Jenifer Rachel

A Client-Focused Business Motivated by Family

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Sasha Marceta with Skyview Experts

Jenifer Rachel was raised by a divorced mother who was a role model of determination.

At an early age, Jenifer was inspired to work hard for her dreams, uphold honesty at all times, and find ways to give back to others and her community. Her desire to achieve her goals put Jenifer at the top of her game in life and in real estate.

Jenifer’s road to real estate success began after eight years as a Clarkston mail carrier and when her youngest daughter went to kindergarten. Leading up to her career move, Jenifer and her husband, Dennis, shared their love for the housing business and invested in home rental and renovations. At the urging of her husband, Jenifer got her builders and real estate licenses, and naturally transitioned into becoming a full-time agent. Today, Jenifer is the associate broker at Keller Williams Premier and a team lead for Rachel Realty Team. Since launching her career in 2006, she has achieved a career volume of over $90 million and has earned numerous awards.

Jenifer has consciously surrounded herself with a talented team that consists of family and friends. “We all have unique strengths and exclusive responsibilities that complement one another,” Jenifer said. “And we all share a common love for real estate and for providing the best experience for our clients.”

Five years ago, Dennis — who also worked at the Clarkston Post Office — retired and got his real estate license to help Jenifer with home showings. “Dennis has always been my biggest fan,” Jenifer said. “He has shaped my career path through his encouragement and belief in my abilities.” In 2013, Jenifer added Lorraine Kalish as her administrative assistant. “I met Lorraine through our children’s ministry program at our church,” Jenifer recalled. “I saw how organized she was and I liked her personality, so I asked her if she wanted a job, and she’s been amazing ever since.”

Jenifer’s daughter Holly got her real estate license right out of high school but didn’t join the team until she came home from college. She began working as a buyer’s agent and is successfully building a very strong clientele. Holly also has a son, Easton, who brings absolute joy to the entire family. “My son is the greatest motivation to strive for success, and I have the privilege of working with an amazing team who helps me achieve that goal,” Holly said.

Ariyana McDonald is a longtime family friend who always thought she wanted to be a nurse. However, in 2017, she was offered the opportunity to be a real estate agent and realized that the job was more in line with her personality. She also discovered that she could take care of people just as she always wanted to do, albeit through real estate. “The best part about this job is that it doesn’t feel like a job when you’re doing something that you love,” she said.

The newest member to the team is Morgan Johnston, who is overseeing all of the marketing activities. Morgan — who is the daughter of Jenifer’s oldest friend — is currently attending Grand Valley State University and is pursuing a career in marketing. “I am responsible for creating the marketing strategies and campaigns to reach new customers,” she said.

Jenifer said that the most rewarding part of building a team with her family is seeing them rise to higher levels than she could’ve ever imagined. “I wanted to create a platform of excellence filled with education and systematic procedures that gives my team the opportunities to grow and exceed to a level beyond my own,” she explained.

At the heart of her business is Jenifer’s community-focused mindset. She firmly believes success comes from getting involved, becoming a leader and joining a committee. “If you give yourself to something else, you will always get something in return,” she said.

Most recently, Jenifer stepped down from her government affairs position on the North Oakland County Board of REALTORS® (NOCBOR), which she served on for 12 years. However, she is still NOCBOR’s national director, local director, a representative for Realcomp’s shareholders and is also on the state’s public policy committee.

Jenifer’s involvement on state and national real estate committees provides knowledge and insight that supports her passion for protecting people from bad real estate situations. “I want to be involved and educate myself as much as possible so I can be the solution for my clients,” she explained. “I love seeing the joy our team can bring to people when we can resolve their issues.”

When Jenifer steps away from her real estate work, she spends time with her husband and their children. Married for 25 years, they have a total of four children — the couple’s two girls plus Dennis’ two sons from a previous marriage — and now four grandchildren. Dennis’ son Ryan is married and has three children — Ryan, Rowan and Reagan — and Dennis’ youngest son Paul works and lives in Waterford. Daughter Holly is a thriving young agent on Jenifer’s team and has one son, Easton. Paige is the youngest of the group and is currently finishing her studies to become an architect. As a family, they like to vacation in Cancun, play tennis and ride snowmobiles.

Jenifer is also very active within her church at Mt. Zion in Clarkston where she has been involved in the children’s ministry for 21 years.

“My faith in God showed me how to weather any storm and how to prioritize what really matters,” Jenifer said. Along with her faith, Jenifer’s allegiance to her family, to her work and to her community is making the world a better place. “I am a producer, not just a consumer. I bring everything God has gifted me to the table every day.”

Jenifer acknowledged that real estate is hard work but incredibly rewarding. “Never stop learning, and love your clients more than you love the money,” she said. “I am exceptionally good at looking out for my client’s best interest. I continually put their needs first in an effort to achieve success for everyone.”

Jenifer affectionately refers to her team as a team of experts because of the collective knowledge, experience and expertise they bring to the group. “We’re always learning new things from each other,” she said. “And we take care of each other, which nurtures trust and stability. If you treat your family members on your team as employees and treat your employees like your family, you will always come out on top.”

Jenifer Rachel - All in the Family