SPEAKER_01: 0:30

My name is Josh Alexander. Um, I go by the MBA Realtor and I serve anyone from first-time home buyers to you buying your second house, investors. Um I love helping everyone.

SPEAKER_00: 0:41

Awesome. Very cool. I can't wait to learn more about everything you do.

SPEAKER_01: 0:44

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00: 0:45

So take me back to how you kind of got started in all of this. Tell me how you got to where you are today.

SPEAKER_01: 0:50

Yeah, I mean, basketball, basketball, basketball is kind of all I've really known since the age of three, all the way now until I'm about 25. So basketball is like instilled with me, whether it be the confidence, whether it be me with leadership, teamwork. So basketball's taught me a lot. Basketball ended for me sooner than I expected. And I knew I always wanted to get into real estate. I just didn't know when. But now is the perfect time for me to get into real estate and I've been loving it, just helping people. A lot of similar aspects from basketball to real estate that I've seen as well.

SPEAKER_00: 1:22

Awesome. That's a really cool transition from going to the NBA to being this really cool realtor. Awesome. Okay, so you emphasize confidence, precision, and focus in every transition. What do those values mean to you as a trusted real estate advisor?

SPEAKER_01: 1:39

Yeah, I mean, confidence, you have to have confidence in order to play basketball. You know, there's a bunch of guys competing for a small amount of spots. So if you don't believe in yourself and you don't believe the hard work that you've put in, um, it's hard to stand out, it's hard to stay there. Um, so I feel like confidence kind of comes naturally for me. Um, in terms of precision and teamwork, you know, you have to work as a team with people, whether it be on your team with different personalities, and same in real estate. It's like a team, you know, you have your lender, you have yourself as a real estate agent, you have the other side, other parties that are working for you as well. So there's a bunch of really big team cohesive um all together. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 2:15

A lot of moving parts, right?

SPEAKER_01: 2:17

Yeah, a lot of moving parts.

SPEAKER_00: 2:18

Very nice. And what drives your commitment to helping clients make smart strategic decisions in kind of a fast-paced market like Northern Virginia?

SPEAKER_01: 2:28

Yeah. I mean, like you said, it's very fast. A lot of people relocating, moving out, whether it be for government, for military. Um, so it's definitely fast paced. The market's kind of in an interesting spot as it is right now. And um, it's just adjusting, you know, just like a basketball. There's really no, you have a game plan going in, you think you know what it's gonna be like, and just like boom, make a switch just like that. So just being able to stay on your toes, adjust to what's going on in the market, um, and basketball's helped me with that a lot.

SPEAKER_00: 2:54

Absolutely. All the constant changing and constant trends, like you gotta stay on your toes, as well said. Yeah. How do you define a successful client experience beyond just closing the deal?

SPEAKER_01: 3:08

Yeah, I mean, I want my client to feel confident every step of the way. I want them to be able to talk to me if they have any questions. You know, it I mean, there's it's a lot of parts to the process. Some parts may be a little bit more simpler than others, but some people may not have experienced that part, you know, sometimes whether it be different contingencies in the contract, like if they bought at a certain time, they may have not had to dealt with that before. So if that arises now, I mean, I love helping clients every step of the process, whether it be, you know, just start helping them from literally just signing the contract to even after when they're just trying to figure out utilities or what it may be. Um, so it's a process from start to finish and even after, just can't uh always contact my clients as well.

SPEAKER_00: 3:49

That's amazing to have that reliability from the very first meet to the very end. And they're like, hey, help me with these appliances.

SPEAKER_01: 3:56

Yeah, no, exactly. I mean, it's uh it's a process, you know, it's not just uh like transaction and like I'm done with you until you want to buy or sell a house. You know, it's a it's a relationship that you build throughout the process. And I mean, we have client events as well that we invite our clients to. So it's uh it's a year-long thing, whether you're in the market for buying or selling a house, whether it be now or in the future, we're always gonna be here for you, whether it's just a question, market insights, or if you're ready to buy or sell.

SPEAKER_00: 4:21

Absolutely. Having that client relationship is key.

