Inked Michigan Realty

Making a Deep, Discernible Imprint on the Industry

By Jane K. Asher, Ph.D.

Photos by Sasha Marceta with Skyview Experts

Inked Michigan Realty is not your ordinary real estate team, which isn’t surprising because its ambassadors — founder Chris Hubel and co-founders Tony Rodriguez and Ryan Milo — are far from ordinary … and purposely so. Intent on ushering in a new age in real estate, the Inked team has built a powerful brand steeped in a unique style, humor and viral marketing. In doing so, they’ve also cultivated lasting relationships with their clients.

“We all differ on how we run our own personal business, but together we have one goal, and that is client satisfaction,” Chris said.

Chris established Inked Michigan Realty, which is brokered by eXp Realty, in 2018 after having spent a year in the real estate industry and 12 years in retail management at a bicycle shop. About a year later, childhood friends Chris and Tony reconnected at a listing and decided to go out for coffee and catch up. Their conversation evolved into Chris inviting Tony to join Inked as a co-founder. At the time, Tony, who had previously ventured to California where he landed a job auditioning foreclosures, had already fallen in love with real estate and was working with Ryan Milo at RE/MAX Suburban.

After careful consideration, Tony decided to join forces with Chris at Inked. A few months later, Tony, Chris and Ryan all met up for lunch, which culminated in Ryan coming on board as co-founder.

Ryan, REALTOR®, Designated Associate Broker and CDPE, has a career volume of over $100 million and brings 23 years of real estate experience — and connections — to the team. “I’m like the parent in our group,” Ryan said. “My role is making sure we are all doing good, helping everyone not only in business but also in life.”

Ryan’s propensity to help others succeed is personally motivated: He grew up in a broken family and worked hard to build a better life for himself. “I completed some college, but I’m not very book smart — most of my knowledge and skills are self-taught,” Ryan said. “My journey has been shaped by me coming out and growing my own confidence in myself.” Ryan and his partner, James, have been together for over 28 years. They own a salon together, love traveling to the Caribbean and have a 4-pound Chihuahua named Dushi.

Tony, REALTOR®, has a five-year career volume of $30 million and is the team’s trusted source of knowledge, motivation and “crazy ideas.” Born in Pontiac and raised in Keego Harbor by his mother — a mortgage broker — and his father — a professional boxer — Tony spent his youth in the boxing gym where he learned the value of discipline and hard work. “School was never for me, but I was always good at making money,” he said. “Moving to California by myself taught me a lot about who I am and motivated me to change my lifestyle.”

In his free time, Tony enjoys traveling, hiking and working out with his girlfriend, Olivia, as well as spending time with their 4-yearold French Bulldog, Chapo. He also manages and trains professional boxers and owns Grable Boxing Academy, a nonprofit boxing gym in downtown Pontiac that is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of Pontiac youth.

Chris, REALTOR®, has sold $10 million in his three-year career and holds the unofficial title of “Social Media Lightweight Champion”; he’s the content creation guru who brings determination, creativity and ink to Inked Realty — he’s covered in tattoos. Like Tony, Chris spent his childhood in Keego Harbor, and like Ryan, Chris grew up in a broken family and was intent on changing the course of his life. After graduating high school with a 3.9 GPA, Chris suffered a near-death experience: a BMX racing accident that put him in a coma and resulted in crushed vertebrae, traumatic brain injury and a broken jaw. “As a result of my accident, I put my college plans on hold, and after struggling with alcoholism, those plans never came to fruition,” he said. “Since getting sober in 2013, I have continued to grow as an individual and have developed a very entrepreneurial mindset.”

“We all differ on how we run our own personal business, but together we have one goal, and that is client satisfaction.”

Chris is a single father who enjoys an active, outdoor lifestyle with his 4-year-old son, Kit. Chris’s hobbies include cycling and running; he’s also a big fan of nature … and tattoos.

“We are a strange group with totally different backgrounds,” Ryan said. “We’re colorful, loud and professional, but, altogether, we mesh very well with each other.”

Chris, Tony and Ryan have joined forces to build brand awareness through traditional and digital marketing, and they’ve also learned not to count their chickens unless “the coop is full.” They have shaped a strong business partnership — and a cutting-edge real estate brand — by practicing patience and good communication, by having fun, and by capitalizing on each other’s strengths.

Their differences converge in the many shared values that found and drive their business model: The Inked Michigan Realty team places relationships over transactions, takes client representation to the extreme, prioritizes clients’ well-being and possesses an intense passion for changing the industry. “Empathy and compassion always win in the end,” Chris said. “We know this from our own life experiences, and we passionately practice this.”

“The importance of building brand awareness must not be overlooked,” Chris said. “In an oversaturated industry, you must find a way to differentiate yourself from your competitors.”

That process of individuating — of cultivating something with unparalleled potential — begins with individuals who fearlessly embrace authenticity and weave their true selves into the very fabric of their business. Inked Michigan Realty is more than a brand; it’s a powerful coalition of three edgy and innovative real estate pioneers who are collectively making a deep and discernable imprint on the industry.

Chris Hubel, Tony Rodriguez & Ryan Milo, Inked Michigan Realty - Broker Spotlight