Ernie Chamberlain realized he wanted to be a real estate agent while he was in a sauna, when one of the people sharing the space with him turned out to be a broker.
“The guy next to me starts talking to me, which is odd because usually people don’t talk to each other in the sauna,” Chamberlain said in an interview. “I didn’t end up going to work with his firm, but I talked to him a few more times outside of the sauna, like for coffee or whatever, and everything started to point in that direction.”
Eight years into his work with George: A Real Estate Group, which is affiliated with the Hometown Realty brokerage in Richmond, Virginia, Chamberlain has found his calling. He says it’s a thrill when he is “helping nice folks get into a home.”
Originally from Findlay, Ohio, Chamberlain moved with his wife to North Carolina after graduating from Bowling Green State University. They moved to Richmond in 2011 for his wife's job.
“I was still a high school English teacher at the time. I think in my first years of teaching, I was like, ‘What am I really going to do?’ It just took a while to figure that out. I just really wanted to work with adults. Teaching is great, and I’m thankful there are so many people who want to do it, but there are a million other things I’d rather do.
"Teachers do make really good real estate agents," he continued. "I think it’s the day-to-day preparation, having lessons, and that everything can go completely sideways at a moment’s notice. And it does, all the time, no matter how much prep work you do.”
For example, a client of Chamberlain's who recently bought a newly built home discovered the washing machine wouldn’t fit through the door. Rather than asking the builder to come back, Chamberlain has called a carpenter he knows to remove part of the frame so they can maneuver the washer in and then put the piece back.
“It’s not a mistake anyone made; it’s just that nobody thought about that,” the agent said. “I would say one thing that separates me from others is that [the client] called me, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s my problem.”
What can you tell me about the market you serve that a newcomer might not know?
“Richmond, and the surrounding counties, is such a unique area: There are so many different pockets that there’s really something for everyone. There’s such a desire to be here. Clients run the gamut: The price points are from very low to very high. To be honest, some of the lower-cost homes are among the most rewarding ones. I had a client once who was a full-time server at The Cheesecake Factory, and I helped him buy a house. And it’s a nice house.”
When did you start to feel like a local?
“I totally feel like a local, but I also feel like not being from Richmond has really helped me. When I started selling real estate, I’d always hear people say, so-and-so went to this local college or whatever. They always had all these connections, but as a transplant I could speak to what it’s like to move to Richmond.”
Do you have any pets?
Just a dog named Truffle.
Who is your mentor?
“Matt Jarreau, my business partner, is a huge reason why I’ve done what I’ve been able to do. He’s been there every step of the way — from the early days just sitting in the office listening to him on the phone, watching how he did it.”