Tory Sheffer

MAKING A LIVELY LIVING IN REAL ESTATE

By Jane K. Asher, Ph.D.

Photos by Stylish Detroit

In 2015, Tory Sheffer, then a student at Saginaw Valley State University, realized that he better start exploring his career options, so he took to the web and began researching and applying for jobs. During his search, he happened to come across a real estate agent simulator; and, according to the results of his personality and skills assessments, Tory checked all the boxes of a great agent. A few days later, Tory met with the managing broker and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan and started studying for his licensing exam.

“When I got my license, I was also a full-time student, so I would go to class in the morning, then go to the office for floor time and then head back to class in the evening,” Tory said. In addition to managing a full college course load and the demands of his new real estate career, Tory also owned a commercial and residential playground building company, so he spent his weekends and summers building playgrounds at Michigan and Ohio schools. Needless to say, Tory didn’t need a simulation or skills test to confirm his fit for real estate: His liveliness, drive, work ethic and knack for juggling a multitude of tasks and responsibilities showcased his hustle and potential to thrive as an agent.

Tory says that there were not “any crazy life events” that drew him to a career in real estate. “I’ve always had an infatuation with houses and thought it’d be cool to sell big ones — real estate looked like fun, and I just went for it,” he said, “This pretty much sums up my theme in life. Work, to me, needs to be fun and fulfilling rather than just work.”

Now, after being in the business for five years and reaching a career volume of approximately $30 million, $9 million of which he generated in 2019, Tory has had the opportunity to not only sell “some incredible homes” but also to meet so many amazing clients. “I’ve had clients from around the world, and it’s incredibly interest- ing and inspiring to hear stories about their career path and what bits and pieces I can try to emulate to also be successful,” he said.

As a REALTOR® and an associate broker at Signature Sotheby’s Inter- national Realty, Tory is grateful for the local and international con- nections he has made with agents through the Sotheby’s network. He enjoys so many aspects of his job, but he says his favorite is negotiation. “I’m somewhat of a deal junkie,” Tory said. “I really enjoy every part of going back and forth to fight for my clients to get the best deal.”

Right now, in his business, Tory’s newfound passion is multi-family investment opportunities. Currently, Tory is working on a deal with a purchase price of just over $15 million, which he will soon own along with a partner and some investors. “I’ve been fortunate to make a good amount of money and meet awesome people, which brings op- portunity to put that money to work achieving my long-term goal and building a multi-family investment portfolio,” Tory said.

Tory also just recently closed on a home for himself and navigated all the “classic first-time homebuyer scenarios,” and he finds that this firsthand experience is helping him pass along more knowledge to his clients. “I don’t claim to know everything, and I’m obsessed 30 • August 2020 with learning, so being able to learn while doing is incredible,” Tory said. “I’m very fortunate for the opportunities that have come up from my real estate career.”

Tory grew up in Hartland, Michigan, graduated from Hartland High School and is currently completing his bachelor’s in finance at Oakland University. He is the third of nine children — both of his parents came from big families, so Tory was always surrounded by a ton of aunts and uncles and cous- ins and says that his childhood was a blast. When Tory was a teen- ager, his father left his longstanding career at Ford to establish Pen- chura, a company that develops commercial parks and playgrounds throughout the Mid- west. “My dad left a comfortable corporate job to work for himself, which was a big risk for a father of nine children,” Tory said. “Seeing his tireless work ethic and what it takes to be an entrepreneur inspired my drive to succeed.”

Tory has known his “amazing wife” Emmie Sheffer since childhood. She was his sister’s friend and attend- ed the same church as him, and as teenagers, Emmie and Tory joked about getting married some- day. “I’ve always been a big dreamer and am fully convinced I can get anything I want in life,” Tory said. “If I can marry the woman of my dreams, everything else should be easy.”

Emmie, who was named one of the Top Athletes of the Decade in Livingston County, played golf at Brighton High School and University of Tennessee and then played a year professionally. In their free time, Tory and Emmie love to golf — even though Tory admits that Emmie is the better golfer — ski and play tennis. They also enjoy spending time on his parents’ boat in Grand Haven and summer getaways at his in-law’s vacation property in the Upper Peninsula. “My mom grew up on a farm, so we never had a TV — she saw it as a complete waste of time,” Tory said. “I was always outside running around and that’s still the most fun for me today.”

Tory may not have as much time to run around outside like he did when he was younger, but he has purposely carried his fun and adventurous spirit with him to make a lively living and shape a thriving career in real estate. “From listing appoint- ments to showings to closings, there is always something that can be fun about this business,” he said. “I once wore my wed- ding tuxedo to a showing at my listing because the buyer was looking to turn the property into a wedding venue.”

Rising Star- Tory Sheffer