SPEAKER_00: 0:30

I'm Lucia Jones. I'm a real estate agent in Prince William County and surrounding areas. And I serve first-time home buyers as well as 55 plus community seekers.

unknown: 0:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 0:44

Amazing. I can't wait to dig in tomorrow, just what you do. So kind of take me back to how you got started in all this. Tell me how you got to where you are today.

SPEAKER_00: 0:53

Okay. So I moved here last year from Germany. In Germany, I have been in real estate. Before that, I've been a recruiter for uh Venture Capital. And a friend of mine who has been in real estate forever, he started his own brokerage and kind of gave me a call and asked if I was interested to join him in his new endeavor. So I gave it a try. And um yeah, after two weeks or so, I was convinced that this is the path I want to go forward. Went all in in real estate, quit my job. And yeah, when we get the PCS orders to move here, my husband asked me if that's what I'm planning on doing over here as well. And that that was like a no-brainer. I was like, of course, whatever.

SPEAKER_01: 1:41

Yeah. Wow, and the rest is history, right? The rest is history, yeah. Amazing. I love how you were from Germany. Now you're here. You kind of get um a taste of of what it's like to do real estate in both ends of the spectrum. And kind of digging a little bit more into that, you know, you worked in real estate both in Germany and the US. What was the biggest adjustment you had to make when you entered the American market?

SPEAKER_00: 2:06

So, one of the biggest adjustments was in Germany, I used to work with the sellers most of the time first, because everything in Germany is dual agency. So both sides have the same agent. And um coming over here, taking the courses, and understanding that dual agency is not very common in Virginia or most parts of the US. That was a little adjustment for me because I was like, but how, why? So all these questions, right? And now that I've been doing it for a while, I see why, and I'm more asking myself, why do we do it this way in Germany? Right. So um, yeah, that is one thing. And just how personal the relationships become in America when you work with clients versus in Germany. I still have a few clients that I worked with that I'm still in touch now, but the majority is it's like a business transaction.

SPEAKER_01: 3:06

So got it, and a lot more just fast-paced, right? It is, yeah. Kind of going into that, coming from a completely different real estate pace in Germany, how did you adapt to the the fast-moving buying and selling environment here in the US?

SPEAKER_00: 3:22

Yeah, that that was uh surprising. And Germany, usually, especially in the area that I was in, homes would be selling within like two or three months. So you really had time to market it, find the right person to buy the home. And here, especially in Northern Virginia, we don't we don't have that time, we don't get the luxury, right? So that was a little bit of an adjustment, but I also like it because it makes it more exciting. I have to make sure that my clients, I'm working with buyers most of the time, are um are on point. Like, are they prepared? Are they pre-approved? Do they know what they want? And are we ready to put in an offer as soon as we see the house that it's theirs?

SPEAKER_01: 4:07

Absolutely. All right, very cool. And you know, what has been one of the most rewarding parts of joining AJ Team Realty? And how has being a part of that team supported your growth?

SPEAKER_00: 4:20

So at the AJ Team, one thing that was surprising to me when I joined is every morning we have a morning devotional. So we dive into scripture, we have a study plan right now that we are doing, and um, or we just watch a sermon and discuss the teachings. So that was surprising, and I love that. That was one thing, and also what we also do is every day we have script practice, we talk about the market, we get a lot of yeah, conversations in that you know, maybe I have a situation with a client, I talk to the team about it, somebody else might have had a similar situation, so we kind of help each other out, and um those times are very rewarding, very helpful. They prepare us for future conversations.

SPEAKER_01: 5:09

So I think that that's a great business model for a team to work on. Um, just kind of having that regroup, great communication, yes, um, and just uh having that growth going forward with everyone. Amazing. And what is one thing about your personality or approach that you that your clients appreciate most when working with you?

SPEAKER_00: 5:31

Yeah. Um I would say most clients appreciate that I just meet them where they are, and whatever the situation is, I try to help them work around that situation and get them to their goal, whatever that might be. Also, that I'm very honest about what is possible and what might need a little adjustment. Um, yeah, I think those are the things.

SPEAKER_01: 5:56

Absolutely. Those are all great qualities to have. And, you know, since stepping into the fast-paced US market, what personal strengths or work habits have helped you thrive and just deliver great results for your clients?

SPEAKER_00: 6:11

Script practice and also doing my calls every morning for two hours. That's basically after the devotional, the first thing that we do is two hours. We are on the phone, we talk to people in the neighborhood, and yeah, just have our ear like on the market and talk to them what is currently going on in your life. Do you have any questions about what's happening in the real estate world? Do you need anything? Right. So we are very, very close to our community. And then another thing is obviously studying the market. That's also part of my daily tasks, and that includes studying the MLS and also seeing at least 15 houses every week, aside from my showings that I have with my clients. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 7:01

Okay. And I love the point you made about community. Um, it's so important to know your community, and um, I I just think that I think that that's a great way, especially to start the day.

SPEAKER_00: 7:12

Yeah, yeah, it's important for us.

SPEAKER_01: 7:14

For sure. And you know, I know you have a background in recruitment. How does that help you read people, understand their needs quickly, or support clients through emotional decision making?

