Eddie Suarez, social media savvy real estate agent shares his story regarding how he found an edge in the Washington, D.C. real estate market in less than 3 years.
Eddie graduated from The University of Lima in Peru with a business degree and excelled in business development and high-tech sales for some time before he got into the real estate business. He is now a licensed real estate agent in Washington, D.C. and is one of the top agents in his city with intimate knowledge of all neighborhoods and a lineup of referrals. Eddie’s skills and personal approach make him a top choice for buying or selling homes. Learn more about Eddie’s journey as a real estate agent by reading his interview with PropertySpark below!
When did you start your career in real estate?
I joined TTR Sotheby’s International Realty at the beginning of 2017 as part of The Thrive Team (Best 2017 by Washingtonian Magazine) as the first trilingual sales associate (English, Spanish, and Portuguese). Prior to that I spent two years serving a broad and diverse pool of clients across the nation’s capital metro area with Long and Foster/Christie’s International.
Please also in 2 short lines brag about yourself, if you really had to impress someone about what you do, what would you say?
I would say, I love what I do and I am passionate about helping my clients progress to the next chapter of their lives. I am very proud to belong to the best real estate brokerage firm in D.C. and in the world, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. I work out of their downtown office as a full time associate and top producer within The Thrive Team.
What inspired you to start in real estate and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?
My daughter, essentially. After adopting her at age 3, I felt it incumbent upon me to leave behind almost 15 years in the corporate world (I was an International Sales Executive in the IT industry) in order to be able to take care of her and her needs. I needed to be local and have flexible working hours. Before I used to work very long hours weekly, with different time zones, and I travelled to Latin America and Europe for different corporate marketing and sales events. My family is my raison d’être. They are my motor, my inspiration and my daily motivation.
Comparing your business from back then to now, what has been the main thing that allowed you to expand your business?
Not giving up, being yourself and being very persistent. Say “hello”/”hola” to everybody…you never know who is going to need your services or provide you with a referral. The most important thing: when starting real estate, you have to work your Sphere of Influence (SOI) and let them know that you are a real estate agent from day one and that you need their help. Don’t be a secret agent. Social media has been, at least in my case, the way and the vehicle to reach more people in the shortest amount of time. Befriend and follow up everybody you know and everyone you meet. Don’t be shy!
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?
Something I am learning is that we cannot “translate everything into numbers” and think, how much money will I make with this transaction? My business is based on referrals and “high-touch” relationships. I am focused on helping my friends, my contacts and clients in changing and improving their lives through real estate. I assist them in making good decisions. My best assets are being very honest, transparent and cordial to everyone who takes part in every sale or purchase in which I am involved. Tip: Be a team player with the agent on the other side of the transaction! Do what you love, do it right the first time, and ask for help if necessary. Everything else will follow and never stop learning! Again, the most profitable aspects of your business are your personal relationships, your business partners, and your networks. Work on all of them and get to know them.
How do you work? (Do you wake up early, work late, communicate, what jobs do you do yourself, who do you talk to, etc.)
I wake up around 6:30 am and take care of Ariel (our daughter), while my husband Mehl wakes up around 5:45 am to meditate, get ready for work, prepare breakfast for everyone, and walk and feed our two dogs. After getting Ariel ready for school, I prepare lunches for everybody and make sure we all take our vitamins before heading out. I am also the “official chauffeur”. I drop off and pick up my child from school. I try to work/communicate during business hours as much as I can by email/text and/or by phone. Also, I tell everyone that I have a family and that I respect everybody’s personal lives and their personal time. I work late if necessary (if I am negotiating a contract) and I like to have this work/life balance but it is sometimes hard to have, especially in a market like DC.
When did you realize you were successful/made it and how did you feel/celebrate?
I am far away from being successful (in my personal book) but I am building a very solid foundation in order to have this career for decades to come. Yes, I believe it’s important to celebrate the events and successful moments with your colleagues and your loved ones. We are all together in this…and your real friends want to see you happy and successful. Everything else will follow.
What do you consider the main differences between those people who have been successful in your industry and those who have failed?
I believe that we have to be focused, persistent, willing to learn, make mistakes, learn from mentors, and pick other real estate agents’ brains and ask them about past experiences and their guidance. You would be surprised how generous several of them are with their knowledge and their time. …and I have started to do the same with the newer agents too. Treat everybody as you would like to be treated in this industry and outside of it. Life has its ups and downs and you never know who is going to help you out later in life. Be good, compassionate, and honest with everybody!
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?
Tremendously! Online marketing and social media have changed my personal and business lives. You have to be open, receptive to criticism and compliments, and never give up. Persist in what you believe, doing good to everybody around you and communicate and let people know what you like and what you believe in. People will do business with others that they like, trust and respect. I am very honored to be recognized as one of the top social media agents in DC by PropertySpark …but I believe I have so much more to learn and to give. I will continue exploring new things that will grab attention but more importantly, provide a message, an inspiration to do better and become the person you want to be and that your life will get better with hard and smart work while always helping one person or couple at a time.
We hope you’ve learnt a great deal about becoming a successful real estate agent. Be sure to reach out to Eddie Suarez in Washington, D.C. for your next property purchase or sale.
Check out Eddie Suarez’s Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/realtoreddiesuarez/
Check out Eddie Suarez’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/RealtorEddieSuarez/
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