Alisa Valdes - Real Estate Agent

Every triumph begins with a struggle, and our latest guest's climb to real estate prominence is no exception. Alisa opens up about a past fraught with challenges, from a restrictive upbringing to heartbreaking personal loss, and how these trials laid the groundwork for her unyielding determination. Now a licensed agent in Virginia and working with Samson Properties team, she shares what it took to turn a knack for hospitality and event planning into a flourishing career that not only provides for her family but also secures the dream of homeownership for others.

This episode is a treasure trove of strategic insights for anyone eager to learn the ins and outs of a client-driven real estate business. Our guest walks us through the delicate art of staging homes to ensure they make a lasting impression in the digital marketplace, the significance of being clients' single touchpoint, and the power of personalization in service. Along the way, Alisa underscores the serendipitous moments that life gifts those who follow their passions, intertwining personal joy with professional success. Whether you're in the market for inspiration or industry wisdom, this narrative is a testament to the beauty of building a life—and a livelihood—rooted in passion and intuition.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:31

When did you guys come out here then? So you said Clearwater, Florida. When did you guys move out to this area?

Speaker 2: 0:36

So we actually moved out to the DMV area. We lived in Maryland first and we moved there in 2014. Okay, he moved like six months prior to me because we had two giant dogs and trying to find a place that would accept them was kind of a challenge at first. So we did that and then, like I said, I joined the Craig and Northrop team. Like the second I moved here, and that was July, june or July of 2014.

Speaker 1: 1:03

And then I've been Were you an agent out there in.

Speaker 2: 1:05

Florida. No, no, I wasn't. I did bartending, I did serving, I did event planning eventually.

Speaker 1: 1:11

So all around people, yes, and creating good experiences for people, exactly.

Speaker 2: 1:15

All hospitality, like I said, eventually it was into like the event planning side, but for the most part, like because I was younger, you know, I was in my early 20s, so it was fast cash because I lived on my own and you say fast cash, but it's like people, like you have to really know how to work with people.

Speaker 1: 1:33

Oh, absolutely. Because I was in the service industry and you know people that don't like people you're going to hate your life?

Speaker 2: 1:42

Oh, absolutely. And I'll say I grew up very sheltered too. My dad was very strict, you know. He kind of kept us really secluded and I had no family, really not a lot of friends because of him. So trying to, you know, build that social skill was really tough for me because I grew up so sheltered and shy and quiet. What do you mean by that?

Speaker 1: 2:05

He kept you sheltered like locked in a basement type shelter.

Speaker 2: 2:08

Practically. I mean, he might as well have to be honest. He was a rough. He was a rough man. He still is just very controlling. Yeah, I think it's just his own demons, you know so. He isolated us from family. He isolated us from friends, you know so if we did get close somewhere then we'd move somewhere else. So I grew up moving a lot, you know not even just-.

Speaker 1: 2:34

I was like purpose-reliefed that way, right, was there a reason? I mean, does he know?

Speaker 2: 2:38

was there an intention behind that or just because he didn't want you to get he would always say that there was some kind of intention, but I mean, it was basically like, just you know, yeah, yeah, exactly, I think he was escaping yeah, the people that he would get to know or that would get to know him. I should say, you know, but yeah, so moving around a lot you know they really taught you, yeah, probably knowing how to integrate quickly.

Speaker 2: 3:06

Yes, and at 18, I moved out completely because I didn't want to live under his roof anymore, and the only thing that I could get a job in was the restaurant industry that I knew could pay my bills if I lived alone, and that's what I did.

Speaker 1: 3:23

By yourself or do you have siblings?

Speaker 2: 3:25

Well, I did have a I still do, obviously. I have a 20-year-old sister and now a 13-year-old half sister as well. Okay, so backtrack to that a little bit. My mom passed when I was 20, which left us with, you know, just my dad, and again, we didn't have any other family around either. So my sister and I, you know, were very close of course, and I pretty much raised her up until she was like five. But then once I moved out because I couldn't live with him anymore, and it was a lot of back and forth with him and I. But once I finally moved out for good because I couldn't live with him, he kind of just started even controlling her and keeping her away and did the same thing to her that he did to me and my mom, and it was not the easiest way to grow up and they're still going through it, yeah.

Speaker 1: 4:19

I'm sorry, I hear that. That's okay, I hear that. Do you feel like that has to do with your profession? Now, is that that home-? Oh, absolutely that stability. That's all I'm saying in terms of like the moving around not having that home base, that safety, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 4:34

So because we moved around so much, now I'm so desperate to just stay in one place and find roots for my daughter. Yeah, I don't want to move her around every five years, I don't want to change her environment. You know the stability for us as a family is a must and that's why we're so adamant about having our roots, you know, whether it's in Percival or Round Hill or whatnot, you know we want to stay in this area because I don't want things to change for her. She loves it, I love it. You know my husband loves it. So to us it's home, you know, and it feels good to finally have that for yourself.

