Derek Vickers of Vicktory Real Estate Group: How We Are Helping To Make Housing More Affordable

An Interview With Jason Hartman

Most of the things you are afraid of, don’t actually happen. When I was closing my first property, all of the things that I thought would be issues and most of the things I put the most attention on in being worried about did not actually happen at all.

In many large cities in the US, there is a crisis caused by a shortage of affordable housing options. This has led to a host of social challenges. In this series called “How We Are Helping To Make Housing More Affordable” we are talking to successful business leaders, real estate leaders, and builders, who share the initiatives they are undertaking to create more affordable housing options in the US.

As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Derek Vickers.

Meet Derek Vickers, the CEO of Vicktory Real Estate Group, a successful company that operates 38 mobile home parks in the Southeast. With a passion for helping others and a strong drive for success, Derek has quickly become a well-known figure in the industry. When he’s not busy growing his business, Derek enjoys spending quality time with his family, staying active, and helping others achieve greatness through his unwavering commitment to positivity and inspiration.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I was in the insurance business for almost 10 years. I had a team of 100 salespeople and we provided insurance services to small businesses. When COVID hit in March of 2020, we could no longer reach businesses like we could before the pandemic. I always had a passion for real estate but when I stumbled upon the manufactured housing industry, it was different. It was twofold, there was an opportunity for you to also help people in need, and assist in solving the crisis of affordable housing in America. I have always had a passion for others and helping others in need. I was at a point in my life before where I had hit rock bottom, and I have always had a passion for showing others that you can get yourself out of any rut you are in and turn your life around. I knew this industry was for me because it created a major win-win scenario for all parties involved.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I have many interesting stories, but one that sticks out is when I actually started my career. I moved to Florida from Virginia on a whim with $300 from a tax return in my pocket. I was in my mid-twenties and still enjoyed having fun a little bit too much. I started a commission-only insurance sales role with no contacts and no connections. The reason this is interesting is that I had to overcome so many mental obstacles to make this work. Every single day there was a battle of do I go get a regular grocery store job, because that is what I was familiar with at the time or keep pursuing my dreams as an entrepreneur. I am proof that a guy from a small, “everyone knows everyone”, kind of town, with no skills or connections can turn their life around. It does not matter what deficiencies you may think you have. You can pull yourself out of the wilderness if you just believe and keep taking action toward your dreams on a daily basis.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

The turning point in my career was when I began investing in myself. I started reading books, purchasing programs and listening to audiobooks in my car. Instead of the radio or TV, I began replacing the information I was consuming with positive, reinforcing material that would help me propel toward my goals.

I created a daily routine that included waking up at 5 am to work out and take better care of myself. I made it a habit to read every day and constantly filled my mind with good things. Investing in myself has proven to be the most valuable thing I’ve done — you cannot lose, and you never go down in value!

The takeaway in this is that no money you spend on yourself is bad. I have read books that were terrible, but I got one thing out of it that was worth the $30. The more you are willing to invest in yourself, shows your commitment and there is just something magical about it, when you do, things seem to start moving in the right direction.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

This is one hundred percent, without a doubt, my wife. She doesn’t see limits and boundaries and she always knows how to cut through the noise and tell me the truth. She lets me know what I need to hear and it may not necessarily be what I want to hear. Case in point! When I was a struggling insurance salesman, I was out cold calling and getting doors slammed in my face on a daily basis. I wasn’t making any money and I had a credit card and a debit card, each of them had only five to seven dollars on them. I had to put a few dollars in gas in my gas-guzzling SUV in order to go out and prospect for the day. I ended up having to borrow $50 from my grandma. When I went home that night and called my now-wife, I was almost in tears and I was looking for sympathy from her. Instead, she called me a loser! She said I needed to get it together and stop feeling sorry for myself. She was one hundred percent correct! This was the moment when I actually started working harder. It was still tough on a daily basis, but this propelled me to actually put more effort in and start making things happen. This was a turning point that helped me get to where I am today.

Do you have a book, podcast, or talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us? Can you explain why it was so resonant with you?

