Justin Landon of MetroTex Association of Realtors On Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry

My first piece of advice to anyone getting into the business is to define what success means to you. This makes it easier to set achievable goals and maintain focus on personal growth.

As a part of my series about the ‘Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry’, I had the pleasure of interviewing Justin Landon.

Justin Landon is the new CEO of MetroTex Association of Realtors in Dallas, after previously leading Bluegrass Realtors and its subsidiaries in Kentucky. Landon has a background in association leadership and government affairs, having served as vice president for the San Antonio Board of Realtors and working more than a decade in Congress.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry?

I grew up in a multi-generational family of Realtors, so I’ve been around the industry my entire life. After 10 years working in the U.S. Congress, I decided to bring my experience back to the “family business” leading the government affairs team at the San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR). I believe so much in the power of homeownership and I am deeply committed to ensuring it remains an option for generations to come.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or takeaway you took out of that story?

Early in my career, I was answering phones for a U.S. congressman. One day a visitor asked, “How are you?” Considering answering the phones in a congressional office is difficult at the best of times, I responded, “about as good as can be expected.” This offhanded, thoughtless remark was overheard by my boss. A day later, I was called to the proverbial principal’s office. It was suggested, not so subtly, that if I wasn’t happy with my role, then I was welcome to find another. That was quite a blow as it was an incredible opportunity working for an exceptional leader. It made me realize the energy I gave to others would be the energy that was returned to me. While such a small moment in my career, it changed the way I engaged with people, and I remember it more than 20 years later.

Do you have a favorite “life lesson quote”? Can you share a story or example of how that was relevant to you in your life?

After being hired for my first job, my father offered a piece of unsolicited advice. He said 90% of success in life is showing up the same way every day. This applies to more than just work. Regardless of what you do or what stage of life you’re in, the only pathway to success is consistency. It seems so simple, but after more than 20 years of professional experience, 17 years of marriage and raising two incredible children, I can tell you this statement defined who I am more than anything else.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Our primary mission now is communicating to Realtors and consumers about the recent settlement agreement entered into by the National Association of Realtors. While the professional fees paid by consumers to their agents are negotiable, we are implementing new processes to make things even more transparent.

Over the last few months, the value of a Realtor has been questioned. Nothing could be further from the truth. For most consumers purchasing a property is the most significant financial transaction of their lives and the Realtor is the trusted fiduciary adviser that makes it happen. We’re excited to continue to educate the public about that value and believe strongly that these changes will only enhance the relationship between the agent and their customers.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

As a trade association, our goal is twofold: help our members be more successful and advocate on behalf of the real estate consumer. To that mission, MetroTex is the fifth largest local Realtor association in the nation with just over 26,000 members. This presents a lot of opportunities, but also some challenges as we meet our members where they are. To that end, we run 17 meetings a month in different communities across North Texas. This is a tremendous logistical challenge that we prioritize to understand who our members are and what they need to better serve our communities and help them achieve their real estate goals.

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

I grew up in Southern California and I loved playing baseball. At the time, Tony Gwynn was a star right fielder for the San Diego Padres. Although I liked the great Rickey Henderson more than Gwynn, we shared a commonality: We didn’t look like baseball players.

It was affirming for me to see someone with my body shape excelling at the highest level. Seeing what’s possible and imagining it for yourself is a powerful thing, and role models who provide something to dream toward are incredibly important. I was never going to play in the major leagues like Gwynn, but he helped me believe I could achieve something great.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry? If you can please share a story or example.

First, Realtors’ commitment to innovation — which will allow them to continue providing unmatched value to members and consumers — is an exciting prospect as the industry evolves and aligns with MetroTex’s mission to provide exceptional service to our members.

Second, technology in the industry is growing at a rapid pace. From virtual reality home tours and automated property management to AI-driven insights about buyer behavior, it’s clear that the newest real estate technology trends are changing the game.

Finally, with upcoming changes to the industry, Realtors will prove their value to consumers even more. The relationships between Realtors and their clients will be clearly defined and transparent.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest? Please share stories or examples if possible.

The primary concern within the housing industry stems from insufficient housing inventory. Although we have seen an uptick in new construction in recent years, we are still lagging behind the demand. Interest rates and insurance costs are also having a profound impact making housing unattainable for many prospective buyers. At MetroTex, we partnered with a research team who specializes in sustainable development and innovative solutions to equip our members and local decision makers with critical resources to navigate the evolving landscape.

Realtors have always tirelessly campaigned to keep housing affordable. From the mortgage interest deduction to down payment assistance programs to fighting to preserve government-backed lending programs, Realtors have been and will continue to champion home ownership. By tackling the housing inventory challenge head-on and adopting strategic reforms, we can work towards ensuring that homeownership remains within reach for all, upholding the essence of the American Dream.

What advice would you give to other real estate leaders to help their teams to thrive and to create a really fantastic work culture?

Communicate. It’s like fifth grade math class. It isn’t enough to just get the right answer. You have to show your work. It seems simple, but effective communication brings alignment. Whether it’s our association communicating with our members or me with my team or real estate agents with their clients, authentic and transparent communication is paramount. Our industry is complicated, filled with esoteric terms and arcane data points. It’s incumbent upon us to keep everyone informed by providing up-to-date market data, relevant news and minimal surprises with scenario planning.

You are a “Real Estate Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non-intuitive things one should know to succeed in the Real Estate industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

The barrier to entry in real estate is very low, but the bar for success is very high. Because of that it’s a career path that many people attempt, but few succeed.

My first piece of advice to anyone getting into the business is to define what success means to you. This makes it easier to set achievable goals and maintain focus on personal growth.

Second, not everyone in real estate strives for the same goal so don’t compare your success to anyone else. Instead, measure success based on your personal progress and achievements, rather than external factors or the success of others in the industry.

Third, do not overlook your peers as a key part of building your business — those relationships matter. Not only are other agents often a key source of referral business, but they’re also the people you’ll be working with during transactions.

Fourth, find balance. Clients are likely going through one of the largest financial transactions of their lives, which can be a stressful experience. It’s important to empathize with them while working diligently to resolve any issues, without allowing their stress to become your own.

Finally, find a mentor. The intricacies of the industry are not always intuitive. New agents are willing to learn and having someone with experience to offer guidance can be instrumental in achieving success at a faster pace. By mentoring new agents, the seasoned agents have the chance to give back to the profession and nurture the next generation of real estate talent.

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

I play basketball with a group of men every Wednesday night. While we typically have 12 or 13 players, there are times when only eight or nine show up, leading to a call for “plus ones” — friends who can join in the game. While these additions can sometimes make the game harder or cause issues, they also have the potential to add something new and valuable to the game, ultimately making it better.

This same concept applies to all aspects of life, as everything we cherish — from family to faith to career — was once a “plus one” that we added to our lives to make them better. To bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, I would inspire a movement to embrace change and welcome “plus ones” into our lives without fear, as doing so will only lead to growth and improvement.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Stay updated on MetroTex’s work by following us on our official website, www.mymetrotex.com, and social media channels, including X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.