Exploring Life & Business with Margaret Rubin of Nest Realty of the Triangle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Margaret Rubin.

Hi Margaret, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my career at a global advertising firm in Manhattan, working on advertising strategy for a large, national bank. My job largely focused on understanding why Millennials weren’t buying homes and one day, I had an epiphany that living in Manhattan would also prevent *me* from buying a home. I started seeking out smaller cities with affordable costs of living and during my interview process at an advertising firm in Durham, I started chatting with a Realtor in the 21C hotel who ended up driving me around for two hours, showing off his hometown. His passion for the Triangle sold me on the idea of moving here. He was born and raised here, had raised his kids here, started his real estate firm here (501 Realty). I was sold! Durham was going to be my new home. Six months after moving here, I was laid off from an advertising job. At the time, losing that job felt like the “worst thing that ever happened to me.”

In hindsight, it was the best! I had always been interested in real estate but didn’t think anyone would want to work with a (then) 26-year-old to buy a home. I reached back out to the Realtor who showed me around Durham, shadowed him for a week, and decided I LOVED real estate and wanted to make a career switch. Six and a half years later, I have never looked back. I am able to wake up every day with a true passion and fulfillment in my career. I was surprised by how valuable my background in marketing and buyer psychology was in this business, and how much it has helped me to support my own business and understand my clients’ concerns. Helping clients balance the importance of a home purchase a practical financial decision and a huge emotional decision is something I thrive at.

My experience moving to the Triangle from another city has also helped me connect with the many other families making the same decision. Many people I work with are moving here from wildly different housing markets, and being able to relate to that experience has been invaluable! It’s amazing how life can turn “the worst thing ever” into the best thing ever in just a blink.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business is never really a straight line. There were definitely ups and downs. Upfront costs, waiting for that first paycheck, learning to pay taxes and healthcare on my own, and dealing with the stress of “not wanting to mess up” were big challenges for me in the beginning. I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome, and thought everyone knew everything but me! It really wasn’t true, and once I realized that being able to learn on the job is not only necessary for survival, but an actual skill that makes you a good Realtor, I became a lot more confident. If I am not knowledgeable about something, I’ve learned to find people who are and learn from them.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Nest Realty of the Triangle is a local, boutique real estate firm that delivers a high-end real estate experience for clients at every budget. Each Realtor at Nest Realty is an independent contractor, so we all have our own style and our own network and areas that we specialize in. While I work all over the Triangle from Chatham to Apex to Durham to Raleigh to Cary and back, my hometown is in South Durham. Maybe this ties back to my time doing advertising research about first-time home buyers, but I absolutely LOVE working with first-time buyers. I truly believe that homeownership is one of the biggest steps to financial stability, and I love being able to cheer on and empower my younger clients as they take this step.

My goal is to always inform and empower them so they know exactly what they are buying, what they are signing, how much things cost, and how to step into homeownership feeling ready and confident.

What does success mean to you?
Happiness. Balance. Safety.

Success for me is never about a number in a bank account. It’s about achieving a feeling of happiness, fulfillment, and balance in my life. I became a mom in 2020 and have the balance to be able to work hard AND be home with my daughter full-time has been the biggest success of my life. Being able to balance work life and home life in a way that doesn’t completely drain me (most days) feels like a huge win in modern parenting and is something I never take for granted.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.margaretrubinrealestate.com
• Instagram: @margaretrubinrealestate
• Other: https://www.zillow.com/profile/Margaret%20Rubin

Image Credits
Jessica Arden Photography