Husband & Wife Real Estate Teams: How 3 Top Teams Make It Work 💕

Like most people, whenever we see a husband and wife real estate team on Zillow, we can’t help but wonder how they make it work. How do they split responsibilities? Do they use their relationship in their branding? How do they live in the same house as a fellow Realtor without losing their minds?!

To find out, we worked with our friends at SERHANT. in New York City and at Keller Williams in Los Angeles to get the inside scoop on how three couples make it work. Here’s what they told us about how they use teamwork to make the dream work. 💕

Mallory & Brandon Bogard | Bogard New York Team

Where they work: SERHANT. New York City
Relationship: Married
Website: https://bogardny.com/
Responses by: Mallory Bogard

Why did you decide to start a team with your significant other?

“Brandon had been in real estate for 10-plus years, and I got licensed in 2017 (when we were still just boyfriend/girlfriend) to help him on the side, while I started a separate business. What we quickly realized is that what we were able to achieve together in real estate was much bigger than what either of us could do alone, in any industry, and I made the decision to devote myself fully to what we wanted to build in real estate.

“Our chemistry as human beings was translating into business, and what better business partner than your best friend? We paid attention to how everyone else was doing things, and we envisioned creating a truly special team together. We have two separate skill sets and professional experiences encompassing business, luxury branding, and marketing, when we were performing together, 1+1= much more than 2.

“That’s how you know you have a special partnership, when combined you do more than either of you dreamed you could do solo. And we get to do it with each other. Having another half who balances you out, gives a perspective you value, and always has insight to bounce ideas off, is magical.

“After working alongside each other for a year-and-a-half, we became full partners on our own, launching the Bogard New York team in January of 2020 (what a year to start your own brand!). Then we added a virtual assistant, in late 2020 we started adding agents, and moved to full-time NYC-based operations manager/assistant in mid-2021 (the best decision).

“Today we have been married going on three years, we lead a team of eight amazing people at SERHANT., and I’d say every next step felt organic. As of May 3, 2022, we have $80 million between pending, closed, and launching soon, and have already surpassed our 2021 business. We would make every decision again if we had to do it over again.”

Did you establish ground rules to keep your work relationship from seeping into your professional relationship? What were they? Did they work?

“When you are building something together that you are so passionate about, before you know it, every waking minute is talking about and thinking about the business: current clients, past clients, potential clients, brainstorming, marketing, our agents, interiors for our developer clients has been a new constant discussion—it can EASILY never turn off. You must manually and intentionally turn it off.

“In our case, date nights at Nobu or Gage and Tollner are preserved for only enjoying each other, talking about life, and celebrating our success. We also love to travel and go on adventures, because being available to our clients seven days a week, 15 hours a day, can consume us, and getting away together has been wonderful thing. Traveling is our reset button, and we try to take a trip every quarter.

“A true ground rule we have is that after we delegate something to one of us, the other must let it go. The hard parts about partnering with your spouse are not the big decisions you make every week, it’s the million small decisions every day that no two people in the world would react the exact same way to.

“So you have: other agents’ relationships, OUR agents, clients, potential clients, developers to engage and nurture, marketing campaigns, self-branding, and the way we respond and react to all of these people isn’t always exactly the same … but if you delegate and release, you can move on to your next decision, and trust that person to handle it in the best interest of all.”

Do you use your relationship status in your team branding? Why or why not?

“We absolutely use our relationship in our team branding because it makes us unique … we aren’t the only husband-wife partners but we are certainly building a name for ourselves and aim to be the top husband-wife-led team in NYC. Our clients get the advantage of two passionate business people for the price of one.

“Brandon has an extensive background in the creative field and is effortlessly cool. He draws people in. I am highly analytical with a background in brand-voice and business-building. We tell clients when they sign up with us … if you want a short, fast answer, ask Brandon. If you want a long answer and the reasons behind the answer, ask Mallory. You get both of us when you work with us, and we offer two well-rounded but different perspectives that have translated effortlessly to real estate.”

What advice would you give couples who are thinking of starting a team together?

“One thing Brandon does that is extremely appreciated by me is he is my biggest hype man. When we lose, we have someone by our side to laugh it off with. When we win, we have someone to celebrate with who knows how big of a win it was. Couples considering partnering in business should remember that you are going to have hard days. Try to end every evening letting everything from the day take a backseat.

“Fill your home with positivity, love, and support, so that each of you don’t carry the day’s stresses into your home. Identify the things in your partner that make them a special real estate agent and let them flourish in the decisions and aspects that speak to their skill set. Do some things together and assign other things to one or the other to oversee, and if there’s something you aren’t 100% aligned on, take turns on who will take over the decision.

“Having a significant other to celebrate your successes with (because you helped each other achieve them), and help each recover quickly from the ones we don’t win, is truly one of the greatest blessings.”

