After crisscrossing the country from Washington, D.C .,to San Francisco to Chicago, Sabrina and Dave Robb were ready to plant some roots. They also were eager to leave their hectic careers in the technology field for something more rewarding. “We wanted something we could do together, and something that would cement us to a community,” Sabrina says. The couple chose real estate and decided in 2004 to settle down in Dave’s hometown, where his mother, Elizabeth Robb, had been a successful agent for decades. “My father was a home builder, so I grew up around real estate and always thought it was interesting,” Sabrina says. Today, the Robbs are consistently ranked as one of St. Louis’ top realtor teams. When they aren’t selling real estate homes, they’re busy raising twin 7-year-old boys and exploring downtown Clayton, where they recently purchased a townhome.
high-tech | I love being innovative with the technology I use. Last year, I started offering interactive online brochures with embedded videos and links about the community. As someone tours a home, they can pull it up on their phone or tablet for more information.
good start | My first sale was in Chicago. I helped a young couple who were expecting their first child buy a townhome. It was about $750,000, which was exciting.
top dollar | My biggest sale to date is about $2.2 million. I was representing a buyer who purchased a house that should have been in the $3 million range, but it was during the economic downturn.
keys to success | To be a good real estate agent, you have to be empathetic and interested in what makes a person tick and what motivates them. You also have to be willing to pick yourself up when things don’t go according to plan.
the right match | If you’re listing your home, identify agents who have a proven track record in your area. Interview them and make sure the rapport is there. Also, ask about their approach to marketing a home and what kind of assistance they will provide you throughout the process.
winning | I love my job. Even if I won the lottery, I think I’d do exactly what I’m doing now.
hidden treasure | When I work with people being recruited to St. Louis, most of them don’t know much about the city. When I follow up with them a year later, they love it. There are so many things to do here, I just wish the city did a better job of marketing itself.
family affair | I spend a lot of time with my children, especially at the soccer fields in Shaw Park. We really love the city’s museums, Grant’s Farm, the St. Louis Art Fair and the Great Forest Park Balloon Race.
seeing double | The hard part about raising twins is when they’re infants. As they get older, it’s a lot of fun. Since day one, they’ve had very distinct personalities. They are each other’s best friend and worst enemy, but mostly best best friends.
working with a spouse | It works really well for us. We complement each other’s strengths and offset each other’s weaknesses. If we had to share an office, it might be a different story!
Photo: Bill Barrett