Speaker 1: 5:14

Yeah, yeah, I bet yeah. How long have you been an agent now then?

Speaker 2: 5:18

So I actually just got my license in 2021, but I did have my license in Maryland as well, but I didn't sell on the—I didn't sell real estate when I was in Maryland. When I was in Maryland, I worked for an agent called Craig Northrop. He's still huge and bigger than you know, even when I worked for him, but the way he kind of has it set up is he has a whole team of people that kind of get properties ready for him. So he called them HMCs home marketing consultants and I was one of those home marketing consultants. I think there was like five of us on average and we were kind of split up between counties and where we lived and you know who needed what.

Speaker 2: 6:03

I was kind of the floater because I didn't have a kid. I, you know, said I want to learn everything. I want to learn the area, I want to learn everything. Throw me into whatever you want. So I'd be, you know, close to Pennsylvania and then you know, all the way down in South Maryland. In one day, you know I would work 7 am to 2 am. I mean, I did not care, I loved it and I immersed myself in it and everything that I know about how to list a home and what makes a home sell. You know what doesn't make a home sell.

Speaker 2: 6:36

I learned from working there. Not just you know him, but his team, his people, you know other coworkers. It was a really good group environment where everyone just kind of took away all the information that you know was deemed necessary for whatever job you had. So once I actually got pregnant then I said, okay, well, I can't do this 7 am to 2 am job anymore. I was like I can do the marketing side and he needed a little bit of help on the luxury marketing side. So I was like, let me do that for you, I can do that from home. You know the lady that does the staging for all the luxury. She's very right-brained. So there wasn't a lot of like creativity piece.

Speaker 1: 7:25

in it I'm sorry, no.

Speaker 2: 7:27

no, I thought left brain was the no, I thought right brain was the creative and left brain.

Speaker 1: 7:32

Yeah, okay.

Speaker 2: 7:34

So she was all creative and no calculative logistics, what not, you know, and I like the blend of it. So, you know, having her be fully on the right and then me fully on the left helped a little bit, because you know that's what I wanted to do to stay home with my daughter. I didn't want to be out and about in appointments anymore, I wanted to just support her. But eventually they said you know what, we're changing things a little bit and you know you need to come back to the office. And I was like I can't do that, I don't want to leave my baby. So we didn't have family when and we still don't in the area we don't have family. All of our family is, you know, down in Florida. My husband has a giant Cuban family down there and we go down there probably four times a year to visit them. But yeah, so it was. It was wonderful to work there, but I really just wanted to focus on my daughter and that's what we did for a good two years. And then my husband's job kind of brought us over to the Virginia side and I said, okay, now she's getting a little bit older, you know, I can kind of start focusing on getting back to work and that's what I did.

Speaker 2: 8:53

So I started a staging company in 2019 and, you know, I pulled my clients from Maryland and I was still driving to Maryland, I pulled, you know, new clients from Virginia and my clients I really mean agents, because that was my you know audience. So I would go and do what I did for Craig, but I would do it for other agents. You know that didn't have that same business set up, obviously, and that needed the help with staging and marketing and listing their homes. So I would seek out agents and help them, you know, list their homes and I loved it. However, I Eventually the goal was always to go into the sales side. I knew that the staging and the marketing aspect of it was only going to build that up for me. I did use that to my leverage.

Speaker 2: 9:44

Of course, I built out my inventory. When I became an agent, I could stage my own properties. That's what I did. I built out my inventory. I built out my clientele, my relationships, my name out in the market. By 2021, if someone needed a stage or a decorator, I was recommended top in any of the lists. I really loved how I grew so steadily in the area, but I really, really wanted to sell. I wanted to have the best of both worlds. That's what I went after. I got my license and hit the ground running. I think a lot of that, like I said, is just based off of everything that I learned when I first moved to Maryland. I think it really does help my clients as well.

Speaker 1: 10:38

How'd you get your first client? What was?

Speaker 2: 10:40

that How'd you get your first client? She was actually a neighbor and a friend. She had a hard time fitting into the neighborhood. I was like, well, you seem nice, you seem cool to me, let's go for a walk. Oh, you're sick, let me bring you some chicken soup. We just built a friendship. Eventually she was like, hey, I want to sell.

Speaker 1: 11:02

I love you, but I'm leaving.

