Discover the fascinating journeys of 11 rock and metal musicians who transitioned into becoming licensed real estate agents.

Even for successful musicians, pursuing a side hustle or establishing a full-time career outside of music can be an appealing strategy to fill downtime between tours and create diverse income streams. The field of real estate is particularly attractive due to its flexibility and potential for growth, offering a promising avenue for those looking to reinvent their careers post-music.

In this article, we delve into the stories of several notable rock and metal artists who have embraced the world of real estate, revealing their unique pathways and motivations.

Chris Beattie, the bassist of Hatebreed, has been actively involved in real estate investments for many years, engaging in buying rental properties and flipping houses since the early 2000s.

Like many bands during the uncertain times of 2020, Hatebreed had to pause their touring schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This unexpected downtime inspired Beattie to explore the real estate market more seriously.

“With extensive time off during Covid, I decided to actually take the test and get my license when touring stopped,” Beattie reflected on his decision.

This bassist exemplifies how musicians can either fully transition from music to real estate or use it as a fulfilling side gig during breaks from their musical careers.

For the past three years, Beattie has successfully balanced touring with Hatebreed and his role as a real estate agent at Maverick Realty in Windsor, Connecticut. His image prominently features on the agency’s website, showcasing his dual career.

While it’s uncommon to see many real estate professionals posing in vintage WrestleMania T-shirts alongside visible tattoos, Beattie’s approach seems to resonate well with clients. However, he prefers not to mention his music career unless clients initiate that conversation.

“Some people have no idea about the music scene,” he said. “I don’t put it out there unless they bring it up.”

Former Senses Fail bassist Greg Styliades shares a similar experience, where music rarely comes up during client interactions while they search for their dream homes.

“There’s more agents that put the connection together than clients,” he observed.

Styliades, who has embraced his career as a full-time agent, began his journey into real estate while still touring with Senses Fail. His interest was sparked after purchasing his first home in 2017.

“I enjoyed seeing different houses and thought to myself, ‘I could do this,’” Styliades said about his inspiration. “I was working at a collection agency between tours and that was miserable. So I figured what other career could I do, not involving music, that can make some money and give me the flexibility of getting up and going on tour.”

After the Warped Tour concluded in 2018, Styliades began taking courses to obtain his real estate license. He officially started selling homes in January 2019 after returning from a Fall/Winter tour with Senses Fail.

Today, Styliades effectively utilizes the skills he honed as a performer to build a successful real estate career in the Buffalo, New York area. He often employs humor, utilizing dad jokes or occasionally donning a Freddy Krueger mask in promotional videos for his listings.

This creative approach stems from his time as a touring musician, where he learned the importance of standing out in a crowded market and employing innovative marketing strategies.

“When I started, agents were still taking photos of houses on their cellphones. I got a whole camera setup and taught myself how to do ‘professional’ photos,” he explained.

Styliades was among the first individuals that For The Fallen Dreams guitarist Jim Hocking reached out to when he contemplated making a similar career shift from music to real estate in 2020.

“Real estate offered an entrepreneurial model that gave me control over my schedule, allowed me to work directly with people, and presented opportunities to solve real-world challenges creatively – much like music, but in a new way,” Hocking stated.

In the early stages of his music career, Hocking managed many business aspects of his band, including coordinating with agents, managers, and record labels. He believes these experiences have equipped him with the skills necessary for a successful transition into real estate in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

“Whether it was navigating the dynamics of a tour bus, handling disagreements, or keeping a team focused on a bigger picture, I learned how to work under pressure and manage challenging scenarios,” Hocking shared. “These experiences shaped my ability to keep clients aligned with their goals, even during stressful real estate transactions.”

In contrast to Beattie and Styliades, Hocking often finds that clients are curious about his music career when they are searching for homes.

“Some bring it up right away, while others wait until we’re at the closing table,” he noted. “A lot of people do their research before working with someone, and when they Google me, my music career inevitably comes up.”

Four years into selling homes, Hocking has learned to leverage his background as a metalcore guitarist when engaging with clients. This often serves as an effective conversation starter, helping to build rapport early in the relationship.

“I’ve had clients ask about my travels, my favorite venues, or how I transitioned from music to real estate,” he said. “It’s been a fantastic way to connect and share experiences, making my unique story more relatable and memorable.”

Explore our detailed gallery highlighting the 10 musicians who have successfully transitioned into real estate agents.