Ray Collins is an award-winning journalist who is using his 30+ years in the media to create content and help others tell their stories and ultimately enhance their profits.
Ray is also in the top 2% of the region’s Realtors, having already sold nearly $50 million dollars in residential and commercial properties in his first two full years in the business–often relying on video production.
Coldwell Banker has honored Ray with its prestigious “International President’s Elite” award, and Florida Realtor Magazine wrote a full-page article about him. Ray has moderated industry seminars, been a guest speaker on podcasts, helped train other Realtors around the state, has served on the Top Producers committee of the local Realtors’ association and has emceed various industry events including the annual awards gala.
FMM: How did your successful journalism career provide training for your real estate career?
I decided to change careers when I felt the business changing. First off, local news isn’t as important as it used to be before the internet and smart phones. Fewer people are watching. Secondly, I felt the caliber of the people entering the business changed. It used to be, “I’m here to bring you the news,” and it gradually evolved into “The news is here to bring you me.” I didn’t detect a lot of digging or curiosity. I wouldn’t want to give a current events quiz or even history 20th century history quiz to most people you watch on TV. I often felt like a square peg in a round hole and I felt it was time to graduate. Some suggested going to network news. That’s like making a major league baseball team. It isn’t as easy as just applying for the job. But I also always wanted to make a difference in my community—and not spend my time traveling for stories. I wanted to be able to come home each night.
Being a journalist helped train me for my career in real estate in more ways than I could have imagined. Reporters have to have a certain level of passion and a tenacity to reach their daily deadlines. I don’t let a lot of grass grow under my feet. I have an intrinsic need to always be productive and moving forward. I don’t sit still well. A journalist also has to be resourceful and have a degree of salesmanship. On a regular basis I was talking people into going on TV during the darkest days of their lives. I developed a knack for getting people to open up to an extent they didn’t expect before we started recording. A good reporter knows how to ‘read the room,’ and how to make people feel comfortable.
FMM: What do you love the most about real estate?
I like the freedom and autonomy. I can work as much or as little as I want. It just so happens I enjoy it and I’m working 7 days a week. I was a grocery store stock-boy in high school: THAT was work. This is a lifestyle. And I also like helping people. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s satsifying to help someone buy a home…and drive by months later and see their car in the driveway, thinking back to our initial conversation about buying that house. It’s heady stuff.
When people work with me, they’ll be shocked at how responsive I am. Due to my background in news, I am never off-duty. Much to my wife Erin’s chagrin, I always have my phone by my side and reply to texts almost immediately. People in the news industry work at a faster pace than the rest of the world. I’ve talked to many other former journalists and we’re shocked at the pace of most people in corporate America.
FMM: Please share the day and the life of Ray Collins.
I get up around 7, watch the first few minutes of the network news and exercise. Erin and I met through tennis years ago—and we play singles three mornings a week, or work-out the other three mornings. I get to my desk around 9am and start to go over the projects for the day…usually houses I’m listing or clients I’m helping buy a house. I’m a voracious list maker. I have a hard-copy planner, I have a long-term ‘To Do’ list, a shorter ‘To Do’ list—and even an immediate list. I prefer working from my home office rather than go into the company office where there are more distractions. I try to get out for lunch 3-4 times a week with business associates or friends. I figure I’ll meet more clients at a restaurant than in our spare bedroom. I end each day making a priorities list for the next day. Often times I think my day is ending at 6pm, but then something happens and I’m back to work until Midnight. No big deal.
FMM: What makes your value-proposition unique for clients?
When someone works with me, they get as much attention as they want. They are my first priority. I recently received a high-end listing—so I produced a video about it with drone footage to show the proximity to the beach. I also called my contacts at the newspaper and got it on the front page of the Sunday real estate section. It sold in a few weeks.
FMM: You are a much sought-after guest speaker for realtors around the state helping them with their marketing. Tell us more.
I’ve had other offices ask me to speak to their realtors about how to increase their marketing skills and how to incorporate video for their clients. I’ve been interviewed on podcasts and having spent 40 years in broadcasting, it’s pretty familiar.
FMM: How important are professional videos?
There are 8,000 Realtors in the Sarasota area, but I think I’m the only one who spent decades producing professional videos five days a week—so it is a unique niche I bring to my clients. When I first got started, a friend reached to me to sell his million dollar plus condo on South Palm Avenue. I immediately grabbed my professional camera that I invested in the same month I got my real estate license, hired a drone operator and produced a video about his condo. It wasn’t anything different from what I had done on TV for years, but apparently it was unique. A short time later, Florida Realtor Magazine called to do a full-page article about me—and that article won an award for Editorial Excellence. They invited me to the industry’s annual convention and brought me on stage for an award for the article. I always thought the the writer should have won that, not the subject of the article—but I wasn’t complaining.
Bottom line—anybody can grab a camera or even a smart phone and say they produce videos, but I’m lucky enough to have done it for a previous career, and even luckier that it is a scarce skill in this industry.
FMM: What are your luxury properties that you are currently offering?
I recently listed a nearly $3 million dollar condo near Lido Key Beach. We’ll be closing that in a couple weeks.
FMM: Share your upcoming projects/goals for 2023.
Besides real estate, I wear some other hats: I’m an elected official in Sarasota County, I’m a business developer for a private bank, I produce videos for companies, I’m a travel writer and I’m a master of ceremonies for over a dozen galas and events each year. I have a deep background in tennis, played college tennis, and am fortunate enough to be the ‘Voice’ of the Sarasota Open in April as well as another pro tournament in Naples in May.
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