In this installment of our Agent Spotlight series at Southwest Florida REGroup we’re interviewing Adriana Suarez, who specializes in Naples Real Estate. Let’s learn more about her buying/selling expertise, as well as get to know her a bit better outside of the real estate world.
What do you love about real estate, why’d you get into real estate in the first place?
Ugly truth, I think that the initial motivation for most people that start this journey is: easy/fast/a lot of money with little effort and a short period of time. OMG what a wrong perception we have!
I think the better question would be, what keeps you in RE? Hahaha! The answer being:
– I love the feeling of achievement when your buyer/seller accomplishes their final goal, to have a good investment, own their dream second home, or own their first home. It brings me so much happiness to know that I was part of that accomplishment.
– The desire to keep learning something every day, and give myself a sense of purpose. Sometimes in life you can feel lost, so this gives you a direction – be better every day.
– I love to see the beautiful houses, dream with my clients, and strive to sell one of those beauties one day!
Is there a particular area in Southwest Florida you concentrate on (or love to work in)?
My focus now is Naples. After a year and a half selling here, I definitely want to continue concentrating on this area so I can stay updated on new construction. Once dominated I can jump to Bonita Springs, then Estero and finally…Marco Island. I have a weakness for Marco Island, I think it has a magic and beauty to it that no other place does. I’m deeply in love with that city, and I want more experience selling there.
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy time with family, and discovering new places to spend time with them.
We like to visit museums, piers, parks, botanical gardens, farmer’s markets and anything outdoors. If you have some suggestions I would love to visit! I like to travel and get to know new areas so I can create pleasant memories for our kids. I like gardening too, my husband set a limit on the plants that I can have – we’re covered with all the plants! Also sitting in my chair on the porch and watching people walk their dogs. I did enjoy walking my dog Hunter very much. I miss him, now I have to walk my husband but he doesn’t like it too much hahaha
Favorite restaurant?
Actually… Panera Bread and Jersey Mike’s Subs hahaha they are the most delicious sandwiches on earth!
What are your keys to success?
For me, mindset is the key. A positive attitude is key in everything that you do! Work, family and friends, it’s a way of life! Things are not always going to be a rainbow of beautiful things, you can NOT control the outside but you can control how that will affect you and how you react. Take 5 minutes to process it, get mad! Say all the bad words you know, or even cry if needed but then move on. Press the NEXT button and continue onto the solution, if it can be solved. If not, move onto another task if it’s something that’s out of your control. Be with people that want to be better too. Find your people, they will keep you motivated and moving forward in the right direction.
When I feel down I read KCM (keeping current matters), watch Tom Ferry videos or my broker’s trainings. When he says “choose your hard” it makes me think. Close your eyes and DO, I hate when things are not perfect! But I’ve learned to live with it. Imagine me, with English being my second language and I like to talk! Acknowledge that you’re a “work in progress” and deal with it, celebrate your progress and keep moving forward.
How has our system worked for you?
Well it’s like when you diet by yourself vs with a doctor/program, you’re so scared to not achieve the goal because you know another person is going to know that you didn’t do the work. Something called: accountability, right? And the worst part is that the person most affected is yourself. It’s the same, I just imagine my team lead very mad when a lead comes and knows that I didn’t make the call, even when they say that the first 5 min are crucial. I imagine him auditing my database or checking my weekly reports…wondering what did you do all week?! Well, they are my doctors/programs hahaha! I imagine doing this by myself, alone with no one to share my problem files with or the crazy/risky transactions, and it wouldn’t be the same. The result wouldn’t be the same either. I think part of the success is the respect that I have for the team and every single agent and admin, everyone is so valuable. It’s also a lifestyle based on respect.
Any tips for new agents?
– Read, practice your contracts. Write a few contracts as an example! I hate to see agents get their first transaction and having NO clue how to fill out a contract. Please, be prepared before that moment arrives. Don’t be that agent, you can do better!
– Hold Open Houses, all that you can. They are great for practicing your prospecting skills. My first sale was an Open House lead, on Mother’s day and it was a $610K total transaction!
– This is an unconventional tip, but I hope you can see beyond it. The first 6 months for a new agent are tough, and there’s no money coming in. You might be tempted to give up…this is a marathon and with no money it’s tough so, stay on top of your to-do’s and build your database but that won’t take you 8 hours, and it won’t be 5-7 days of the week SO…I did Instacart (the delivery app). It helped bring some money in and think of ALL THE COMMUNITIES that I had to visit! I can tell you that I’ve been in buildings that probably a regular person wouldn’t be. I’ve been in every single building in Pelican Bay, I’ve been in Kalea Bay, Mediterra, Talis Park – you name it, I’ve been there. So I had money in my pocket for gas, and knowledge. I know this is not a conventional tip…but if you want to survive in this industry you have to be smart! When you’re a business owner you don’t work only 40 hrs a week M-F, forget about it! You work 60+ so balance it, and try your best to time block. After that I only see success in your future.