There is a book called “Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude” by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone. This book has had a massive impact on me, how I think, and how I operate and view things today. It taught me that every “bad situation,” is not necessarily bad, just your viewpoint on the situation needs to be changed. I’ve listened to that book 20–30 times and now I have an unbreakable positive attitude. I have been in the middle of numerous stressful situations, where the business was in jeopardy, where I could have lost everything, but I was able to see through all of the noise, all of the stress, and all of the reasons I had to cave in and not take action to fix it. This book has given me the tools to stay calm, and focus on the solution to the problem and not lamenting on the past. We cannot change the past, the only things we can change are our actions in the future. If you focus on the past, you will get stuck. Everything is under your control to a certain degree, there are always things you can do. And as long as you are controlling what you can control, it will put you in a better position and help solve the problem.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Success is not owned, it is rented, and rent is due every day”. Growing up my parents were extremely hard workers. They never missed a day of work no matter whether they were sick, felt bad, or anything. I treat my businesses the same. I need to show up every single day no matter how I feel, no matter what is going on around me. I need to show up positive and upbeat. It is my duty to set a good example for my staff and family. This quote just rings in my head every day.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about the shortage of affordable housing. Lack of affordable housing has been a problem for a long time in the United States. But it seems that it has gotten a lot worse over the past five years, particularly in the large cities. I know this is a huge topic, but for the benefit of our readers can you briefly explain to our readers what brought us to this place? Where did this crisis come from?

In my opinion, there are several factors that have contributed to this crisis, but one that stands out is the high cost of construction and materials. With inflation driving up the cost of goods, it has become increasingly difficult for developers to permit and build affordable multi-family apartment buildings that can target lower-income families. The rising cost of living has made it even more challenging for people in lower income brackets to keep up with the increasing cost of housing.

It is a fact that wages have not kept up with inflation, and this has made it increasingly difficult for people to afford the housing that they need. Lastly, while gentrification can have positive effects, it can also drive up the cost of living due to more affluent people moving into other areas of cities. This can create a ripple effect that leads to higher housing costs and fewer affordable options for those who need them most.

Can you describe to our readers how your work is making an impact to address this crisis? Can you share some of the initiatives you are leading to help correct this issue?

One of the ways we have been able to make an impact is by bringing back online 400 units of affordable housing that would have otherwise been demolished. These are homes that families need, and by saving them from demolition, we are helping to provide a stable home for those who may have otherwise been left without a place to live.

We are also able to repair mobile homes that are in disrepair and make them virtually brand new. By doing so, we are giving families an opportunity to own a home that they may not have been able to afford otherwise. It is a truly rewarding feeling to be able to help families achieve their dream of homeownership and provide them with a safe and stable place to call home.

When we purchase manufactured housing communities, they are often in disrepair and are not safe places to live. Our goal is to create clean, safe, and affordable housing, and we work hard to achieve that goal. We come in, clean up the neighborhood, pave the roads, and put up lights, making the area much safer for our residents. We also work to reduce crime and create a community that our residents can be proud of and a place they can truly call home.

Can you share something about your work that makes you most proud? Is there a particular story or incident that you found most uplifting?

I really enjoy assisting others that are in need. Not everyone in this world is as fortunate as others. There were two instances in one of our parks. A lady and her husband were concerned that they were not going to purchase the home they had been living in. They were concerned and I wanted to come and meet them personally, so I showed up and sold them their home for $100. This home could have been sold for $10,000. She could not have been more grateful and cried when I told her that she was only going to pay $100 for her home.

We had another instance of a family that was living in a property and unbeknownst to me when we purchased, these people had been living with no hot water and three kids living in the house. I was making my rounds around the property when I found this out, and I went home that night and I could hardly sleep, I had shed tears thinking about this family. The next day on my own dime I went out and purchased this family a brand-new hot water heater and had our maintenance team install it a couple of days later. This family could not thank me enough for this and I still chat with these people whenever I am in the park.

In your opinion, what should other home builders do to further address these problems?

I firmly believe that other home builders should come together and brainstorm creative ways to build more affordable housing. It seems that the same kind of multifamily buildings are being erected everywhere, and the business model that has been used for years is still in use.

We need to start thinking outside of the box and exploring new solutions to address this critical problem. Developers must come together to find ways to build affordable housing that is tailored to the needs of different communities. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and we need to start thinking creatively to address this issue.

I am convinced that there are many innovative and cost-effective ways to build affordable housing that are not being explored. We need to leverage technology, explore different building materials and methods, and look to new financing models. By doing so, we can make affordable housing more accessible to people who need it the most.

Can you share three things that the community and society can do to help you address the root of this crisis? Can you give some examples?

I believe that society could assist in changing the stigma around manufactured housing. There is always the stigma of the “trailer park.” But this is not the case in most of these communities. These are good people who want to live a simple life and not bother anyone. They enjoy living in an affordable place that is their own.

Also, city officials see these communities from their own eyes in an “I wouldn’t live there,” kind of approach. They could assist in looking at it from the perspective of the resident in that these properties give people the opportunity to own their own homes that they can sell down the road.

People also have the misconception that these mobile homes that the residents own lose value. This is 100%, not the case. We have countless examples of people selling their homes at a huge profit. We had one lady in a park whom we sold the home to for $5,000 and then she did some work to the home, had to move back to her home state, and then sold the home for over $40,000. We give the people an opportunity to do this.

