He was eight when he discovered real estate; he loved the concept of giving someone a home, as he understood it at the time.
Milshteyn had no family in the real estate business, so at 15 he cold-called brokerages, landing a job at Edward Surovell as a weekend receptionist. Despite Michigan’s widely reported economic troubles, he doubled his sales in 2009 and had a 37 percent increase in 2010 with help from coach Walter Sanford. Milshteyn is happy to share what he knows, even with competitors. He has been involved in his local association for a decade and, in 2010, was the youngest president in the association’s 90-year history. His advice: Set up campaigns targeting different segments of the market—such as mature owners, out-of-town owners, and investors.