SPEAKER_01: 4:24

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00: 4:27

You've built your career on strategy and results. What originally inspired you to get into real estate? I know so we kind of touched on this already. Could we dig into it a little bit more?

SPEAKER_01: 4:37

Yeah, no, absolutely. So my mom was a real estate agent, so I've kind of grown up around it. She's a real estate agent in New York. And I've always grown up watching like the HGTV shows with the house flippings and million-dollar listing. So I always knew, like I said, I always knew I wanted to get into real estate. It's just a matter of when. And then when I got into the MBA G League, I realized that, you know, there's a lot of players that, you know, don't that lose a lot of their money when they're done playing and they don't have as much as when they started. And I realized then that real estate could be a really good tool to build that wealth and build the foundation, not only just for yourself, but for your family and for generations to come. So that's a really big reason why I really wanted to get in it, especially now. And since I'm still kind of connected with a lot of players that are still in the MBA and management, it just makes it even easier for me to help them so that when they're done playing, they'll have something to sit on and not just be like, what'd I do with my money? And like, where did it go?

SPEAKER_00: 5:31

Absolutely. That's awesome. And many clients describe you as both calm under pressure and laser focused. How do you maintain that balance during complex negotiations?

SPEAKER_01: 5:43

Yeah, it's definitely well, I would say earlier in my basketball career, like it was tough, you know, just a bunch of emotions on a game, not just yourself, but your teammates, the other team, the referee, like there's a bunch of other parties involved, um, somewhere with real estate, you know, if someone may be, you know, making someone else anxious because they're not meeting the timelines. It's just how do you relay that message back to your client that like it's gonna be okay, we're gonna figure it out. These are the steps to get to the end. So I think just just a bunch of trial and error, you know, it wasn't always, I wasn't always just able to figure it out, you know, it's just taking a step by step and you learn over time like how to stay calm under pressure and how to, you know, relay that message to other people so that they feel calm as well.

SPEAKER_00: 6:25

Absolutely. And just having that that great communication just really, really pulls it along.

SPEAKER_01: 6:30

Yeah, no, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00: 6:32

Digging back into basketball, how does your past experience as a professional athlete shape the way you approach preparation and also performance in business today?

SPEAKER_01: 6:43

Yeah, there's a lot of similarities, whether it be from in basketball when you're watching film or now when you're just looking at the market and trying to analyze the market to see where it's at and where do you think the trends are going to be going? Um, so there's a lot of similarities in terms of that. But I'm sorry, do your question one more time.

SPEAKER_00: 6:59

I uh Oh no, you're good. Just like how does the past experience as being a professional athlete shape the way you approach things like preparation and just overall performance in business today?

SPEAKER_01: 7:10

So yeah, so like the film study and also just being just being ready, you know, just being ready. I think even like basketball players put in so many hours that people don't see in the preparation behind the doors. And it's the same thing when you're at home up late at night, trying to figure out like how do I get this contract closed, how do I help my client find the best property and get the you know, get some seller credits in there as well. And like it's just trying to figure out ways to help your client win, to help yourself win, to help your team win.

SPEAKER_00: 7:39

Absolutely. I feel like you really have to have that strive and just go get them attitude and start to show up and be there and get it done. So Circadian Realty is known for its modern client-focused culture. How does teamwork factor into the success of your business?

SPEAKER_01: 7:57

Yeah, my team lead Lauren Edy, she's been amazing ever since I joined with her. You know, she's helped me every step of the way. She's any question I have at any time of the day, she's always there to answer the phone or answer a text. But yeah, no, we're we're definitely client-focused. We want to help clients. Like we said, it's about building relationships. It's not just a transactional deal for us. We want to help you from step one when we first meet you, shaking your hand, all the way until you know you're buying your third or fourth house, all everything in between there. So whether it be just questions, um, an email about a market analysis, whatever it may be, we just want to help you.

SPEAKER_00: 8:31

Josh has got you, right? Right, exactly.

SPEAKER_01: 8:33

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00: 8:34

Going back into just having those client relationships, how do you foster trust and communication between not only clients, but agents and partners through a transaction?

