Video by Cooper Slough
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Getting into real estate might be a tough nut to crack, but after only three years, real estate agent Adam Pray has gone from a beginner in the business to quickly become well-known in Hays and now has opened his own agency, The Platinum Group, in a renovated office space in the Chestnut Street District at 116 E. 11th.
Even though becoming a real estate agent requires a lot of work, the process was a labor of love for Pray.
“I first got into real estate in 2012. I really had a love for real estate. We had a few rentals and enjoyed that part of it,” he said.
Pray was in insurance before and looked for an opportunity to decrease business travel, so real estate seemed a natural fit. But soon after getting into the business, he realized he could do things differently.
“Once I got into the real estate business, there were a few things I felt could be done better,” he said. “I just feel like we are behind the times, in general.”
After watching agents outside of Hays, he decided on a new approach.
“I was watching agents in other towns do transactions, and they were using technologies we don’t use here, and I just felt we could be doing things more effectively and efficiently,” he said. “We could be more convenient for the customer and save the agent more time. … That’s what led to Platinum Group.”
With the agency, he hopes to bring a different real estate experience to customers in Hays, allowing the group to excel.
“I’ve always wanted to own my own business,” he said. “It’s kind of a win-win.”
“I really feel like a lot of my personal success and our success so far in our young company life is how we treat the customer,” he added, “Consequently, it’s called the platinum rule — treat others like they want to be treated. … We go above and beyond. People don’t ask for some of the services we provide, but we do them anyway. If they do ask, even if it is something we don’t provide, most times we will help them out.”
And Pray believes opening the agency in Hays comes at a good time.
“I think real estate is great in Hays. We have a great market. We have a lot of really great people here and it’s a fun market,” he said.
While opening an agency so quickly is notable enough, Pray plans on expansion, as well.
“Eventually in the future, we are going to add on. There are other agents that have expressed interest in working with us, and I see foresee in the next couple of years us growing as a company,” he said. “Our goal is to be known as the source for anything real estate-related in Ellis County.”
The Platinum Group will host an open house on April 1.
For more on the business and recent listings visit their facebook page.