After breaking away from the nine to five schedule, Maxwell Rady has found a love and passion for selling real estate. “Retiring” from his previous career in 2017, he now operates his business out of our Gordon Square office in Cleveland. Max enjoys connecting with his clients and creating relationships that feel like friendship rather than business. Max’s super power is his blunt honesty, telling his clients exactly what they need to hear during the buying and selling process.
In his free-time, Maxwell enjoys the simple pleasures in life, making it a priority to carve out time on Sundays to spend with his wife and friends. He loves trying new restaurants, traveling, and driving. Due to his love for traveling, Maxwell and his wife rarely travel to the same place twice.
Q/A With Max
How/why did you start selling real estate?
“I got into real estate after I ‘retired’ from another job. In other words, I was taking part in the great resignation before there was such a thing! After a couple job interviews, I ended up meeting with my wife’s client who had been in real estate for 30 years. We talked about the day-to-day and the big picture of the industry. She had a real estate team at the time, so I figured I would give it a shot and if I hated it, at least I tried. That meeting was back in 2017, and I’ve been doing it ever since!”
What made you join BHHS Pro?
“The real estate team I was a part of moved to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty. When I left that team, I enjoyed being with BHHS Pro and it was right at the dawn of the opening of the Gordon Square office. I really enjoy everyone I work with and Barbara [Babcock]. I really like our owner David Mussari who stepped up to the plate in a big way when a particular transaction went as sour as it could have gone, and that showed me a lot about his character and business ethics. Another shout out to David Reimer and Allie Carr who took me under their wing and helped me ramp up my business when I transitioned to being a solo agent. So it was a no-brainer for me to stay; I didn’t even need to look anywhere else.”
What sets you apart from other agents?
“I enjoy connecting with my clients beyond the real estate level. Some clients have even told me it feels like we have known each other for years, and I feel more like a friend selling them a home rather than an agent. I also have a way of cutting through the garbage. At the beginning of my relationship with a client, I always ask, ‘How honest do you want me to be?’ So if the client wants it, I will be brutally honest. It is not always what they want to hear, but it is what they need to hear.”
How do you maintain a work-life balance?
“I do my best to always give myself Sundays off. Sometimes it is unavoidable, and I will have an appointment in the morning. But it is the one day my wife and I have that neither of us have to work. I sometimes have to negotiate and take phone calls, but that's not a problem. I always tell my clients that I take Sundays off, and they have always been very respectful about it. I also have a couple of people that I can ask to show a house if I need.”
Is there a special moment you have shared with a client?
“There is not necessarily one that I would say is over others. There are certain situations that people find themselves in where they have to move. Whether that be divorce or losing someone, it is a little bit more emotional than typical listings. Those usually stick out a little bit more because they are usually very appreciative.”
How would you describe your personal style?
“I appreciate anything when it is done authentically. My personal style is mid-century modern. My home has a lot of hints of it--we love West Elm. I love when people lean into the characteristics of the house and try to make it accurate to the time period it was built, rather than taking the neutral approach.”
If you could do anything, what would it be?
“I’d love to drive a car really, really fast and very well. I love racing, so being able to be one of the best drivers in the world would be the absolute dream!”
Fav restaurant in the Cleveland area?
“I definitely will give you my top three. Rood Food and Pie is actually where my wife and I had our wedding reception, so it holds a special place in our hearts! I also have to say Good Company, which is a burger joint in Ohio City. They actually partnered with Martha On The Fly for breakfast. Both of those places are the absolute best! For my third, I have to shout out Buckeye Beer Engine, which is at the top of my street, for their consistency. They have great bar food--you just can’t go wrong with burgers and wings."
Favorite way to spend your weekend?
“I love hanging out with my wife, whether we are hiking or going to a restaurant or bar. I also love golfing and driving with my friends. This past weekend we got together to do a drive through Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We all get together, get a burger somewhere, and just drive for a couple hours for the sake of driving. I just enjoy spending time with my wife and friends”
Ideal vacation spot?
“My wife and I are pretty well traveled, and we never go to the same place twice. So we don’t have a place we consistently go to, but we recently traveled to Costa Rica. That is probably the first place we have wanted to go back to and explore more. There is a lot that it has to offer, and we would love to go back and check out more.”
You cannot go a day without __________
“Coffee.”
What is your greatest accomplishment?
“Honestly, breaking away from the typical 9-5. Being able to have success while enjoying what I do, controlling my schedule, and living life without permission. That has been something that I am very proud of.”
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