Scott and Maria Love are The Love Group, LLC, the 2020 and 2021 Top Producers at Brokers Real Estate. With a solid background in different sales industries, both agents came  to the real estate game with unique skill sets that paved the way for a smooth transition and steady success. Scott says, “While it’s rewarding to see the smiles on our clients’ faces when we complete a transaction, we are proud that we’ve been blessed with financial success in this endeavor.”

We all know that success doesn’t come easy, and the Loves’ found this out early on. “With our extensive sales backgrounds it was exciting to get into a business where literally anyone could be a client,” Maria explains. “We definitely didn’t fully comprehend the level of competition we would encounter!” The team is quick to point out that they are enjoying collaborating with and learning from other agents. “There is always more to learn and there are people out there who can teach us, so we need to keep increasing our abilities to give our clients the level of service they deserve,” Scott says. “Seeing other agents as adversaries doesn’t do anyone, including your own clients, any good.” The pair believes wholeheartedly in working hard and working together, even when it’s not easy. They acknowledge that working as a pair can be stressful at times, but being able to overcome obstacles together just makes them stronger and closer.

Scott and Maria are no strangers to working together. Before real estate, they owned and operated Integrous Steel Software Solutions, a company they built as a software provider to the steel fabrication industry. They are also a team at home raising two children, Damian and Amelia, and they understand the importance of goal and boundary setting. In fact, every Sunday is family day and the four of them work hard to honor that, taking the boat out on the river and ensuring that clients and other agents respect their sacred time together. Of course, they are always available in the event of emergencies, but they will happily refer those who need more than they can provide. “We’ve had to learn that this business can literally take over your life if you’re not careful, so putting time on the calendar for the family is KEY to keeping the family whole.” Scott explains.

Putting family time on the calendar looks a lot like goal setting, which is another tool the Love Group employs. The team sets “stretch goals”, which are high-effort and high-risk goals that are intentionally set higher than normal standards with the purpose of reaping high rewards. Together they brainstorm the business plan and spec out the operational goals, with Scott acting as the Operations Manager while Maria is considered the implementer and Production Manager. Maria describes herself as the dreamer and visionary, while Scott is the sales and business leader. Scott says, “I could sell houses without Maria and she could run the team without me, but we couldn’t do it alone.” The duo has spent the last five years finding and defining their roles and was gratified to discover at a recent mastermind that their intuitive approach is actually a highly successful business model. Still, they sometimes have to refocus and remind themselves to slow down. 

A gentle reminder from the kids that they are “working too hard” is a cue to the Love Team that they need to pause and regain balance, remembering that the very reason they work hard is so they can live life to its fullest and savor every moment with family. Maria says, “We are only here for a short while and we need to savor every step of the journey.” In fact, she’s applied goal setting and gratitude to her other passion - painting. Maria recently joined the Society of Bluffton Artists (SOBA) and is living her dream of being an artist. She tacked up a vision board and committed to painting 2 hours a night twice a week. She’s gratified that one of her pieces was recently featured in a gallery, a visual reminder that her dream is coming true. “Real estate and family take up a lot of time,” she explains. “Scott is very big on goal setting and encouraged me to follow my heart.” Scott for his part enjoys spending about five hours per week as a salesman for a software company he used to partner with. “I believe in keeping a diversified income,” he says. “After ten years of sales it’s like second nature and it helps keep my sales skills fresh while changing up the work.”

Above all, Scott and Maria are grateful for the opportunities they've been afforded and the success they’ve enjoyed thus far, feeling honored to be recognized next to the “giants of our local industry”. In true Love Group fashion, they’re not done setting goals! Their short term goal is to continue building a team of agents that can be successful and proud to be a part of The Love Group. The long-term goal is to achieve a year where they can realize $1 million in commissionable income before they hit ten years in business. We at Real Producers wish them the best of luck and encourage everyone to cheer them on!