Speaker 2: 11:04

Yes, I mean, she's only 20 minutes away, so she didn't go too far. Eventually she just wanted to sell. She was like all right, I have two dogs. I'm sorry, I have a dog and two toddlers. My house is all hand-me-downs. I want to sell, but I think I need you and you're staging.

Speaker 1: 11:24

I was like oh, absolutely, absolutely yeah.

Speaker 2: 11:26

Yeah. So that's what we did. We pulled everything out of her house because nothing really went. The way her house was built was a little bit darker. Then she had darker pieces. I was like, okay, let's lighten it up, let's bring in this lighter furniture, nicer furniture, and just make it pop, make it fresh and pop and make people want to come see it, just based off of the photos. That's what we did and we sold it the first weekend. Oh wow, I'll say every house I've ever put on the market except for one condo. One condo. The condos don't like me, but one condo was the only one that I didn't sell in the first weekend.

Speaker 1: 12:09

That one took two. I know right no.

Speaker 2: 12:12

Actually that one took like three months, but we did check, but you're very honest and honest, it drives me crazy.

Speaker 2: 12:17

It does, I'm sure it does. Yeah, I blame it. It's an Arlington. All the condos aren't doing well in this market, or as well I should say. That's what I'm going to blame it on. We listed at a poor time, but we had to list. Then there's always excuses and reasons, but no, I do love what I do. The goal for my clients is always sell it for the first weekend. One reason is that's when you will get your top dollar price. Second reason is it's so inconvenient to be on the market, especially if you have kids, if you have pets. Getting it under contract and out of the way the first weekend is like a big hallelujah for them.

Speaker 1: 12:57

I was going to say that's pretty remarkable. Is it from strategy stuff you've learned along the way? Oh, absolutely, Because you've been putting in the work before you became an agent.

Speaker 2: 13:10

Like I said, I learned everything from what sells, from what doesn't, how to take photos of real estate, of houses, what sells in a photo, what doesn't sell, what angle to take. It's very different than, obviously, what you see Person photography.

Speaker 1: 13:29

Even as a photographer myself, I actually hated doing the real estate photography.

Speaker 2: 13:33

Oh, did you ever?

Speaker 1: 13:33

do it, I did. Pictures are amazing, beautiful, except when you show it to an experienced agent Because they're like oh, actually the angle isn't quite right. I'm like what do you mean? It looks good. Yeah, I'm like we need to show more of the yard or whatever. I'm like, if I don't take it over, you have to have the eye for real estate. Just taking a pretty picture. Coming from the photographer. It does not cut it.

Speaker 2: 14:05

No, it does not. You really have to highlight the home and what you see in person. All this to my clients all the time. What you see in person will not translate into what you see in photos. Knowing what to look for on that end, I think, is a big help. When I've trained agents I've said hey, here's this photo and here's this photo. Tell me what you would do differently in one versus the other. I think once they see that in front of them, they're like oh, I get it.

Speaker 1: 14:37

So you get master class in real estate photography is what I'm hearing.

Speaker 2: 14:42

I probably could at this point. So if you ever want to collab on that, Do you have a team right now?

Speaker 2: 14:48

So kind of, but mostly it's just me. I do want to eventually start hiring. So the way my process works is I try to be as involved with my clients as possible because I have learned just from past experiences watching other agents because again I've worked with so many I've learned that a lot of people don't like to be passed around in this business. So when they do have access to one person and the information is just going through one person and not through 10 different people, it makes it smoother for them, it makes it easier and makes it more trustworthy to them. Whatever positive word you want to throw out there, it's just easier. So I think being, like I said, accessible from A to Z is one of the most important things, and I always tell my clients I will handhold you as much or as little as you want, because everyone's personality is different and everyone's level of care in the home and the listening process is also different. The mom could 100% be like the Pinterest mom, where her house looks just absolutely immaculate and she might get offended if I do anything and maybe we can tweak a few little things just for the camera, but she might not want me as involved while someone else, like my friend who's like make it, do what you want, and that's what it was. So I think again with people it's personality-driven, but I want to give them the option of hey, I'm here as little or as much as you want. So I do handle most of everything.

Speaker 2: 16:47

I do have movers Amasha movers I don't know if you guys know about them, but five-star rated movers, professional all the way. I use them for all of my stagings and I also pay for my buyer clients' moves as well. So if they're moving in state they're moving from Arlington to Percival or whatnot have them to help me with the heavy lifting. But because I'm particular with how I want things to look, until I can take the time and actually train someone to say, hey, this is what we're looking for on the staging side and this is what you should look for, then it's probably going to remain me, but I do plan on getting a stager to actually train and help and that way I can kind of take that load off, because that's probably one of the more time-consuming things that I do. Can I give?