SPEAKER_00: 7:27

Yeah, it helped a lot because a lot of times when I approached my recruiting clients or potential uh candidates for roles, they were happy in their roles. They didn't think about moving to a different company or in a different role. So it's more like, okay, where are you now? What is great about where you are now? What is not so great? What could be better, right? Um, what is it that you are looking for? So really diving into their needs for the next step and also learning the different personality types. So that's that's something that helps me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 8:06

Absolutely. And I think just having that kind of personalized experience really comes into play. You know, no matter what clipe of client you have, you will be able to adapt and help them in however they need it. I think it's awesome.

SPEAKER_00: 8:19

Yeah. Yeah, it's important. Not every client is the same, and um, not every situation is the same. So we just have to meet them where they are, see where they want to be, and how what is the best way to get them there?

SPEAKER_01: 8:31

Wonderful. And if you can think of one, what's one client experience that reminded you why you chose real estate as your long-term career?

SPEAKER_00: 8:41

Can you repeat that question? I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01: 8:43

Yeah, absolutely. What's one client experience that reminded you why you chose real estate as your long-term career?

SPEAKER_00: 8:50

Oh, yeah. One of the, or I think it was actually the first buyer in Germany. So I was working with the seller, I had the listing, and the person who, or the family who ended up buying that house was an immigrant family. I think they have been in Germany at the time for like three years, moving from an apartment with like two bedrooms and three kids, and you know, both spouses. So it was a little cozy in there, and just seeing their dream of providing a home for their family where all the kids had their own bedrooms and really taking that step into homeownership and starting to generate wealth for their family. That was, I still get goosebumps when I talk about that. So yeah, that that was really that's a moment that I think back to a lot of times. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 9:40

What a rewarding aspect within your career to be able to be a part of it to help it make it happen. Right. And such a big milestone in people's lives. Beautiful. And what's something you think buyers or sellers often overlook that could make their transaction much smoother?

SPEAKER_00: 9:59

A lot of time I wish that whatever side we're working on could also see the other side a little bit. I know it's you are buying a house, so you want to it to be perfect, but it's also important to see what is the seller's situation, what is his motivation, and um how can we make it happen so everybody is happy at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01: 10:23

Absolutely. Well said. And how do you think your global perspective gives you an advantage when working with the diverse clients here in the DMB?

SPEAKER_00: 10:34

Um, so I grew up in Frankfurt, which is a very diverse city, and we do have people from actually all over the world. So from an early age on, I I was introduced to different cultures, different approaches, different personalities. And Northern Virginia is also a very diverse community. So it wasn't like a culture shock, and I kind of am familiar with certain cultures and personality types, so that helped me a lot.

SPEAKER_01: 11:05

Absolutely. We are super diverse here, and what you were coming from was somewhat very similar. So awesome. And I know you have some quarterly webinars planned starting next month, as well as a home buying boot camp for next year. Could you tell me a little bit more about these upcoming events?

SPEAKER_00: 11:23

Yeah. So the webinars are like Zoom meetings, um, get together, get togethers, and we will talk about different topics, mostly when it comes to downsizing or 55 plus communities, and the home buyer bootcamp is basically just an idea right now, but I think it's important to give future homeowners a place to gather information, you know, like um, where do I get started? What do I need to do? What credit score do I need? What is okay, what does not, or what needs a little bit of adjustment, right? And um what are the different ways that I can actually make that dream a reality? So yeah, that's a thing I'm working on right now.

SPEAKER_01: 12:12

Okay, awesome. Sounds like a really great um opportunity to take advantage of just to get some more knowledge and perspective from the pros.

SPEAKER_00: 12:21

And I I plan to have mortgage loan officers, title companies in there as well in that community. So not every question is a question for me. Somebody else might be able to answer that much better. So I just want to give them the opportunity to ask whatever question comes to their mind.

SPEAKER_01: 12:38

For sure. Yep. Awesome. And as you continue growing your presence with AJ Team Realty, what areas of the business are you most excited to improve, expand, or specialize in?

SPEAKER_00: 12:53

Oh, that's a good question. Yeah, definitely my personal presence in the market. That's something that I'm working on, um, social media as well. And we do have a lot of events coming up with the AA Team or the Be a Blessing Foundation. So those are all great things to continue to come back to the community, give back to the community, and just connect with everybody. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 13:21

Wonderful. Sounds like a lot of good stuff coming up the pike. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 13:25

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 13:26

And what's your long-term vision as a real estate professional? And how do you hope to make an impact in the communities you serve here in Northern Virginia?

SPEAKER_00: 13:36

I just believe that everybody deserves to be in a safe and beautiful home. My vision is to get as many people in their homes as possible and just have them um get to a place where they feel secure in their environments. Yeah, that's that's probably it.

SPEAKER_01: 13:56

Well, I know you're making really meaningful impacts out here in the DMB. Um, and it's super admirable. And with that, is there anything you'd like to add as we wrap up that I haven't touched on today?

SPEAKER_00: 14:08

Well, yeah. The Be a Blessing Foundation from the AJ team, from the team leads. We do have a charity gala coming up early next year. I would say everybody stay tuned for more information on that. And what we do with the Be a Blessing Foundation is we are focused on giving back to schools, food pantries, the community, you know. So that's something that I'm excited about.

SPEAKER_01: 14:32

Absolutely. Definitely giving back to the community. Um, you guys are doing great things. Well, thank you so much, Lucia, for joining me on the podcast today. It was a pleasure to hear your story, a very inspiring one of that. And I wish you the best of luck in all that comes your way here in the future.

SPEAKER_00: 14:50

Thank you. I appreciate it. It was fun.