Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Long.
Hi Jim, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My wife Kristin and I have been married for 28 years and we have two boys – men, really. Our oldest is 22 and our youngest is 17. We struggled financially for many years when the boys were young. Some months we were down to a few hundred in our checking account when payday came. I wanted to have my own business since I was in high school. In 2003, I completed my MBA program with a business plan in hand for a real estate investment group. I started talking about the idea with friends that I thought would be great business partners. They would be interested up to a point, and then they’d get cold feet. After many pitches, the idea came to me to get my real estate license. After talking with Kristin, who was on board, I went across the street to the home of a veteran in San Diego real estate, Ron Durrett. I said, “Hey Ron, I’m going to get my real estate license.” With his booming voice and a big smile on his face, he stuck out his hand to shake mine and said, “Congratulations!” And then he said, “Get your broker’s license.” I hadn’t thought about going that route. Back in 2009, the DRE allowed someone to get a brokers license without being licensed as an agent as long as the candidate had a college degree. Check, I had one! And an MBA. Thanks to having my MBA, I had already taken three of the eight required broker classes. I went to Kaplan, where my mom got her license back in the late 1970’s (it was called Anthony Schools then). The person I spoke with lined me up with the five classes I had to take. I asked, “How quickly can I do the classes?” He said each course had to be 18 days between start dates, so the minimum was 90 days. I said, “Ok, I’ll call you back in 90 days.” He said, “You don’t need to go that fast, take your time.” Fast forward 93 days. I called him and said, “I’m done with the classes, now what do I do?” Fast forward and I passed the licensing exam on March 23, 2010 and it’s been the most amazing ride I’ve ever been on. Today I own a brokerage called United Real Estate San Diego, a franchise of United Real Estate that has 25,000 agents in the U.S. We have 40 of them, and they are truly the best agents and broker associates in San Diego.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
If any business entrepreneur says the road has been smooth, they’ve forgotten what it was like. No one could ever say it was smooth and mean it. I made far more money before I started the brokerage than most of the years since. One year early on our taxable income was $49,000 – below the poverty line! I’d love to say how we got from there to here was a blur, but it’s not. I remember clearly what it was like to constantly wonder if we were going to make it. I didn’t think it could get worse, and then COVID hit. I secured an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the SBA that saved us. But we still weren’t doing well. So in 2023, I changed our fee structure. It was a massive change! It came with a requirement for each of our agents to be producing, which we defined as a minimum of 4 transactions per year. We quickly went from 50 agents to 40. But the brokerage flourished! Today, we have all the loan money in the bank (we could pay it off but at 3.75% for 30 years, it doesn’t make sense) and then some. Now we’re looking at how we can use the money to make more money. It’s such a great place to be now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
United Real Estate San Diego is a residential real estate brokerage with 40 agents and broker associates. We are one of the most productive small brokerages in San Diego. I see the numbers, and I don’t think anyone matches us. I was just looking at another brokerage with over 100 agents in San Diego and our production numbers are about the same and we have 40% of the total agents they do. It’s truly remarkable. And that really is the result of being what sets us apart, which is our culture. Every broker will talk on and on about their culture being so great. But that’s not what I hear from agents who leave other brokerages and come to us. They talk about their connection to me as the broker and to each other. They share stories of the way others in the office have helped them. Everyone goes on and on about our office meetings, which are not parades of vendors. While we love our vendor partners, our office meetings aren’t for that – they’re for learning, collaborating, and growing both professionally and personally. We are constantly learning, including me as the broker. They love my mantra: How can I say “yes”? It’s my focus every time they ask if they can do something new. I also say this: “It’s hard out there (meaning the real estate business outside the office) – why does it have to be hard in here?” So I make it easy, as easy as I can. Certainly there are times I have to say no. But when I do, I do everything I can to give an alternative, an option that will work. They appreciate that they are heard.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There are so many. First is God, who has been the foundation of everything we have. Second is my wife Kristin. I couldn’t do what I do without her. She didn’t ask to be in business with me, but she’s done it and it has been amazing. Several years ago we took on a business partner, Kelly Marugg. She and I are like sister and brother. We’ve fought a few times over the years. But the rest of the time we have each other’s backs. She’s a broker, like me, and is super smart. I think I’m pretty smart but she’s above and beyond! Of course, if Ron Durrett hadn’t given me the advice he did, I wouldn’t be here. The story, though, doesn’t come to life without giving full credit to the agents and broker associates that are a part of United Real Estate San Diego. They make us who we are. It’s such an amazing group of people. It’s an honor to serve them. They call me “boss”, but really they’re the ones in charge. It’s my job to get out of their way, support and encourage them, and cheer loudly at their success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://checkouturesd.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitedsandiego
Image Credits
Some of the best images can be taken from our website https://checkouturesd.com. There are a handful of agents who submitted photos of them in front of their listing signs.
