Ron Bruce launched his real estate career in 1985 at the age of 22. At the time, the average 30-year mortgage rates had fallen off their high but still topped 12 percent, and the median home in America was just over $80,000. Suffice it to say, he began his career in a world that was much different than today.

 

The real estate industry was dramatically different too. The popularization of the internet was still more than a decade away, and real estate transactions were conducted in a far different manner. Documents were faxed, keys needed to be picked up for house showings, and new homes were listed in a biweekly print of the MLS book. That’s a stark contrast to today’s standards, where clients have access to vast information from the comfort of their homes and technology drives the real estate business.

 

Through it all, Ron has been a constant. He has weathered the up-and-down cycles of real estate to become a consistent top producer. Nearly 40 years after beginning his real estate career, Ron remains as passionate about his work as when he started. Real estate and family are his life.

 

“I’m a laid-back guy. I work real estate, and I'm with my family,” Ron says.

 

Ron’s business has changed shape a few times since he began. He became a top producer and eventually purchased the real estate brokerage that he worked for. He eventually sold that brokerage and has settled in as an agent and team leader.

 

Today, Ron leads The Ron Bruce Team with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, a group of nine agents. His team closed 151 transactions for $43.6 million in 2022.

 

So what keeps Ron in the business after so many years? For him, it’s all about serving the client.

 

“I enjoy helping people sell their homes. It's not the ‘same old’ every day. It's always interesting. It can be frustrating, but I do enjoy it. I still enjoy it enough to be working seven days a week,” he says.

 

It’s easy to look at Ron and be impressed by his storied career, but it wasn’t always easy for him. Getting a business off the ground is tough work, and in the ‘80s, Ron had to push past some significant obstacles to find success. He’s now able to help his agents avoid the same pitfalls.

 

“I grew up in the area. My father had a bar where I bartended. I also drove a truck full-time, so I knew a lot of people. I thought the business was going to be easier when I started, but I realized I have to hustle,” he reflects. “I had a sale fall through in 1986 that caused me to go back to driving a truck full-time for a month. I was planning to use that as Christmas money to buy my kids' toys. I was driven to make this real estate career work. My broker said, ‘If you want to make this your career and stop working three jobs to support your family, do what I tell you to do.’ He took me in his red Corvette to a development and said, ‘You’re going to knock doors here every day. I'll drop you off, you knock on doors, and I'll pick you up.’ Every day, I'd knock for hours. Once I did that, people started getting to know me, and I started getting business. My name started getting around the neighborhood.”

 

“I didn't know how hard it was to be a new agent. You really have to work at it to make it happen. I thought it was going to be easier, but you really have to work the sphere.”

 

At 59 years old, Ron has no plans to slow down. His goal is to continue growing his team and focusing his attention on listings.

 

“I want to leave a legacy of being someone that was successful in this business year after year, but also as being down-to-earth. I don’t think I'm better than others. I treat everyone with kindness — clients, agents, and anyone I meet.”

 

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Ron and his wife, Terrie, have been married for 40 years. (Fun fact: They were named the class couple for the West Deptford High Class of 1982.) Their family includes their two adult children, Alicia and Ronnie, their spouses, Jon and Melissa, and a grandson, Brayden. “If I'm not working, I'm with my family. That's me,” Ron shares.