SPEAKER_01: 8:44

Yeah. Well, most importantly, we love to sit down with our clients and just speak with them just to get to know each other better. Like it's not about, you know, sign the paperwork on day one. It's about will this be a good fit for both you and both me, you know, just in the situations that we're both in and how can we help you to best serve you? And that's just the communication like we talked about earlier, it's just every process, every step of the way is like how do we communicate? How do we relay messages to make sure that we're meeting timelines? But then again, you don't feel overwhelmed and that we're helping you throughout the entire process.

SPEAKER_00: 9:16

Absolutely. And I think it's also important to note that this is like such a big milestone for families. Yeah, absolutely. And it's such a big thing in their life. So really just having that relationship to be there and communicate.

SPEAKER_01: 9:27

It's exactly because once you trust me, if you trust me, you know you're gonna feel confident with calling and texting me, even about little things, and that's where everything builds off of just the relationship from the start.

SPEAKER_00: 9:40

Awesome. And what does it mean to you to be a high performance agent? And how do you help clients achieve the same level of excellence in their decisions?

SPEAKER_01: 9:51

Yeah, I think just authenticity, you know. Like I I'm not trying to fake who I am, like I'm a I'm a pretty laid-back type person, but I mean I I always have your best interest. I always want you to win. And I've always been like that, even with basketball, like I've always been kind of that glue guy, the team player that kind of gets everyone together to achieve the goal of winning. Um, and then for real estate of just be getting everyone together, for you to be able to buy that house, for you able to sell your house. But yeah, so I think just being on a cohesive string really helps.

SPEAKER_00: 10:21

Teamwork is so important, especially in a field like this.

SPEAKER_01: 10:24

No, it is.

SPEAKER_00: 10:25

What do you think separates a good agent from a great one? And when it comes to navigating a competitive real estate market, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 10:34

I think you it comes back to being prepared. You have to know what you're talking about, you have to see what's going on in the market, being able to analyze it and then execute it. Um, somewhere to basketball, you have to be able to have a game plan before you go into the game. Then as the game's going on, you may have to adjust and you have to execute, figure out how do I maneuver around this. Same thing with real estate. If the appraisal comes down a little bit lower than we expected, it's like how do we go back to the seller and say, hey, um, the appraisal came here, we have to adjust. If not, you know, and it's also coming with being prepared with contingencies to make sure that your clients are protected in that aspect.

SPEAKER_00: 11:09

I like the point you made about adjusting because it's so important to be able to think on your feet because things are always changing. We go in with a game plan thinking this is how it's gonna be. And sometimes it is just completely different. So we kind of have to act fast on that.

SPEAKER_01: 11:23

Yeah, and I've I've never had a transaction that was just smooth sailing. There's always gonna be a hiccup somewhere, and it's just how can you adjust as quickly as possible, making sure that all parties are still aligned to accomplish that goal.

SPEAKER_00: 11:34

Said how do you tailor your um strategies differently for buyers, sellers, and investors?

SPEAKER_01: 11:41

Yeah, um, I it's all about the client. It's what they're looking for, whether it be for a short term, whether it be a flip or a long term, or they just want to focus on the appreciation or if they want a cash flow as well. For sellers, it's if it's a quick close, if they want to get out and move on with something else in their life. And for investors, it's all about their strategy as well. So I think it's always tailored around the client. I think that's the most important part and just what they're wanting to accomplish. So it's never really the same. It's it's really client focused and based upon what they're looking for.

SPEAKER_00: 12:12

Absolutely. And to kind of go into more of that, you often talk about personalized service. What else does that look like in the practice for your clients?

SPEAKER_01: 12:21

Yeah, so personalized service is everything. You know, I mean, some people may be a little bit more laid back, some people might be a little bit more energetic. And it's about meeting them where they're at, same with if they're ready to buy or they're just trying to learn, or if they're they've been through it three or four times and they already know what they want and just kind of want to move quickly. So, someone like you said, being on your toes, like when you first meet your client and then just mirroring what their energy and what they're giving and how how fast they want to move, like you don't want to rush your client, you want to keep the same level pace that they're on. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 12:51

Absolutely. Everyone's a little bit different, so that's amazing that you can really just adjust to all ranges.

