Meet your new president! We sat down with John to learn a little bit more about him.
About being a REALTOR®…
- How did you begin your career as a Realtor?
- My previous career was fixing guitars and amplifiers. When I met my wife and we wanted to start a family, we decided that I should pursue my dream, selling real estate.
- What has been your most memorable experience in your time as a real estate agent?
- I helped a couple purchase their first home 30 years ago and just last year they contacted me to help them sell that home!
- What’s your secret?
- Relationships and calendars. After I bought my first home, my agent sent me calendars annually, which left an impression on me. Get to know your clients. You don’t have to become best friends, but the more you know about them, the better you’ll be able to assist them.
- What key piece of advice would you give to Realtors to stay successful in a changing marketplace?
- Stay ahead of the curve, stay educated and well informed. Technology is important and so is talking with your peers, sharing information. This profession was built on the spirit of cooperation.
- What’s the one thing you wish you had known before you became a Realtor?
- I would have liked to have had better people skills and known the frustrations that could arise.
- What are you most looking forward to in your term as the President of the FVREB?
- I am excited about being part of the changes our Board is faced with and representing our Board with other associations within the country and abroad.
Just for fun…
- As a child, I dreamt I would become a…
- Cowboy.
- I grew up in…
- New Westminster, born & raised. I bought my first house (Surrey) in 1972, where I lived for 10 years, but moved back to New West and still live there.
- At Starbucks I order…
- Coffee on the road is at 7/11, and it’s a half hot chocolate/coffee, probably from my years in a hockey rink coaching minor hockey and ringette.
- The best piece of advice I’ve been given was…
- Always be prepared! Be equipped with information… it’s what our clients rely on us to provide to them, it’s our value proposition.
- People would be surprised to learn that…
- I’m a creature of habit, I enjoy building things and I am the proud son of an Italian immigrant and am a voting Italian citizen.
- I am really inspired by…
- My family. They’re what drives me. My wife of almost 35 years and I have a 32 year old son and two 30 year old daughters. We have a lakeside cabin we use as our retreat and I keep a picture of it in my agenda for motivation.