Women Leaders Of Real Estate: Alexis Clark On The 5 Things You Need To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry
An Interview With Jason Hartman
Love your clients: Real estate is the BIGGEST purchase or sale; most people will make in their lifetime. And you must respect the trust that the client has given you by always putting their needs first.
As a part of my series about strong women leaders of the Real Estate industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alexis Clark.
Alexis Clark, a proud Atlanta, GA native and Thurgood School of Law graduate holding a Juris Doctorate, brings a wealth of legal expertise and a versatile skill set to the realm of real estate. With experience in diverse legal fields such as landlord-tenant disputes, criminal law, and family law, Alexis has cultivated a comprehensive understanding of real estate negotiations at various stages. Transitioning into the mortgage brokerage sector, Alexis expanded her knowledge, and her role as a project manager for a construction company highlighted her ability to navigate the intricacies of the industry. Beyond her professional pursuits, Alexis is deeply committed to community service. As a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., she actively contributes to initiatives that uplift and empower the community. Additionally, Alexis serves as a speaker, sharing her insights and expertise with audiences on legal, real estate, and community-related topics.
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 started out gathering loan documents from clients for a mortgage broker. This job allowed me to talk to clients daily about the home buying process, which I enjoyed. I then moved on to become a project manager for a construction company and in doing so I learned so much about real estate and the entire process: grading land, land survey’s, soil testing, permits needed, and so much more. After gaining so much real estate knowledge it just made sense for me to become a Realtor. Because of my legal background I was able to bypass the classroom requirements and study and take the exam. I recently became a licensed loan officer. My goal is to be involved in the entire process, from building, to loans, to selling to closing!
Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that has occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or takeaway you took out of that story?
Real Estate is fun and exciting. I have seen some beautiful homes and I have also seen some complete tear downs but the funniest thing that ever happened to me was my BIGGEST commercial deal. My client was out of town so a POA was signed and I did the closing with myself and the attorney. I was honored to be entrusted to do so but I definitely signed for more than I could pay for lol.
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?
He who angers you controls you. I am always very calm and level headed and I try my best not to let anyone or anything take me outside of my character. People will be late to showings so make sure you have something to read. Not every agent is responsive and it can be frustrating but I understand real estate agents are people and you never know what someone has going on personally. Lastly things come up and you have to be flexible. Being a loan officer and working in the mortgage industry has given me a true behind the scenes look at the process and this helps me to be understanding as well.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
In 2024 I’m working on becoming a Real Estate Broker. I am excited to open my own brokerage and help other agents on their path to success. So I will have my head in the books very soon!
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
My standout quality is the way I care for my clients. All my clients become family and I truly care for them. I would never want them in a home I myself wouldn’t live in. Because of my background in construction, I notice a lot of the small details and it really helps me to make sure they get the best quality home or building.
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 would have to say Raquel Riley Thomas, my Publicists. Since we met she has she taken my Real Estate career to places I could not even imagine. She is my biggest cheerleader and sometimes that is just the thing we need to go further.
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?
- Real Estate is the #1 builder of wealth and I am honored to be a part of it
- Interest rates are dropping, and I and any new clients couldn’t be happier about it. You can refinance out of those higher interest rates 6 months after you purchase.
- Being able to help others achieve The American Dream of homeownership.
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.
- My hometown is Atlanta, Georgia and I see us becoming like New York with home prices becoming out of range for many working class families. Families will be forced outside of the city limits and many families are turning to renting.
- There is an entire subdivision built with single family homes for rent. This is unheard of in Atlanta and the metro area. However, I think places like this should at least give tenants lease purchase options as the goal is always home ownership. If I could implement a program for first time home buyers, it would be a program that bases their ability to repay a mortgage based off of 2 years of good rental payments. That should determine how much home, home buyers can afford, not their credit score or how much money they make.
- Southern income ratios do not match that of the median home price at this time. A person making $60,000 a year can only afford a $200,000 home. With that being said there are many first time home buyer’s programs that homebuyers should be aware of.
What advice would you give to other real estate leaders to help their teams to thrive and to create a really fantastic work culture?
I have met some amazing real estate agents with great communication skills and I have met some that are very difficult to work with. Closing a deal is a team effort with the seller’s agent, buyer’s agent, lender and closing attorney. It is a group effort and no one makes any money unless the sale closes so we all have the same end goal.
Once you become a real estate agent, there are many classes you have to take to maintain your license. Classes about ethics, classes about the systems we use to generate contracts, classes about how to use different tools for showings, etc. But the one thing no agents or even your broker wants to share is how to get clients. Real estate is a dog eat dog world. You generally have to figure this out on your own by trial and error.
Ok, here is the main question of our interview. 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?
1. Learn your industry: Being pretty and showing a home or hosting an open house with cookies or going to a real estate event with champagne does not even scratch the surface of what is going on behind the scenes. Take the time to learn something new every day about the industry you have chosen to become a part of.
2. Love your clients: Real estate is the BIGGEST purchase or sale; most people will make in their lifetime. And you must respect the trust that the client has given you by always putting their needs first.
3. Tell Everyone: Tell everybody you’re a Realtor every time you encounter them whether it be in person or on social media. And ONLY tell them you’re a Realtor don’t confuse people with other things.
4. This is your business: I don’t care what broker you work under; this is YOUR business. You get out of it what you put into it.
5. This a commission based business: One month you can make $30,000 and the next month you make $0 and you still have expenses. Learn to budget!
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 have a nonprofit that helps young adults and teens. One of the classes we teach is about banking and credit. Learning how credit works will help so many on their journey to home ownership. I would love for these skills to be put into schools or at least offered to students after school. I would want the program to reach as many young adults as possible so they don’t make credit mistakes.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I am always available by email at alexis@eastmetrobrokers.com
My Instagram handle is @AlexisIsMyRealtor
Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you 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.
