As things change, the Rhodes Rules stay the same — and they continue to help us through every season of life.
Those of us who grew up in the Rhodes house learned from the best—our dad, Tom. And while some lessons were learned the hard way, the “rules” we learned from him continue to guide our team today. So much so that we decided to share them with you, our clients and friends, in the hopes they might resonate with you and your family, too.
What rulebook does your real estate agent follow? Not sure? Drop us a line.
We’re sharing the Rhodes Rules series here in their entirety with hope that others might find them helpful, too. A sort of reminder of universal truths that we all could use a refresher course on every once in a while. After all, with school now back in session, what better time to reflect on and follow these rules in your own life?
10 Lessons We’ve Learned in Life & Real Estate
- Always tell the truth.
As Tom says, “Talking someone out of a deal can be as important as nudging them forward.” Translation: Honesty means a lot more than not lying. Sometimes the truth might hurt, but it still has to be said. Because true honesty first prevents difficulties later—in business, relationships and life. Our truthfulness has led clients to thank us for valuing them over our commission. After all, it’s never about one deal for us. It’s about being trusted for the next one. - Nothing is more important than your reputation.
It’s not just what people think of you—your reputation stems from your integrity, your kindness and your treatment of others. When you fall short of making the grade, make sure to set things straight. If someone gets the wrong impression, make an effort to right it. Not because of what people might think, but because it’s the right thing to do. And ensure your daily choices align with the reputation you hope to have. Travel through life as though everything you do matters, because it does. - Family comes first.
By blood or by choice, family makes you who you are. Pay attention to your loved ones’ needs, and work to meet them. Treat their challenges as your own. When a problem arises, be the first with a solution. Be willing to drop everything and help during a crisis. Go to bat for them when it counts. Do these things, and you’ll find yourself repaid in droves. No one will be more helpful, understanding, and loving when it counts. - Talk less. Listen more.
Selling isn’t telling, so give others the space to speak. Speaking is about you; listening is about them. You can’t learn about someone else when they don’t have a chance to tell you. If you make life more about others, you’ll find yourself happier in the long run. Sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true. For us, this simple rule has been one of the best – for business, and for life. - Love what you do. Do what you love.
Tom would frequently repeat the old adage, “When you love what you do, you’ll never work another day in your life.” When you love (and believe in) what you do, you live and breathe it, you know more than the next person, and you’re always striving to be the best. While we can’t guarantee your dreams will come true if you do what you love, we can tell you that loving what you do makes the difference between living life and loving life. And you can’t put a price on that. - Just be nice.
Sounds simple enough, but in practice we could all use a reminder. “That kid you dismiss will be your boss one day.” This quote was a favorite in our house, and one that will always ring true. Everyone deserves kindness, and you never know who someone is, was, or will be. But if you treat them with the Golden Rule, you’ll be golden, too. - Do your homework.
No matter how much you think you know, there’s always something new to learn. Be prepared. Research every angle. Walk in with answers to questions you’ve yet to hear. Malcolm Gladwell said that to be considered an expert, you’ve got to spend 10,000 hours—or more than ten years—on your trade. There’s no way to bypass this, and no shortcuts to gleaning this wealth of knowledge. Decades of experience can’t be learned overnight. - Know your neighbors.
We’ve learned that people make the place, and communities thrive when people connect. Support, protect, and partner with those around you. Building relationships builds a better place to nurture the next generation. Our neighborhood is a place where we can learn from those around us—a community in which we help each other thrive and succeed together. And by connecting and building relationships with our neighbors, we’re able to understand and meet their needs as clients and as friends, because they’re similar to our own. - Play hard. But play fair.
Life can be tricky and not everyone plays on the up and up. But staying on the right side comes with its own rewards. Those who do usually win in the end. Stick to absolute honesty, sound knowledge and doing your best, and you’ll see—a stellar reputation is the greatest asset you can have in life. - Ask how you can help.
Perhaps the most important rule of all, because without community, without helping one another, life has a little less meaning. And we each have something to offer.
Whether in business, sports, real estate, school or in everyday life, abiding by these 10 Rhodes Rules will guide you toward success and happiness in whatever you do. We know, because we’ve been following them for decades. What rule book does your agent follow?
Get a copy of the Rhodes Rules booklet by shooting us a note.
We grew up here. We live here. The Rhodes Group has been buying and selling Dallas real estate in the area for two generations, immersed in the ebbs and flows of the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and Lakewood luxury real estate markets. We know your neighborhood.