If you had the power to influence legislation, are there laws which you would like to see introduced that might help you in your work?

I would love to see these larger municipalities assist in helping us turn these communities around. Oftentimes, you feel like you are trying to fight an uphill battle when doing so. When we are trying to do things to help families and beautify communities, we often run into many roadblocks that slow down the process. Some cities will not allow us to move new homes in, so we have a unit that is beyond disrepair, and if we demolish it, that lot can no longer be used.

Also, I think legislation could be put in place to make it more favorable for these parks to be developed in larger cities because the crisis is the worst in large cities and that is where the reddest tape is for getting things done for affordable housing.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started leading my company” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. That it wasn’t going to be easy. The pitch by the recruiter in the insurance business was that you can make 100k in two years or something to that effect. In theory, you could but it was much more difficult than it was pitched to be.
2. Most of the things you are afraid of, don’t actually happen. When I was closing my first property, all of the things that I thought would be issues and most of the things I put the most attention on in being worried about did not actually happen at all.
3. There will be people that you encounter that do not have your best interest at heart, unfortunately. I am from a southern town, we are taught manners and we generally have trust in others. I learned the hard way in hiring someone I put too much trust in, and it turned out that I missed the signs that this person did not have my best interest and I almost lost my business because of it.
4. That growth in business requires different levels of risk-taking and investing. Making a tough decision or investing your last bit of money in yourself or your company to expand just doesn’t happen once. If you keep striving to get to the next level, these same things will occur just at a higher order of magnitude than the first one.
5. You are either expanding or contracting, nothing ever stays the same. I thought that if you just get to a level of success you could just relax and not put in as much effort. This is 100% not true. Anything that you want to continue to do well, you have to put attention to. This goes for business, relationships, health, and all life areas. As an entrepreneur, family man, and business owner, it is a constant effort to create the best version of these areas. You can honestly never relax! And why would you want to, it keeps things fun and interesting!

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

It would be a movement to get others out of poverty and not by just giving them money but by teaching them skills. Business skills such as communication, leadership, sales, and financial literacy. This would do an enormous amount of good in our society, as I believe the root of some of our problems lies in the fact that some people do not have or even know there are skills that they can learn and develop to help them grow and become better people.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Elon Musk — The way he thinks just fascinates me. He doesn’t think about boundaries or limitations. His mind works differently than most and the opportunity to just sit and chat with him I think would be really cool. I would just love to dig inside his mind and have a candid conversation with him to see how he really thinks and not just what you see in the public eye. I feel like he could look at what I am doing and immediately tell me how I could be thinking on a larger scale to impact more people in a positive way.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I am on all social media platforms @derekvickers885 on Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, Youtube, Tik Tok, and Twitter. Website: www.vicktoryrealestategroup.com

Podcast on Itunes called:l The MHP Show

This was very meaningful, thank you so much, and we wish you only continued success.

About The Interviewer: Jason Hartman is the Founder and CEO of Empowered Investor. Jason has been involved in several thousand real estate transactions and has owned income properties in 11 states and 17 cities. Empowered Investor helps people achieve The American Dream of financial freedom by purchasing income property in prudent markets nationwide. Jason’s Complete Solution for Real Estate Investors™ is a comprehensive system providing real estate investors with education, research, resources and technology to deal with all areas of their income property investment needs. Through Jason’s podcasts, educational events, referrals, mentoring and software to track your investments, investors can easily locate, finance and purchase properties in these exceptional markets with confidence and peace of mind.

Starting with very little, Jason, while still in college at the age of 19, embarked on a career in real estate. While brokering properties for clients, he was investing in his own portfolio along the way. Through creativity, persistence and hard work, he earned a number of prestigious industry awards and became a young multi-millionaire. Jason purchased a California real estate brokerage firm that was later acquired by Coldwell Banker. He combined his dedication and business talents to become a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, author, and media personality. Over the years he developed his Complete Solution for Real Estate Investors™ where his innovative firm educates and assists investors in acquiring prudent investments nationwide for their portfolio. Jason’s sought after educational events, speaking engagements, and his popular “Creating Wealth Podcast” inspire and empower hundreds of thousands of people in 189 countries worldwide.

While running his successful real estate and media businesses, Jason also believes that giving back to the community plays an important role in building strong personal relationships. He established The Jason Hartman Foundation in 2005 to provide financial literacy education to young adults providing the all-important real world skills not taught in school which are the key to the financial stability and success of future generations. We’re in a global monetary crisis caused by decades of misguided policies and the cycle of financial dependence has to be broken, literacy and self-reliance are a good start. Visit JasonHartman.com for free materials and resources.