What makes someone a hero?
It could be that your idea of a hero is someone who has set an example of selflessness, of sacrifice. It could be someone who works to lift others up, regardless of any reward. It could be someone who puts themselves in harm’s way to keep others safe.
However you define them, these heroes deserve our deepest gratitude and our most unwavering support. Robert Moul recognized that simple truth long ago and set to work making sure local heroes received both.
Through the Moul, REALTORS® Heroes Program, heroes of all kinds receive up to 25% of their agent’s commission as a rebate at closing, whether buying or selling.
Regi Johnson, Jen Thomas, Melissa Epstein, Robert Moul, Yuri Kennedy, and Taylor Cox. Not pictured: Claudia Chapman, Jordan Knight and Matt Wyrick
“When you’re able to just gift someone at closing for $3,000 or $4,000, that’s a big chunk of change,” Moul said. “I started giving back in 2015 and so far, we’ve given back $299,374 of our commission directly into the hands of our heroes. We love this program.”
The impetus for the program came from Moul’s own connection to our nation’s military heroes. With a brother serving active duty in the Army and an extensive military family across the branches, he has seen the kinds of sacrifices that our armed forces make far beyond the battlefield.
“I think our military doesn’t get enough recognition,” Moul said. “They put their lives in danger and leave their families behind. I wanted to give those families something.”
And it’s not just money that Moul, REALTORS® has given back. The company creates what Moul calls “a chain of people” to support these heroes in their new community. Sometimes it’s helping them get involved, sometimes it’s just helping them find a lender.
“But that’s something that has always set us apart – getting clients to the closing table with a smile,” Moul said. “Too often you hear people saying, ‘I didn’t even see my agent until they came to pick up the check.’”
The program proved so successful that, in recent years, Moul has widened the definition to include heroes who might not get military parades, but still deserve our thanks. “We’ve extended it to teachers as well as firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, reservists, wounded warriors, and veterans,” he said.
Yuri Kenney, the Bluffton office sales manager said, “My wife is a teacher, and I’ve seen her coworkers struggle to buy a home. To watch them be able to use that money to realize that dream, it helps us feel like part of the community and lets them know they’re valued.”
It’s a visible way that Moul, REALTORS® is giving back, among countless ways that most people don’t hear about. For the past three years running, Moul, REALTORS® has bought pounds of candy to give away for the Spooktacular Halloween Block Party held by the Town of Bluffton. They’ve also donated numerous items from school supplies and gym class supplies to Amazon gift cards to area teachers. And they’ve launched an entirely separate division of the Heroes Program for taking donations.
“Real estate can sometimes be a not-so-rewarding business to be in, but when we give back it feels much more rewarding,” Moul said.
Other real estate professionals know what he’s talking about – especially given the recent changes spurred by the National Association of Realtors settlement. The settlement essentially changes the way compensation is structured, meaning a buyer’s agent might have to negotiate with the sellers to determine their compensation, and as a buyer, you could be held be responsible for covering the difference in your agent’s pay.
“Another thing is, you can’t just go now, as a buyer, to look at a house. You have to sign an agreement first,” Moul said. “We’re navigating those changes.”
But then, navigating change has been what Moul does best since starting Moul, REALTORS®. From day one, he took a decidedly different approach to the industry, one driven by the new possibilities that technology presents.
“We’re really a technology-driven brokerage,” Moul said. “As the team has evolved over the years, I think we’ve built something unique.”
And there’s a brilliant combination of hardware and software at play. On the software side, they’ve introduced an online portal that not only gives his agents total visibility and insights into their transactions, but also gives clients a quick and easy way to track milestones towards their sale. On the hardware side, Moul is using his background in intelligence studies to dissect the market and find strategies that other brokerages aren’t.
“People see our little office in downtown Bluffton, but we’re competing against these goliath companies with multiple offices and we’ve been able to find our niche here in helping our clients,” Moul said.
Facing those odds to deliver for clients and give back to our heroes? Sounds rather heroic in itself.
