Tim & Danielle Miller

Working Together To Share Their Passion in Real Estate

By Amanda Matkowski

Photos by Jacob Harr with harr Creative LLC

With a passion for the housing industry and for helping people, it was inevitable that Tim and Danielle Miller would team up together in real estate. “We truly spend most of our time together, which has only made our relationship and business stronger,” Danielle said. “It’s also so fun to share the same passions. We both get so excited for our clients, motivate each other to reach our goals and communicate very well with one another in business and in everyday life.”

Before Tim and Danielle got married, Danielle’s mother was the first to suggest real estate to the couple. Although they discussed what life would be like if they were both agents, Tim and Danielle were caught up in wedding planning and their individual jobs, so their dreams were placed on hold until after they got married.

Tim dove into real estate first in the summer of 2016. Prior to obtaining his real estate license, he was a dining manager at a high-end retirement community where he loved connecting with the residents and hearing their stories. “I knew that I wanted to work for myself one day, and once I met Danielle and heard her passion for the housing industry, real estate seemed like the perfect avenue for me to build my business and help people at the same time,” he shared.

Once Tim established himself in the field, Danielle left her salaried position and joined him full time in 2019. She had previously worked in the marketing department for a brokerage and was in administration at an interior design studio, both of which were valuable experiences that contributed to the couple’s success in real estate. “I essentially use my communication and marketing skills to build up our clientele and play an administrative role once we start working together,” Danielle explained.

Now working together for two years, Tim and Danielle have formed The Millers team brokered by Steve Volkers Group. “We are able to provide twice the expertise and also showcase our individual skills to connect with our clients in different ways,” they both said. As a couple, they generated $7.5 million in sales volume in 2021 and have a combined career volume of $22 million — over $13 million of which was obtained since Danielle teamed up with Tim.

Although Tim and Danielle are both goal-oriented and motivated to succeed, their differences complement each other as they strive to offer the best service for their clients. “While Tim typically runs the transactions and is a very skilled negotiator, I usually connect with our clients on a more personal level,” Danielle explained. Tim added, “Our skills are different, but when we work together, I believe we truly provide a great service.”

When asked about their favorite part of being a real estate agent, the duo pointed to different aspects of the homebuying process. For Tim, it’s the initial meeting with clients. “I love sitting down over coffee with new clients and getting to know them and their stories,” he shared. As for Danielle, she loves informing clients that their offers have been accepted. “The market has been competitive for a number of years now, so when we are able to get one under contract for our clients, it’s often very rewarding and emotional. It warms my heart that we are able to assist people with such an emotional and life-changing investment,” she said.

Tim and Danielle admit that, because of their shared love of real estate, it can sometimes be a challenge to separate work from their personal lives. “Time apart to recharge really makes us better when we come together,” Danielle said. For other couples who are looking to form a business, Tim recommends setting aside one day a week to spend time with each other outside of work. “It is important to learn and understand each other’s strengths and encourage each other along the way,” he said.

Outside of real estate, the couple enjoys hiking with their two huskies — Maya and Rorie — and spending time with family and friends. Tim loves listening to country music and golfing with friends in his free time whereas Danielle likes to read memoirs. They are also currently in the adoption process and would love to welcome a child or two into their home.

The couple’s absolute favorite pastime, however, is to take their boat to Grand Haven. “The boat is my happy place. It is a great place to read, think and enjoy the sunshine,” Danielle said. They both stated that they want boating to be a part of their lives forever and have dreams of living on it for a while with their family.

When it comes to real estate, the duo agrees that they were meant to team up in business and share their enthusiasm with clients. “We run on coffee, real estate and love,” Danielle joked before adding, “Honestly, we truly are better together.”

DYNAMIC DUO -- Tim & Danielle Miller from Steve Volkers Group