SPEAKER_01: 12:57

Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00: 13:00

And what's one piece of advice you'd give to someone trying to build wealth or stability through real estate for the first time?

SPEAKER_01: 13:07

Yeah, I think education is everything. You know, you don't want to rely on my word or another real estate agent's word. You want to know what's what you're talking about, what's going on. I mean, yes, you can ask us for questions and I'd love to help you in any way, but I think you also need to understand what you're getting into, the risk involved, and I can be more than happy to help you and explain that to you. But it's also the education, the research and the books and the YouTube videos that you also have to do too, just so it's not like, oh, I didn't know it was going to be like this, you know, just so you know every aspect and then I'll be there to help as well.

SPEAKER_00: 13:40

For sure. Gotta do the work. Okay, exactly. And how do you see your role not just as an agent, but as a resource and educator for your community?

SPEAKER_01: 13:50

Yeah, that's the biggest thing, especially in the sports industry, like I said earlier. It's just a lot of athletes, not even just basketball players, you know, they make a lot of money in a quick amount of time, whether it be they play for one to 10 years, the guys who play for 20 years, and it's just what are you doing with that money to help you, you know, with keep that wealth, you know, like how do you keep it going? Because once the paychecks stop coming in, it's it's a it's a different life, it's a different aspect. And it's just how do we how do we keep building on that foundation? Because a lot of players, especially at young ages now, like 17, 18 years old, even college players now with NIL are making so much money at such a young age. And it's it's uh it's mind-boggling how much money it is. And for them just to really, they're young, so they don't really know exactly what to do. They have their parents trying to help them and advise them. Um, so just having that that group or that trusted partners that you have in your corner that you know have your best interest in helping you maintain and and build your wealth.

SPEAKER_00: 14:49

That's a great point as well. You talk about younger people and their careers. It's like, what's next? Having that kind of having that game plan for the future and later down the road.

SPEAKER_01: 15:00

Yeah, no, exactly. I think um the strategy, the game plan is everything. And I mean a lot of athletes too, like I feel like they would love real estate just because of the grind it is, you know, it's um it's not it's not easy, but basketball's not easy either. And you know, you're gonna fail in basketball, you have to get back up and keep trying and trying and trying. Um it's similar with real estate, you know, every client's gonna work out for you, not every deal is gonna work out, but it's how do you help your client get to the next one and the next one, the next one?

SPEAKER_00: 15:28

Absolutely. And I think it's also one of those situations where if you want it bad enough, you'll do the most you can and the best you can to achieve the best results.

SPEAKER_01: 15:36

Absolutely, absolutely, completely agree.

SPEAKER_00: 15:39

So, looking ahead, what's your vision for circadian reality and the legacy you want to build in Northern Virginia real estate?

SPEAKER_01: 15:46

Yeah, I have some pretty big goals. I'm not too big on speaking my goals out loud. I like to kind of keep them on my whiteboard at home. But um, but I mean, overall, I just want to be able to impact as many people as possible in a positive way. I want to be able to help people navigate the market, whether they use me or not. I want to just on my social media platforms be able to educate people, especially the athlete space and allowing them to just know what they can do with their money to help them um for longevity. And then even just for for my typical clients, my everyday people, it's just like, well, how can I help you? How can I serve you? How can I give you the tools necessary to achieve what you want to achieve?

SPEAKER_00: 16:25

That's wonderful. Just kind of being that resource and being able to provide that knowledge to whoever comes through your paths.

SPEAKER_01: 16:32

Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00: 16:34

That was so cool to learn about. And as we wrap up, Josh, is there anything you'd like to add that I haven't touched on today?

SPEAKER_01: 16:42

Um, no. I mean, I really appreciate you having me here today. Um, like I said, I'm all about teaching and helping people. Um, and I love to be, I love to be in anyone's corner just to help them navigate the market.

SPEAKER_00: 16:53

Amazing. It's really inspiring hearing your story, and I wish you the best in the future.

SPEAKER_01: 16:58

Thank you very much. I appreciate you having me.

SPEAKER_00: 17:00

Thank you. Thank you for joining me on the podcast.