Magy Youssab’s path to becoming an agent has been an interesting one. After arriving in Canada from Egypt in 1994, she worked as a pharmacist until she and her husband sold their pharmacy in 2018. She talked to us about how she made the jump into real estate, what her first couple of years in the biz have been like, and how Property.ca has encouraged her to spread her wings in her new career.
How did you move from pharmacy into real estate? That’s quite a jump!
I was a pharmacist in Egypt, and when we moved here, it took me two years to get licensed to practice in Canada. My husband and I bought a pharmacy that was focused on addiction treatment and long-term-care facilities. We also did some real estate investing, so when we sold our business, my husband said “you’re good at studying, why don’t you study to become a real estate agent so you can buy and sell things for us?” He initially said it as a bit of a joke, but I thought…why not?
Once I’d passed the real estate course with flying colours (did I mention I’m a study nerd?), I started looking into brokerages thinking I could just work part-time, just buying and selling for ourselves. I didn’t want to do it full-time because I had no interest in soliciting my family and friends to be clients – and that’s what most new agents are told to do to start building their business.
But when I interviewed with Property.ca’s Mississauga office, they said they only hire full-time agents – but they also provide leads so I wouldn’t have to bother my family and friends. So I jumped in…in March 2020, the week the first lockdown started. That was a challenge. But I had my first transaction in June, and by August, I had done 15 leases at a time when the rental market was very slow. My branch manager called me “the princess of leases,” and I said “No, I’m not a young princess – call me queen!”
I definitely didn’t expect to be doing this much business, but I love it.
What makes you a good agent?
For me, it’s not about making a lot of money, I just like to work hard and be successful at what I’m doing. It’s very satisfying. I like to help people, and I like to solve problems. So whether it’s lease or buy, my job is to solve housing problems for people. And I’m dedicated to it – I don’t limit my help to a certain number of showings or offers, I’ll work with people as long as they need my service.
Do you think real estate is a good place for a woman to build a career?
There’s no glass ceiling in this industry – you set your own time and your own success. I was planning to retire in 2018, not go full-speed into something new. And while it’s not an easy job, it’s a career you can start at any age. In fact, I just got the company’s Executive Club award for my 2021 sales volume, which makes me happy and proud. And I find that Property.ca specifically is a good place to work – it’s more about camaraderie than competition. There are leads for everyone – and you want everybody to be successful.
Ready for another story celebrating a successful woman? Read all about Colleen Doiron, our top-selling female agent.