It's a gorgeous spring day in Los Angeles and Tracy Tutor is overseeing the remodel of an exquisite 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival house. Yet this isn’t just another listing for the real-estate powerhouse and star of “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” this is Tutor’s dream home.
After divorcing her husband Jason Maltas in 2018 after 13 years of marriage and selling their Brentwood home in 2019, Tutor’s latest abode marks a new chapter in her life. She bought the home last year and has embarked on a remodel that involves gutting the entire house from top to bottom.
“It’s all coming together for me. It’s like a rebirth,” Tutor, 46, told People magazine in September of last year, shortly before season 13 of the show premiered. She describes the show’s latest season as “emotional,” with the addition of her oldest daughter, Juliet, 16, and Tutor’s boyfriend, Erik Anderson, 26, a personal trainer. Her younger daughter, Scarlett, 14, is an accomplished equestrian who hasn’t appeared on the show yet.
Photos by Matt Sayles
Although Tutor exudes confidence and power on television, she admits to having her own vulnerable moments. She says it took years for her to learn to trust her instincts and stay authentic to herself. In her book, “Fear is Just a Four-Letter Word: How to Develop the Unstoppable Confidence to Own Any Room” (Portfolio, July 2020), and online workshops offered at tracytutor.com, Tutor shares these and other essential lessons she’s learned navigating the competitive world of real estate.
Whether women are working in real estate or another field, just beginning their careers, re-entering the workforce or are established in their careers and want to identify what their next level is and how to get there, Tutor offers inspiration.
“The workforce is very competitive now,” Tutor says. “I’ve had wonderful mentors in my life and believe in mentoring other women who want to be successful.”
Part of what Tutor has mastered, and hopes to convey to other women, is the importance of identifying individual strengths and weaknesses and getting to know the unique qualities you bring to the table.
“I used to think if I had done something differently, that one client might have hired me,” Tutor says. ‘But in trying to be someone else, I was also losing out on people who were drawn to me for who I am.”
Tutor says her book contains many of the lessons she wishes she’d known when first starting out, such as how to handle a confrontation, not second-guessing yourself and channeling negative energy in a productive way.
“My mantra is practice makes almost perfect,” Tutor says. “I encourage women to confront their fears — raise your hand in a meeting if you haven’t spoken out before or make a toast at a birthday party if public speaking terrifies you.”
Tutor recommends surrounding yourself with people you admire who think big and those who have successfully rebounded from setbacks.
“One of my best mentors has been Drew Fenton, a very successful luxury real estate agent in Los Angeles,” Tutor says. “He’s ten years younger than me, but he has a different perspective on real estate. I’ve learned so much from him.”
Over the years, Tutor has also cultivated her own personal style, which includes the signature stilettos she says makes her feel “powerful.”
“I used to try and dress a certain way which I thought would reflect what my clients were looking for in an agent,” Tutor says. “Yet I was actually losing out on people I didn’t have to change anything for.”
Tutor says embracing her authentic self and strong personal sense of style, which allow her to be “sexy and smart at the same time,” has also buoyed her confidence.
“As I note in my book, I want women to wear whatever makes them feel confident, so that they can walk into a room and own it,” Tutor says. “Knowing your room demands preparing, assessing and listening, in order to be successful.”
Her Life, Her Terms
Growing up in Los Angeles, Calif., Tutor never imagined she’d one day be selling million-dollar properties in her hometown.
As a child, the stunning blonde was more interested in singing and dancing than selling Barbie’s Dream House. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from the University of Southern California (USC), she appeared in a couple of movies before accepting a job at her father Ronald’s company, Tutor Perini Corporation, one of the largest construction companies in the United States.
Exposed to the real estate market at an early age, Tutor learned the secrets of real estate transactions watching her father purchase properties in Palm Springs, Sun Valley, Idaho, Las Vegas, Nevada and Golden Beach, Florida.
Three years later, she went to work at a boutique residential real estate firm before moving on to her current position as a broker with Douglas Elliman in Beverly Hills. In 2017, she took her career to the next level, joining the cast of “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” in their 10th season, as the show’s first and only female real estate broker.
Stepping out of her comfort zone has become second nature to Tutor. She’s always on the lookout for ways to expand her business. After being introduced to her co-star Fredrik Eklund’s sister, Malin Eklund and her business partner, Lisa Agerman, Tutor joined forces with the two in their new winery venture.
“Un’sweet is a California wine that is free of sugar and unnecessary additives,” Tutor says. “It’s not about dieting, but about transparency. There are nutritional labels on sodas and lemonade, but none on wine.” Unlike other wines, Un’sweet wine bottles have a label listing serving facts, so customers know exactly how many carbs, fat, protein and calories they’re consuming.
Tutor says that while she enjoys drinking wine as part of her daily winding down process, she also appreciates the honest labeling Un’sweet offers.
“I want a glass of wine that I enjoy, but I don’t want a glass that contains the same ingredients as a bowl of ice cream,” she says.
Un’sweet (unsweetwine.com) has two products: a Pinot Grigio and a Cabernet Sauvignon and will soon be shipping nationwide.
Preparing To Meet Challenges
Tutor starts each day with an early-morning workout at Dogpound, the exclusive Los Angeles gym frequented by celebrities.
“I’m up at 5:15, drink my celery juice which brings down inflammation and then enjoy a cup of vitamin coffee, before arriving at the gym by 6:15,” she says. “I believe in starting the day off doing something good for myself both mentally and physically.”
Tutor does 45 minutes on the treadmill, followed by 45 minutes of weights, a routine she says helps her to achieve balance.
“There’s a lot of highs and lows in real estate,” she admits. “You can have several deals fall through, which is crushing, but for me exercise isn’t just about maintaining good health, it also clears my mind.”
Another way Tutor likes to unwind is spending quality time with her two daughters.
“During the pandemic, I’ve been working from home more often and I think it’s given them a different perspective on what I do,” Tutor says. “Seeing me work has allowed them to see why I can’t always be at every volleyball practice, but it’s also given us more time together.”
While season 14 of “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” hasn’t been officially confirmed, it’s expected that the hit show will return later this year. In the meantime, Tutor is keeping busy with her real estate career, overseeing the remodel on her new home and traveling to deliver motivational speeches based on the premise of her book.
Given the success of her first book, could a second manuscript be in the works?
“I definitely see another chapter there,” Tutor says with a smile.