The San Antonio Business Journal (SABJ) published its annual list of Residential Real Estate Award finalists recently, and I'm proud to say that in just the second full year of existence the Abrahams Real Estate TIES Team has broken into the list of San Antonio's top small real estate teams for awards based on 2023 Sales. It is truly an honor to be alongside some of the most prominent names in San Antonio Real Estate - Icons who've graced the cover of Real Estate Publications like Real Producers, Luxury Home Magazine and others.
For our long-time friends and clients, you'll recall that as an individual agent in 2021 I made the coveted list in my second year in Real Estate sales, coming in at 10th overall in the San Antonio individual agent's list. The arrival on that list was the trigger to start the Abrahams Real Estate TIES Team. I recognized then that an agent acting alone can become limited in the quality of personal interactions he or she can give their clients. Each client, each home, and each transaction is individual, personal and unique. Inability to provide the personal Service each client deserves is deadly to the development and maintenance of Trust. An agent pulled too many directions can forget or miss important deadlines and engagements - and appear to be lacking Integrity. An individual that is too busy can miss out on important developments in the industry - diminishing their Expertise. These four words and the meaning they convey are foundational. At the Abrahams Real Estate TIES Team we SERVE our Clients, demonstrating EXPERTISE and INTEGRITY, in order to gain and maintain their TRUST. TIES = Trust, Integrity, Expertise, Service. I knew that I needed to bring on additional experts to ensure great service. Formation of the Abrahams Real Estate TIES Team was a client-focused decision.
In 2022 we narrowly missed our goal to make the SABJ top teams list in our first year. Recognizing that failure is the first step toward success - we refocused and set our sights on 2023. And here we are.
So how does a relative newcomer make this list? Where do we go from here?
The answer to the first question is that no individual or team rises to the top alone. Great mentors, an outstanding broker, wonderful clients, and proficient service partners are key contributing factors. But I'm convinced that my 32 years in military uniform and 28 years of service in the Army prepared me personally to excel in this business. Here are just a few reasons why.
Teamwork: Throughout my career the importance of teamwork was imprinted on me. From my days as a private in a mortar squad, through the grind of West Point, to combat deployments and staff exercises - being a contributing member of a team was a theme of military service. Agents with previous military experience are natural team members. Each individual real estate transaction is a team event and each transaction team has different members: Buyer or Seller, Agent, Lender, Escrow, Inspector, Contractors - all working together toward a common goal.
Mission Focus and Duty Concept: Feedback from people who've had negative past experience with Real Estate Agents is often a feeling that the transaction is more important to the client than it is to the Agent. Clients 'left on read' or unable to reach their agent at critical moments feel like they aren't heard or cared for. Worse, they can miss important opportunities or even lose money if an agent unplugs completely. Our years of military service have instilled in us the idea that the mission isn't completed until we've crossed the finish line. The client's mission - is our mission. We stay focused and true to our obligations because this is the right thing to do. Because we care.
Leadership: I previously stated that a new team is formed for every real estate transaction. Every team needs a leader. The client is always the focus of the team - but is rarely the leader. In the military we learn that leadership is "influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission". Most purchasers or sellers of real estate do no more than three real estate transactions in their entire lives. While they know their goal - it is very likely that the client doesn't know how to get from point A to point B. Agents with military experience understand how to lead the entire team through the process - providing purpose, direction and motivation - until the team is represented at the closing table.
These are just three broad categories of experience that are inherent in military service. Every veteran with a successful service record has some degree of teamwork, mission focus, and leadership. I've demonstrated how these experiences translate to real estate success - but the truth is they translate into every industry. There are dozens other valuable characteristics and traits learned and sharpened from time in uniform - these are just a few. The experiences a military veteran brings add value and every hiring manager, recruiter and industry leader should be paying attention.
I asked earlier - where to we go from here? The answer: We grow! Being named on the best small teams list is the trigger for continued growth. We'll be interviewing agents who want to join a winning team and take their business to the next level. Every Abrahams Real Estate TIES Team client will be personally represented by a professional, full-time real estate agent. Our agents, with a few exceptions, will have Military service as a uniformed service member or as a military spouse (you also serve).
2024 has started off strong. For two months in a row our team has been forging ahead setting the pace for transactions closed in our brokerage. We are excited, motivated, and honored to represent the best buyers and sellers of real property in San Antonio and the surrounding areas.
Buying or selling real estate? You should be represented by a real estate team that understands your needs, works on your timeline, and sticks with you until the mission is accomplished. Call me at (210) 667 - 7110 to find out how. Or email the team at [email protected].
