Joy Kim Metalios graduated from Columbia University with an engineering degree in materials science, but quickly found that a professional life spent in a lab had lost its appeal. Her in-laws were 40-year owners of a thriving real estate company, and she enjoyed their stories. In 1994, she and her husband set out to buy a co-op apartment in Manhattan, and when they couldn’t find a real estate agent who was willing to work with their $150,000 price point, Metalios became an agent herself. Within her first year, she helped clients buy 21 small apartments—the properties other agents deemed unworthy of their time. Twenty-one years later, Metalios heads up The Metalios Group at William Raveis Real Estate in Greenwich. The team of four professional agents—Metalios, Caroline Shen, Michele Nygaard, and Jennifer Thomas—aim to provide nothing less than first-class service and to be “agents for life” for their clients.
What sets your business apart from others?
We take a different approach to marketing. In today’s competitive real estate market, it’s not enough to rely wholly on advertising, the Internet, social media, and word-of-mouth to showcase a home. We utilize creative approaches that go above and beyond those more commonplace marketing methods.
For example, we’ve hosted a cappella concerts in conjunction with open houses. We’ve worked with professional filmmakers to produce interesting, beautiful, and viral-worthy videos to showcase our clients’ properties, with one video garnering more than 8,000 combined views on YouTube and Facebook. We sold that home, which had been on the market for several years with another agency, in a short period of time. We’ve also developed a website, destinationgreenwich.net, which is a resource for both real estate and life in Greenwich.
Who do you consider to be your role models or mentors?
I was raised by a single mother who worked incredibly hard to provide many opportunities for me and my brother. I also had an uncle who was a successful entrepreneur and gave me a job during college breaks. He was a tough boss with high standards, but I understood that his work ethic emerged from his determination to always be the best he could be. I’ve also had the support of colleagues along the way, especially at William Raveis, where I have been encouraged to develop my team and brand.
As a professional woman, and also a mother of three children, how do you manage the work-life balance?
I believe it’s important to compartmentalize your life. When you’re working, you’re fully focused on the venture, and when you’re at home or enjoying activities with the family, you’re dedicated to your personal life.
Do you have any additional advice to professional women, especially those starting out?
Set out on a career path based on your passion. For me, it was helping families find homes and create lifestyles. When you’re fundamentally passionate about the work you’re doing, it’s much easier to be successful. Also, find a way to give back to your community. This is a guiding principle for our team at The Metalios Group. We donate $1,000 out of every home sale to a charity or non-profit organization chosen by our client.
The Metalios Group: William Raveis Real Estate, 45 Field Point Rd., Greenwich, CT
917-620-9121
