“When I walk into a house, I know exactly what I’m looking at.”
Why wouldn’t he? Phil left the architectural industry to pursue his passion in Real Estate and became a RE/MAX Affiliate award-winning Real Estate agent.
“Having studied architecture helped me gain respect and confidence from my clients,” he explains.
“Architecture was my first career path. It was definitely the right one at the time. I was able to design custom homes and work on amazing projects from condo buildings to small renovations.” (To this day, the enterprising Xatruch designs projects in 3D for friends and family). “The transition to real estate was very smooth and it helped me gain an advantage in the market right away. That knowledge goes a long way when clients want options on how they should renovate, the quality of the build and design, or even a decision as simple as furniture placement.”
From the get-go, the Orleans native was fascinated by houses. Before his discovery of sports (Xatruch played soccer, lacrosse, and hockey, and remains an avid golfer), the handsome, dark-haired realtor spent hours building habitats of all kinds out of Lego—a formative experience. It set a path for a building and selling career that would result in a RE/MAX Platinum Award, an accolade that was bestowed on him last year. “Reaching this milestone in what I consider early in my career has been very rewarding,” he beams. “It also motivates me to keep striving for excellence and to challenge myself to surpass what I’ve already accomplished.”
That might prove tougher than scoring a game-winning slapshot or achieving a hole-in-one.
Photo by Sean Sisk
Xatruch’s premium on professionalism, communication, and hustle has made him one of the most popular agents in Ottawa’s East End. If there’s a secret to his growing client base, he attributes it to his integrity and personalism. “My clients can expect honesty,” he explains. “I drive my business on that. I think being in sales, it really resonates with people.”
Plus, he’s well aware of the magnitude of his professional assignment. “I know that I’m assisting in the biggest monetary transactions of people’s lives,” he confides. “I take that very seriously. I’m hired to make sure they make the right decision and experience results.”
It’s a task that involves a lot of leg work, from ensuring that a listing remains relevant and attractive to creating promotional videos and holding stagings. Still, despite a busy family life (he and his childhood sweetheart, Stephanie, are the proud parents of two kids, Hugo and Mika) and the odd yearn for an afternoon on the links, Xatruch manages to go the distance for his clients. “I’m very adaptive,” he explains, “and I always stay on top of market trends. I tell myself that all the hard work and long hours are worth it.”
It’s advice he’s eager to pass on to industry aspirants, along with a few other life lessons that he’s learned. “Take risks,” for example, a recommendation that he classifies as nerve-rattling. Still, by remaining focused he maintains, you can get past the jitters to a place of success. “With determination,” says Xatruch, “anything is possible.”
As for life-work balance, he adds, “Play as much golf as you can. Once you have kids and a busy career, it becomes very difficult to fit it in the schedule.”
By Dan Lalande
Photography by Sean Sisk
