Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff and Sophia Rogers. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Way back in 2004, Sophia worked in the hospitality industry as a corporate trainer at Planet Hollywood Orlando. A 28 y/o single mom of 3 kids, this job gave her the flexibility to be present with her kids. Little did she know, in one of her training classes, a girl from North Carolina got a job at Planet Hollywood to make new friends in Orlando. Soon after, that employee was hired at a local builder and she recommended Sophia for an entry-level position. The rest is history. From there, Sophia was a sponge. Her goal was to climb the corporate ladder as quickly as possible, learning everything she could. Within 18 months, she was promoted from an administrative assistant to a purchasing coordinator – reading blueprints, creating labor and material budgets, permitting homes – almost everything except building and selling the homes. From there she went on to be an estimator with a major national private builder then was recruited to start up a new local builder – which is still in business today using the systems and processes she created. It was 2012 when life called her in a different direction.
Personally, Jeff and Sophia met in late 2003 on Match.com. Jeff had no kids and Sophia had 3. Jeff didn’t late that scare him though. They fell in love and have been together since their first date. Jeff worked at a call center making outbound calls and traveled as a laser technician. In 2007 they had a child together and the need for flexible work schedules was important again. Jeff leaned on his laser skills and was hired at a major defense contractor building laser designator and range finders for the military. Jeff worked night shifts and Sophia worked day shifts. For 5 years, they saw each other in passing as Jeff came home at 7a, Sophia was leaving for work.
Concurrently, the nation was facing economic depression and the pressure was mounting for both of them. Construction layoffs had increased and so were defense budgets. In January 2012, they found themselves both laid off and unemployed. Never before had they had to lean on unemployment assistance, food stamps, and couponing to get by. But they did it.
But not for long. Sophia resented the years she gave her employers. She would never get the time she spent away from her kids back. Both she and Jeff developed health issues from the stress they were under. She took that pain and converted it to power. She remembers saying to herself, “I’ll never forget having to cash in my vacation time to cover a week-long hospital stay.”
She also remembers seeing how confident the builder salespeople were and she admired their bubbly personalities. Sales were always at the back of her mind. And Jeff had friends who would tell him he could entertain and make a friend anywhere.
In April 2012, Sophia remembers having to go back to school to get a student loan to cover their living expenses. 3 online courses started the same week she started her 63-hour real estate course. She passed the class with a 97 and passed the state exam the first time. Then Jeff followed.
While Jeff was studying his real estate course, Sophia was hired at a local developer selling resale and new construction homes. And did she realize she knew nothing about sales!!
By Sept 2012, they both decided in order to learn how to sell, they have to immerse themselves in it. So, they went to sell vacations ownership at a local resort. Sophia moved into general real estate a year later and Jeff went on to work for a major vacation ownership company.
As Sophia learned about the industry – remember there is no salary or income. So, she had 2 jobs in 2013 – one at a real estate brokerage and e other at a high-volume restaurant 3 days a week. A year later, she was able to quit the restaurant and went all-in with real estate. No pain no gain! Can you see the trend?
Fast forward to December 2018 when Sophia was ready to hire a buyer’s agent. Jeff said hello – I have my license. And that’s when the Rogers Home Team was born. Today they rank in the top 300 agents in central Florida – out of over 18,000 agents!
They don’t pay for advertising. Bury they do give back to the community. For 2 years Sophia was a volunteer writer for a local newspaper, highlighting local businesses and sharing real estate developments in Lake Nona. She also sat on the board of directors and coached youth cheerleading for 2 years with Lake Nona Youth Sports. In 2019, Together they sponsored a weeklong makeover at Central Florida’s Children’s home to bring life back to the home. They sponsored the kitchen and dining areas.
Today they work together and love giving back when they can. Leading with Love is something they’re really good at.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
WE faced financial troubles early on. A lot of people don’t know that while Sophia was working nights as a server and showing up at her brokerage in the mornings – she was also facing one of the hardest battles for a parent. Mental illness with her oldest daughter snuck in like an unwelcome visitor. Having a flexible job for emergencies and therapies was absolutely crucial. This was the hardest time in her life. If you meet her, you will see she is a no-excused person. She doesn’t believe in blaming others for your situation You can only control yourself.
This year their relationship was tested as business has been so good for them. But they lost sight of healthy boundaries, both personally and professionally. They work much smarter now and have hired a transaction coordinator to assist with the experiences they provide.
We’ve been impressed with Rogers Home Team at Mainframe Real Estate, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Jeff specializes in buyer representation and Sophia specializes in seller representation. They are known for their can-do attitude. Whether that means being at everything showing, helping customers move, cleaning and organizing homes, or laying mulch – they show up. Jeff is known for “having a guy/gal” and manages strong connections with vendors. Sophia is known for her deep understanding of new construction operations and how to navigate the builder world. A strong networker, she’s also known in the community. Wherever she does, there’s someone that knows her.
They are also extremely authentic. You won’t see insincerity with them. They’re like the couple next door you just want to hang around.
They are extremely proud of our referral percentage. Over 90% of their business comes from people they know and past customers.
They want readers to know that they prove a custom, tailored experience. As a top listing agent, Sophia’s negotiation skills and power to connect are off the charts. And Jeff’s keen eye from all the years building lasers is what makes him a stellar buyer’s agent. They also want readers to know that if they are buying new construction, hiring them is a must. There is no one in central Florida with Sophia’s experience. She’s saved buyers thousands of dollars by saving transactions with corporate-level builder sales managers.
Sales is different for us. We don’t believe in knocking on doors and cold calling. Relationships are 100% of what our business is built on.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
We love risks!!! Being the poorest we ever were and jumping into a career with no income is super scary. You have to see past your current condition and find what it is that gets you out of bed. In real estate, the sky is the limit. The harder you work, the higher you climb. Unlike all the years they gave the corporate world, they control their schedule. Not saying they work less than 40 hours a week though!
Without risk, there is no reward. How would you know what’s out there waiting for you if you don’t just jump and build your wings on the way down?
Adversity is the best teacher out there. So go find some adversity. – promise you’ll learn more about yourself than anything else.
Pricing:
- $400,000 – over $1mil
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@NonaHomeGuide.com
- Website: NonaHomeGuide.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffandsophiarogers/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeffandsophiarogers/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCXIMQePkmo1pJuTzz0EVxhQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rogers-home-team-at-mainframe-real-estate-orlando
Image Credits:
Norma Molina
