What happens when a former property manager from England moves to the U.S., struggles through his early real estate days, and ultimately builds one of the top-producing global networks at eXp Realty? You get the incredible story of Barry Pulver — a journey fueled by resilience, timing, reinvention, and a whole lot of heart.
In this episode of Unlocking Real Estate: My First Commission, host Liam sits down with Barry to unpack:
🔥 Why he moved to America with no plan… except chasing love
🏡 How buying a home (and a rocky experience) pushed him into real estate
📚 His early struggles balancing full-time work, night classes & thin-skinned sales fears
🥇 Closing his first deal within weeks — and why everything stalled afterwards
💼 The hard lessons from joining the wrong brokerage, the wrong team, and relying on “luck”
💡 What he discovered about mentorship, mindset, and personal responsibility
🎯 How he found success in luxury real estate, auction properties & niche branding
🚀 And ultimately: how he built the #1 network organization at eXp Realty worldwide
Barry’s story is candid, honest, and packed with lessons for any new or aspiring real estate agent. Whether you're struggling to get your first deal or debating your next brokerage move — this episode will give you the clarity, motivation, and perspective you need.
⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to Unlocking Real Estate
00:40 Meet Barry Pulver — England to North Carolina
02:00 Why he moved to the U.S. (and what went wrong fast)
03:00 Discovering faith, family & purpose
04:30 How a bad home-buying experience pushed him toward real estate
06:00 Balancing a full-time job & night school at Superior School of Real Estate
08:30 Personality traits that signaled he’d succeed as an agent
10:00 Leaving his comfort zone & learning entrepreneurship
12:00 Getting his first client (his ex-girlfriend’s mom!)
14:00 Why his first success didn’t repeat — and tough lessons learned
16:00 The need for mentorship & accountability
18:30 Open houses, early branding & learning the hard way
20:00 Considering luxury vs. commercial real estate
22:00 Joining a boutique luxury firm & reinventing his brand
24:00 The pendulum swing — and what he learned from both brokerages
26:00 Discovering the eXp model & what finally clicked
28:00 Growing a global network & shaping his leadership style
30:00 Advice for new agents: consistency, niche, value & confidence
32:00 Final reflections & where to connect
🔗 Connect with Barry Pulver:
⭐ Global Team Leader, eXp Realty
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrypulver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarryPulverRealEstate/
Website / eXp Profile: https://barrypulver.exprealty.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrypulver
✨ Want to be featured on My First Commission?
We’re always looking for rising rookie agents with amazing first-deal stories. Email us at [email protected] or fill out this form (https://share.hsforms.com/1o4DbEqKvQwSzoMTSnrznZQ8ish) to apply!