Realtor and TV host at home with full schedule

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When Sandra Rinomato bought her first house, the Toronto realtor and popular TV host went out alone never expecting to buy anything.

"Oh, that was a horrible experience," Rinomato said. "A nice little Sunday drive turned into a big purchase."

The experience taught her some important lessons, including never buying a home without the help of a real estate agent.

"I am so big on representation," she said. "You need to have someone in your corner."

A realtor for 12 years, she is also the host of the HGTV television series Property Virgins, now in its second season. The reality real estate show has Rinomato guiding first-time home buyers through the process of finding a home.

"It has a broad appeal," she said about the show that was originally meant to have a real estate expert and a host, but now has her doing both jobs. "I have fans who are 13 and people who are in their 80s."

It has become one of the network's most watched shows.

On Nov. 10, she was named Best Canadian Entrepreneur at the 4th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business ceremony in Las Vegas.

In addition to her hosting duties, she writes articles and blogs on HGTV.ca and continues to work full-time as a realtor in the city's Bloor West Village and Kingsway area. She has also finished her first book Reality Check: The Real Scoop on Real Estate, which is due out on the shelves next summer.

"Having too much to do, that's my style," she says.

Rinomato worked in retail before real estate. She said her experience as a franchise consultant - helping people who had little business background to buy and operate their own businesses - was great training for her current career.

Rinomato says her work requires that she wear a number of different hats, but being passionate and knowing how to work with people are at the centre of what she does.

"The difference is I actually do care," she said. "I very quickly get involved and relate to their situation.

"Each client is unique, it is not as simple as connect the dots."

As an experienced realtor, she said she can step back and see the situation objectively, which is necessary when buying a house, but hard for home buyers to do.

Trust is also an important part of the relationship she has with her clients. She said if they are not able to trust one another, they should not work together.

Even with all that Rinomato finds on her plate these days and helping so many others find their dream homes, she aid she does get to spend time at home.

"I'm a real homebody."

She said she just has to accept that she may get the phone call to close a deal at any time.

"I am always working," she said. "Got a turkey in the oven? Too bad."