PROPERTYSPARK INTERVIEWS: Justin Lee, Realtor, Investor, & Builder

In todays market he is truly the one stop sho.

  Atlanta, GA

Palmer House Properties

  jleetherealtor |  palmerhouseproperties.com

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

My brother and I were born into the real estate business. Our mother exposed us to entrepreneurship at a very young age. As a single mother, she made it a point to instill in us all of the values needed to be successful entrepreneurs focused on passion, hustle, and motivation. We have come to realize that all industries have their pros and cons, but real estate is less volatile. As New Orleans natives we witnessed our mother play real-life monopoly by purchasing city blocks, lots, and distressed property after Hurricane Katrina. Growing up during one of the most devastating hurricanes in history, we witnessed our home and the homes of our loved ones destroyed and made completely bare overnight. My brother and I slept on bare floors with no carpet and endured nights some would call a nightmare. This experience has been a driving force behind our motivation to build houses and provide affordable luxurious homes for others. We fell in love with the freedom, flexibility, and income that real estate provided our family and as a result formed the Property Bruhz in 2017.

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?

The most profitable aspect of my business has been from my development branch. As a licensed general contractor and builder I have the ability to take run-down properties and blighted lots in minority communities and renovate them to beautiful modern homes. This work is not only profitable from a monetary standpoint but primarily from a community standpoint. I am a firm believer in “lifting as we climb” and I feel that it starts with bettering our communities regardless of their income!

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 has been a huge driver in my business that has empowered me to reach buyers, sellers, and investors while simultaneously motivating the masses. Social Media has become the modern-day “word of mouth” x 1000 that showcases all of the great things that are happening in our community. Although social media is a great marketing tool my main use of social media is to simply inform the people. My older brother and I started a YouTube series in August 2020 to show people the process of investing in real estate, credit tips, as well as renovation projects. In my opinion, the major benefit that social media provides is it “shows me the money” where people are able to see what your doing and progress in real-time.

How did you become a good leader?

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more you are a leader” – John Quincy Adams

This is a quote that has always stuck with me as both a student and a teacher. I’ve learned that the best lesson in life is accomplished by experiences and my goal is to share those experiences with as many people as possible. As cliche as it sounds, I am a natural-born leader. I am a social butterfly at my core who enjoys helping people accomplish their goals, as a result, people gravitate towards me and often lead to collaboration. I primarily focus on individual strengths and weaknesses and how we can complement each vs how I can use this person to help me achieve my goals. I feel that my welcoming personality and openness to collaboration are some of my greatest strengths as a leader and overall person.

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

Absolutely. Everyone experiences failure of some kind in their lives whether it is personal, or professional. However, I’ve learned to never confuse a single moment of defeat with a lifetime of defeat. There is a lesson to be learned from every “failure”. Often that these “failures” become your greatest sources of wisdom and motivators to continue striving to reach your goal.