Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Truong.
Hi Julie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, we’re taught the norm: to go to school, learn, get a job and climb the corporate ladder. That path just didn’t suit me. I wanted to enter the real estate investment world to help people with housing decisions and find solutions to build nicer homes for people; however, I wasn’t able to find the right mentors or teachers. I figured: to do this the right way, I want to learn how to be a proactive agent and help serve people to know what their needs are.
Real Estate is not an easy task. It’s a contact sport. I knew there is no way “luck” was going to be the answer. Throughout the ongoing years of strengthening mindset & skillsets, finding the right guidance and a supportive sphere, it’s my friends, family, clients who trusted me, and mentors who got me to where I am today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The Shiny Penny. My obstacle was always the shiny penny. With anything you do, there always needs to be consistency. In real estate, as I’m sure with any other business, it’s so easy to be distracted with the “next cool thing” to try out
Also, as much as ‘Selling Sunset,’ ‘Million Dollar Listing,’ and other real estate reality series show it, real estate is not all glitz, glamour, and Lambos as much as we’d all like it to be. The reality is, working a commission-based business is just like any other business. Sometimes things get slow, sometimes things get busy, sometimes you need to eat in your car. Overall, I wouldn’t have it any other way because in the end, my client’s experience is what truly matters.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As a real estate agent, it’s more than just opening doors and handing keys to clients. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that not many people know about. There’s finding clientele, property research, neighborhood research, home calculations, property previews, negotiations, networking, and so much more. As I mentioned before, this is a business and with any business, there are different departments: Training, Education, R&D, Marketing, Business Branding, Strategy, etc. Except in real estate when you start off as a small business, you wear all the hats!
I specialize in advising Buyers and Sellers on their real estate goals. That’s where a Consultation is important because then I’ll get to know if we are a good fit for each other. Diving deep into my client’s goals is important during the consultation, because it helps me understand if they are looking to buy/sell a home, finding a second home for long-term rentals or Airbnb, looking to grow their real estate portfolio, etc. There is so much to do to maintain home, so I also act as a resource in case someone needs contractor referrals or prep for relocation.
Everyone runs their real estate business differently. My goal is to give back more to the community. In my business, for every buyer or seller I help, I’m donating to local pet fosters to support the animals in need (#HawsAPaw). After adopting my pup, Ellie, I find it so important to bring awareness to what it means to own and care for a pet. The three organizations I was recommended to help is NKLA, Pacific Pups Rescue, and Dogs Without Borders.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The real estate industry is always changing in terms of strategies, trends, technology, the market, etc. It’s hard to say where it will be within the next 5-10 years since real estate is also hyper-local, but one thing I do know is that this will still be a contact sport. We are humans by nature and as much as the COVID seasons have made us “a bit more awkward” socializing face-to-face (or maybe just me), we will always need a human to talk to.
With the big tech industries providing easier access to information, it’s natural that tech will be a superpower in the business. But let’s be for real. I don’t think there will be a day I’m going to find it easier filing taxes online versus talking to someone who knows what they’re doing. There are professionals for a reason, haha.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julietruongk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulieTruongRealEstate
Image Credits
Michelle Nicole Dai (My professional Photo) https://www.instagram.com/michellenicolephoto/
