Local SC Man Quits His High Six-Figure Tech Job to Pursue His Dreams

“I believe 110% in the Charleston Real Estate Market, most importantly I believe in Charleston SC as a thriving area with great people and a strong economy.” -Richard Tavetian

After 11 years of working in the software/high tech space Richard Tavetian decided to leave the high six-figure job, benefits, and perks to pursue his dreams. 

A former New Yorker (from the Hudson Valley area) and current Charleston resident since 2015 he has seen the population, jobs, and the local economy grow significantly in a positive way for the community.

“When I first moved here it felt weird, I kept thinking to myself ‘Why is everyone so friendly and engaging?’,” Rich said. “It was different compared to New York, but I kinda liked it. Whether it was the grocery store, gas station, or the gym I was greeted with joy and positivity ‘Hi, how are you today?’. These simple pleasantries really grew on me, became my new normal, and thought, ‘Yup, this is the place for me’.”

Before Richard moved here in 2015 he was unemployed for several months struggling to land a tech job in NY. When he saw there were many tech jobs available in Charleston he jumped right on it and got an interview several weeks later. After visiting Charleston for the interview he immediately fell in love with the city and hasn’t looked back.

“Charleston is a great city, it has everything I need for my lifestyle. That’s why in 2017 I decided to build a house and settle here. It was an awesome decision, it was clear to me that Charleston and surrounding coastal towns were great investments and a place to call home.”

Since then he has grown his investment property portfolio and helped provide affordable housing to over 27 residents over the years.

“I believe affordable housing is a challenge in Charleston and neighboring coastal towns. There is a serious problem here where the wages don’t align well to the cost of housing making rent expensive for many people. I knew I could provide affordable housing to others and help solve that problem.”

Richard has been working in Real Estate part-time as an agent since 2016 during his evenings and weekends helping his friends and friends’ friends buy and sell Real Estate.

When he saw the excitement on his clients faces at closing and knowing that he was making a positive impact on others’ lives he realized this was his calling.

“It is truly rewarding to help people.”

Plus, the real estate market in Charleston has been very strong, even through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite people shouting from the rooftops “there’s low inventory” we’re still seeing closings happening every single day in the market and pent up buyer demand.

According to the local Charleston Trident Association of Realtors (CTAR) MLS (multiple listing service) in July 2021 there was an average of 177 closed sales per day, 83 per day in Charleston County.

“Those numbers are great and indicate the market is very abundant and thriving for both homeowners and buyers.”, Richard stated.

He also warns other entrepreneurs though, “The Real Estate business is not for everyone though. You can’t be in it just for the money, that’s the wrong reason in my opinion. You have to truly want to help people, make a positive impact on their lives, solve their problems, and provide a first-class service to others. The problem I see with many agents is they are transaction-focused and not relationship-focused and that’s hurting their business in the long term… and quite frankly giving Real Estate Professionals a bad rap. It’s far more fulfilling when your intentions are in the right place and build genuine relationships with your clients to help them.”

Richard contributes his success to the over 300 self-development books, podcasts, and audiobooks he’s consumed and learned from over the years. He reads and listens to an audiobook or reads a book every day as part of his daily routine.

“No matter what you decide to do to pursue your dreams, make sure you have a clear vision and focus on taking action towards that vision every single day. What I’ve learned is that with focus comes power. When you’re everything to everyone, you’re nobody to no-one.”

More about Rich Tavetian:

Rich Tavetian is a writer, investor, Real Estate Professional, and is host of The Rich Life Podcast.

You can find him on Instagram. He answers every Instagram DM, come say hello!

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