Tricia Lee & Jeffery St. Arromand | Sold by Tricia Lee Team

Where they work: SERHANT. New York City 
Relationship: Engaged
Website: https://tricialee.com/ 
Responses by: Tricia Lee & Jeffery St. Arromand

Why did you decide to start a team with your significant other?

“I decided to work with my partner because I believe that we have such different skill sets that complement each other well. However, my partner was a little reluctant because (she thinks) typically it doesn’t bode well for the relationship.”

“I decided to work with Jeff because I trust him in my absence, fully. I trust his critical thinking, his knowledge and expertise, his negotiation ability, and his general kindness. Those things are rare to find in one person, let alone a work partner. I’m not a fan of working with your spouse—I’m too independent and like to keep work separate from home—but this wasn’t something I wanted to pass up.”

Did you establish ground rules to keep your work relationship from seeping into your professional relationship? What were they? Did they work?

“After downloading (and) venting to each other about our day, we make every effort to not discuss work after 6:30 p.m. … that doesn’t always work.”

“We used to have ground rules, and we still do, but I think we are getting stricter with our workaholic natures. We have a hard stop daily and a no-work-allowed day each week. Initially, we found ourselves talking about work until late in the evening, and I had to put my foot down. Then sometimes I will be the one breaking the rule and I get in trouble. Either way, we always have someone holding the other accountable. I absolutely have a hard start time, where Jeff does not. He opens his eyes, prays, and then checks email.”

Do you use your relationship status in your team branding? Why or why not?

“We don’t intentionally use our status in our team branding, but it is absolutely implied. We do property videos and branding videos together and I believe our chemistry comes across on camera.”

“I don’t think we use our relationship status in our branding so much as we just look like we go together. We could be in a room of 100 people and it would still look like we came together. My name is the team name, so people think it’s kind of cool that he supports that. But so do I.”

What advice would you give couples who are thinking of starting a team together?

“To any couples or siblings who are considering working together, I would tell them to determine what their individual strengths are and allow that person to lead in that direction. Also, something we’ve recently realized: Unless it’s necessary, we both do not need to attend the same meetings. We work together because we trust each other’s decision-making process. We can accomplish twice as much by implementing this.”

“My advice for couples (or families) who are thinking about forming a team together would be—don’t. I really think it’s good to have something different to come home and talk about with someone who experienced a very different day.”

Brock & Lori Harris | Brock & Lori L.A.

Where they work: Keller Williams, Los Angeles
Relationship: Married
Instagram: @brockandlori
Responses by: Lori Levine Harris

Why did you decide to start a team with your significant other?

“I had been practicing law at a big law firm and Brock was selling real estate and managing our investment properties. With my long hours, and our three young kids, this setup did not feel right. Once the pandemic hit, we had a chance to reevaluate our life, and it just didn’t make sense that I was working 15 hours a day—completely alone.

“We have incredible synergy, and we really weren’t using that in our careers and financial lives. As an attorney, I was able to walk right in and take my real estate exam. We took the leap, I quit my big law job, and we rebranded as Brock & Lori. We had no idea what a life-changing move this would be. In 2021, during our first full year together, we did $50 million in sales, and we’re on track to double that this year.”

Did you establish ground rules to keep your work relationship from seeping into your professional relationship? What were they? Did they work?

“Well, that’s a work in progress. We’re a startup currently in its growth phase, so we’re hustling. If I didn’t say we talked about real estate/our business all day every day, I’d be lying. Ask me again in a few more years.

“We do have ground rules about our family and health. Absent a time-sensitive deal, we turn off our phones from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. and keep them out of the bedroom. We exercise together three times per week and take Saturdays off for uninterrupted time with our kids. Health and family first, always.”

Do you use your relationship status in your team branding? Why or why not?

“Yes! Real estate sales is all about the people. Clients hire us because of who WE are—individually and as a couple. Other than our individual strengths, we have strengths as a couple that really resonate with clients who are couples. We also have different backgrounds and attributes that appeal to different clients.

“I am an attorney and an empath; Brock is a seasoned broker and is business-focused. The breadth of what we provide (in addition to our wonderful team) really appeals to our clients and followers. Plus, we get the benefit of our synergy. Brock and I both recognize that our life skyrocketed in growth when we met–our family, wealth, and business. We are quite lucky to have found each other.”

What advice would you give couples who are thinking of starting a team together?

“Make sure that you are aligned on business goals and finances, and that you have the tools to have productive disagreements, because you will disagree (and that will, in fact, create growth!). We also highly recommend business coaching to start—we are working with Tom Ferry coaching and our real estate coach was instrumental in launching our business.”

Over to You 

Do you work with your spouse or know another couple (married, engaged, or living under the same roof) who work together as a real estate team? How do you (or they) make it work? Let us know in the comments!