reason and will work out. 

DOBI: What is the best advice you’ve been given:

Doug: My dad and grandfather have always instilled in me: “Be who you are and be honest.” Being honest, and loyal to yourself and your clients just having the client’s best interests in mind is the best thing you can do.

DOBI: Tell me about your goals for the year, are you on track to achieve them? Have you shifted at all?

Doug: Last year we exceeded our goal in 10 months, especially considering the circumstances at the time. This year we set a pretty lofty goal, and we are well on the way to hit it this month. It’s been a crazy market, but as a team, we are exceeding my expectations.

DOBI: What do you think helped you to hit these goals so quickly?

Doug: Communication and consistency. We have had a few personal life events between our team, and are still on track to crush and exceed our goal. We stay in constant communication, which really helps us out. Teamwork is huge for us. 

DOBI: What do you see for the future of your team here at DOBI?

Doug: We always want to do better. In the next year or two we are looking to expand our team, maybe hire an admin to help with the deal flow. When you are at DOBI, the sky’s the limit.

DOBI: What do you look for when adding new members to your team and how do you mentor them?

Doug: I want to make sure that they have a similar mindset to the rest of the group. We started our team over a year ago, we want people to have the same values and work ethic as us. The fit for our team, as well as DOBI, is more important than the numbers for us.

To keep up with Doug and his team, follow The Rahaim Group on Instagram.