Andre is a superman when it comes to sales, but came into the industry of real estate with zero experience and zero knowledge. Regardless of this, Andre still managed to build his own successful real estate enterprise. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Andre Fajardo, owner of Advantage Realty Enterprise, which he started 4 years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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Time Stamped Show Notes:
- 00:21 – Introduction for today’s episode
- 00:47 – Leigh introduces Andre
- 00:58 – Andre is with Advantage Realty Enterprise which opened up 4 years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina
- 01:08 – Advantage Realty Enterprise specializes in new construction
- 01:17 – Advantage Realty Enterprise consider themselves as a specific brokerage
- 02:01 – Andre’s marriage is a testament to how a successful realtor can do so much more
- 02:18 – Andre shares his journey to becoming a realtor in Raleigh, North Carolina
- 02:20 – Andre was born and raised in New Jersey
- 02:25 – Andre has always been into sales
- 02:50 – Andre and his wife went to North Carolina for a visit
- 03:23 – They didn’t know anyone in North Carolina, but Andre just decided that they would move to North Carolina so he could sell houses
- 03:34 – Andre’s wife agreed with him
- 03:53 – When they got back home, Andre and his wife started planning
- 04:06 – Andre had no real estate background
- 04:29 – Andre and his wife have been together for 18 years
- 04:35 – Andre’s wife has always been supportive of him
- 04:57 – Before moving to NC, Andre learned about an opportunity to become a Legal Analyst
- 05:14 – Andre got the job and was called the “firefighter”
- 06:05 – Andre and his family stayed at a 1-bedroom condo when they first arrived in NC
- 06:23 – Andre had an interview with a builder
- 06:42 – “I was walking into the door there with only the sense that I know that I can do this”
- 07:00 – When asked why they should hire him, Andre replied, “You don’t want me across the street, you know, because if I’m across the street, I’m going to be kicking you every single day, because I can not lose”
- 07:26 – The builder believed and hired Andre
- 07:52 – Through this, Andre learned that he had what it takes to be successful
- 08:14 – Andre got his realtor license, joined Coldwell Banker, and stayed there for 8 months
- 08:44 – Andre opened up Advantage Realty
- 08:59 – Andre considers their company to act as a liaison to builders
- 09:10 – Andre feels great about their decision
- 09:28 – Leigh sees Andre’s experience as an inspiring one
- 09:47 – When you go to any commission field, it is a leap of faith
- 10:21 – The first thing Coldwell told Andre was to gather his influence
- 11:02 – “Alot of realtors grab every deal they can, even if they don’t really know about it”
- 11:47 – Andre shares why consumers would want his service
- 13:14 – Andre’s job is to understand what his client is looking for and to point out how a property matches what they are looking for
- 13:32 – Realtors get in the way of a sale to prove their expertise, but ending up losing a client
- 13:50 – A consumer would still buy a house with or without a realtor
- 14:29 – Andre firmly believes that if a consumer decides to buy a house, he will do it because he’s already decided
- 15:00 – Andre thinks that a builder can’t connect with consumers well
- 15:37 – There are still properties that consumers won’t find on the internet
- 15:52 – Andre makes sure he has a thorough conversation with his client
- 16:14 – Andre partners and acts as a liaison with builders and agents to understand their plans and goals for a property
- 16:42 – Today’s episode is quite longer than usual because Andre’s story is different
- 17:07 – Andre works opposite hours to his wife, so they can both take care of their kids
- 17:25 – Most new licensee are afraid of jumping feet first because of the risk of failure
- 17:54 – Andre’s father is from Dominican Republic and Andre was born in the USA
- 18:35 – Real estate gave Andre the chance to change the course of his path
- 18:48 – Andre came to NC, totally committed every single day
- 19:00 – “I made the decision that this is going to work”
- 19:32 – “There are people who you can relate to, that you can help to make their dreams happen”
- 20:43 – There are people that can work their way up, because they’re committed
- 21:06 – “It doesn’t matter who you are, what your background is, what your history is, there are people like you out there who need a home”
- 21:26 – When they opened up the brokerage, Andre’s son told him that he can see the future
- 22:11 – There’s zero excuse and zero experience needed to succeed
- 22:56 – Andre also invests in the realtor political work
- 23:00 – If you want to get involved, shoot Leigh or Andre a message
- 23:20 – Reach Andre at 919-268-9884 and through social media using the handle @top5agent
- 23:37 – Check com—they do a little real estate tour of new construction sites
- 24:21 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate
3 Key Points
- As a realtor, you have to understand your client—know what they want and make sure they are perfectly matched with the property.
- A consumer will buy a property, with or without an agent’s help.
- There’s zero excuse and zero experience needed to succeed.
Credits
Audio Production by Chris Mottram
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Cover Design by Two Minds Design
Original Music by Rimsky Music