Real Producers Magazine
Real Producers magazines are for and about real estate’s top performers. Every month they share in-depth stories about legendary local real estate agents and agents on the rise. I made their December 2023 cover.
Guiding Clients to the Finish Line
Rustin Scott
By Amanda Matkowski
Photos by Jacob Harr with Harr Creative LLC
For Rustin Scott, being a real estate agent is all about forming relationships with people. Whether it's with clients or other agents within the industry, he loves that he gets to work with people who appreciate and trust him. "I really enjoy what I do and can see myself still being a part of the real estate industry
in some capacity until I am old and gray," he shared.
​
Born in Muskegon, Rustin moved to Grand Rapids when he was 8 years old. He attended college at Grand Valley State University, and shortly after he earned his bachelor's degree in finance in 2005, he got a job as a loan officer. Nine years later, Rustin realized that he wanted to be more involved in the process of buying and selling a home instead of doing an increasing amount of administrative work behind a desk. "I was tired of being shunned in the corner," he joked. "I wanted to get the hugs at the closing table!"
In March of 2014, Rustin followed his heart and became a full-time agent. He spent nearly eight years at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, but as of last year, Rustin is now an associate broker and agent at Five Star Real Estate. He has achieved a career volume of over $100 million as well as received numerous awards such as the 2022 Top 5 Individual Agent at Five Star Real Estate and the 2022 Young Professional of the Year from the Greater Regional Alliance of REALTORS® (GRAR). He is also a 2018 GRAR Leadership Academy graduate.
Although Rustin has found success since switching to the real estate industry, he knows how important the support of other agents has been to his achievements. He looked to his mentor, Mark Brace from his former brokerage for guidance when he first began his journey as an agent, and now Rustin encourages new agents to find strong mentors within the industry as well. "I believe that a large part of having success in real estate is being able to create relationships with other agents not only for the purpose of a transaction but also to continue to hold yourself accountable as a professional and to learn from your peers," Rustin said.
"I am not selling houses. I am selling my trust, expertise and knowledge of real estate so that the right house becomes a home or so I get the house sold in a way that accomplishes the client's goals in the best way possible."
Like many agents, Rustin is always trying to find the proper work-life balance. Outside or real estate, he and his family like to travel, be at the race track, and enjoy nature on their 13 acres of land along the Grand River. Rustin and wife, Jamie, have been married fro almost 10 years, and together, they have a 9-year-old daughter named Charlie.
Other than spending quality time with his family, Rustin likes to hunt, fish and visit the Silver Lake Sand Dunes with his family. He also drag races and was ranked as a Sportsman Class Top 5 Drag Racer by the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park. He loves listening to rock 'n' roll, and a few of his favorite bands are AC/DC, Metallica and The Doors. He was previously involved with the American Cancer Society where he helped create and chair its Young Professionals Finding a Cure - Grand Rapids committee, but now he focuses his volunteer work at the Kids' Food Basket.
When it comes to real estate, Rustin is excited about building his own brand and systems. "I intend to do more flips and rentals in the future as well," he added. Although Rustin continues to strive toward improving himself and his business, he admits that his favorite part of being an agent is when he gets to call a buyer and tell them that they won a multiple-offer situation.
​
"I am not selling houses," Rustin explained. "I am selling my trust, expertise and knowledge of real estate so that the right house becomes a home or so I get the house sold in a way that accomplishes the client's goals in the best way possible."â–ª