Knowledge of an area is key to success for agents, and Rooney and Quaid try to know as much as they can about a property before meeting with a client. They try to find out how long the current residents have been there, and where it’s located beforehand, so that they aren’t walking into the meeting cold. Their team helps them bring together this information, and they use online tools such as their MLS and Google Maps to help them generate background on specific properties.

Quaid and Rooney recommend that agents who want to reach the top make the financial sacrifice necessary to hire an assistant. Delegating some office tasks lets an agent focus on building the business, even if it means taking home a smaller portion of a commission.

“Maureen and I – and everybody on our team, actually – love what we do,” Quaid said. “It shines through. We hire and are surrounded and supported by buyer’s agents, and we all think alike.”

Last year, Reuter did $26 million in transactions. In 2013, he did $35 million.

Reuter values his reputation for honesty and integrity, and the hard work that he has put into building relationships with other agents.

“I think a good reputation, especially among your peers, is very important to being successful and people wanting to do business with you,” he says.