Interview with Alex Buonincontri – Real Estate Agent

Driven by passion, hustle, and faith allowing to deliver the highest level of Real Estate services to all my clients!

Jersey City, NJ

Alex Buonincontri | alex.realestate.nj

What inspired you to start in real estate and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?

I always knew in my heart that I was going to be an entrepreneur. I come from a family of restauranteurs, so growing up I always envisioned myself owning and operating a business. (I still have that vision!) Being an entrepreneur truly isn’t for everyone, not because everyone Can’t do it but it’s the mindset that truly sets you apart. I knew the work that needed to be done and most importantly I knew the sacrifices. It didn’t scare me though, it actually drove me to want it more!

Four years ago I traveled to Guatemala for a mission trip. I was working in a corporate job at the time and I took my own personal time off to travel to a third-world country and dedicated my time to helping the community. In return, that experience gave me more than I was able to give to them. I went out there and a team of us actually built two homes for two different families in the community. In Guatemala, if you are not aware, the crime scene is one of the worst. Poverty is insane and it actually leaves THOUSANDS if not millions of families with no homes. Having a front door with a lock on it actually considered you to be “rich” in Guatemala. When we built these homes, at the end we handed over the families a key to their own front door. It was the very first time for both families to ever have a key to their own home. Both families had young children who in return looked at us and said “I now feel safe going to sleep at night”. It was at that moment that I realized the power of a home.

You see a home is not a place, it is truly a feeling. I came back from that trip realizing the power of calling a house a home. Granted, what I do here now in the States for my business is nowhere near what I was capable of doing in Guatemala. But it was the power of knowing how I had the ability to guide so many families “Home”. Real Estate is truly so much more than the investing and money aspect. You have the ability to help individuals make one of the biggest financial decisions of their life!

The dedication I have towards my business never works, it’s a true passion.

Comparing your business from back then to now, what has been the main thing that allowed you to expand your business?

From back then to now, my business expanded exceptionally after I learned the power of networking. I began to network with some top agents from other states. This helped me expand my business tremendously! I now have referral agents everywhere, and I now have agents from other states who refer me tons of leads.

Expand past your comfort. Other agents are not your competition, the market is. Working with other agents has allowed me to not only learn a ton but also has allowed for some incredible deals to go through because I have built an incredible relationship. I have been able to build tons of relationships around trust and dedication allowing for one another to TRUST each other with our business.

What’s the most profitable aspect of your business, why do you think this is and how can others apply this to what they are doing?

I am the most profitable aspect of my business. I am my business, I am the face of my business and most importantly I am the reason my business is where it is at today. THAT is the beauty of entrepreneurship. Watching your own hard work come to life.

What I put in, is exactly what I get out of it. You have to want to be successful. Getting yourself out there and building trust with clients, leads, referrals, and other agents is so important. You are working with people who are trusting you with one of their BIGGEST financial decisions. You need to be trustworthy and knowledgeable. Always keep learning. Even when you think you know it all, chances are you could probably learn more.

When did you realize you were successful/made it and how did you feel/celebrate?

I don’t normally like to measure my success off of numbers, because I never want to be “comfortable” with where I am currently at. Truth is, I don’t think I will ever consider myself to have “made it” until I’m retired on a yacht traveling. BUT, I knew I was beginning to run a successful business when I began to see the growth in myself, my clients, and the individuals I surrounded myself with. When I began to see other TOP producing agents WANTING me in their circle, I knew I was doing something right.

Anyone can compliment you and tell you what an amazing job you are doing, but it has to show for it too. I began hitting top producing numbers in my brokerage, I received Circle Of excellence my first year in the business and I even had other top agents coming to me for advice. It’s the confidence in myself that showed me how successful I was and still am becoming. I knew I belonged in the rooms I was once scared to be in. It’s a mentality that you need to understand. I want to be in rooms with individuals who are doing so much better than me because it’s motivation to understand you can ALWAYS be more.

I never want to be complacent in my business or even my personal self but I will say this, celebrate all your wins. Even the smallest ones because you will look back and realize all those small wins made for bigger outcomes.

Looking back, what could you have done sooner to get to that point quicker?

Honestly, I wish I got my real estate license sooner. Real Estate is true financial freedom and I wish everyone would learn the power behind it.

What should other real estate entrepreneurs reading this be focusing on to expand their own business?

MARKETING! Real Estate professionals do not realize the amount of business they are missing out on. We are so fortunate to be in a time where social media marketing is a thing. When individuals think of Real Estate you want them to only think of YOU! Day in and day out I remind everyone that I am a realtor. If you want to be the best you have to perform as if you already are.

The biggest thing I did from the very first day of being in the Real Estate Business is market myself. Content is KEY! The more they see it the more they want it.

How has social media and online marketing affected your real estate business? How much more success have you had now after implementing social media and online marketing efforts?

Social Media took me and my business to new levels. Social media is where I get almost 80% of my business from. If you are not utilizing social media you are missing out. It allows individuals to learn from you but also allows them to see how incredibly hard you work. It shows them you on a day to day basis. This is a sales job, people want to see what you are selling … literally.

Did You Experience Failures? If So, What Did You Learn From Them?

YES! In my first year in real estate, I realized how much business I actually lost due to certain failures. But I do not regret a thing about it. I learned from it.

My biggest failure was not being more organized with my time. The time block is so KEY! Time block EVERYTHING. It is so easy to waste time. Set yourself up for success and plan out your whole day.

What do you consider the main differences between those people who have been successful in your industry and those who have failed?

Consistency. Even during your worst months, you need to show up 100%. It’s hard, especially in the beginning. There is so much time that goes into this business. You could spend weeks and months driving a client around just to get nothing out of it. But it is in those moments that many agents give up!
Be consistent and realize that the bad may be bad but the good is always really good. There is so much to give and receive in this business.
Be consistent with your time and do not give up. In the beginning, every bad deal I had I told myself “I’m done”. It was when I stopped telling myself that and started telling myself “What did I learn” that has allowed me to prosper during every transaction.

Final Thoughts

I come from a family of Entrepreneurs. I grew up in an immigrant family, which has raised me to truly understand the power of hard work and dedication. My parents both traveled here from Italy at a super young age with absolutely nothing! They spoke no English and had no money. But they never used that as an excuse. My father and his family came over from Italy and began the restaurant business. Years later my parents met and my mother has stood by his side, working just as hard in helping him build his business. I am now a proud daughter of two business owners who has managed to build and operate a family restaurant that has been around now for almost 50 years. I grew up watching them work every day, 14 hours a day all while raising 4 children (me and my siblings). It was something I never understood until I got older. They instilled and taught me some of my greatest life lessons. You are your business and the way you treat yourself and those around you is a true depiction of your success.