Speaker 1: 17:43

you one piece of advice yeah, when you get to that point, document it. Okay, because that's been the biggest struggle with me is, as I've grown, my team of business. I'm like, okay, I want to add somebody else in the mix. And then, obviously, as much as you want them to stay forever, for whatever reason, either they leave or you realize it's not a good fit. And then you're like, crap, no, I got to train.

Speaker 2: 18:08

Oh, that's what you mean.

Speaker 1: 18:09

And again, and again and again, but it's like if you've got a document in video, it could just be Lily with the little camera just kind of recording what you're saying. That way it's like when you're on board.

Speaker 2: 18:23

Yeah, you're so right.

Speaker 1: 18:25

Watch this first, because it's gonna give you 80% of what you need, mm-hmm, and then I'll just come in with the 20% and let you ask questions, yeah.

Speaker 2: 18:32

Yeah, you're not like, that's genius. And With that being said, I remember when we worked, you know, I craig he actually had kind of a high turnover with his HMCs Because it was just such a demanding job. You don't know what you signed up for? Yeah, you really didn't like I said 7 am.

Speaker 1: 18:51

To 2 am.

Speaker 2: 18:52

Sometimes you know that was the norm during the spring market, anyway, but yeah, so I mean he had a handbook of hey, this is, you know what we're teaching you. So yes, I agree, that does definitely make things easier, because we did have to pull that handbook out quite often.

Speaker 1: 19:09

I can see you as like this look like you said you studied the luxury, mm-hmm like market, whereas like, yeah, you start onboarding Other agents. They learn from you, kind of like what you did, but they'd be agents, and then you're growing your team right and they're like learning your methodology and right thing, from presentation to all the specialties that you have been the. You know making sure the house looks presentable and Absolutely how you can sell a home in a week, the first weekend. That's like your absolute your trademark.

Speaker 2: 19:44

I'm trying to maintain that too. No, of course. No, of course. I did start, you know, and in a time where Most homes, you know as long as their price and presented properly, are going off the market in a weekend, but even before, you know, when I did work, like I said, for Craig and I would do it for agents, if an agent Um, really the challenge was and I love this challenge but the challenge was always how do I get the Sellers, you know, and how do I convince them? Because the agent would always call me and say, hey, these sellers, you know, are probably gonna budge a little bit, they don't want to do anything, blah, blah, blah. By the end of the appointment, I got him to do this, this, this and this and this. How?

Speaker 2: 20:28

do, you do that Just telling them the consequences, honestly telling them the consequences and an explaining of you know, hey, what translates in person is not going to translate in photos. And explaining that everything nowadays is based off of photos, that initial impression that people see online which is what people shop now is online. That is the most you know important first impression that you will have. People need to fall in love right then and there. The second they see the photo. If they can pick your house apart, they're going to a want to negotiate. They're going to be Probably not even want to see it or they'll wait, you know, until a price drop, whatever it may be. You need their attention right away for them to jump right away. Buyers buy off of emotion and that's what I tell sellers all the time. We need them to love your house and really, like I said, it's just explaining you know that you're selling me right now.

Speaker 1: 21:27

I mean, you educate, right from experience, right? You're laying it all out. I talked to my team about this quite often. Where it's like don't expect the client to know, like, for example, headshots, clients usually come in and they're like I just want a pretty picture of me, don't let them, it's fine. Well, we'll get the pretty pictures.

Speaker 1: 21:48

Yeah that's like a given right, mm-hmm. It's like really educating clients up front online. Okay, let's talk about your brand here. How are you getting you that? Your for your referrals? How are you growing your business Right? Are you using YouTube? Are you on Instagram? Because, as you know, photos will capture people's attention and they're paying attention. Now you can say whatever the heck you want in the message, in the caption Top of mind awareness, right, and kind of like what you do with selling the whole experience of why it's important to have, like the right photos to sell the homes of crime. You kind of pull them in with that because from experience you know how much is translated to their business. I'll say the same things that seem like we have to educate them because when they come in we don't know anything.

Speaker 1: 22:33

They're like I just want a nice LinkedIn. Yeah, headshot.

Speaker 2: 22:37

Yeah, we don't know anything. We leave it up to you guys. You know, absolutely, I I want the hand holding every single time if I don't know something. Yeah, I need it. Like I want you to literally place me how you want you know, yeah, like I want that Hand, you know hand on experience, where if I'm not getting it like you need you to make me get it.

Speaker 1: 23:02

I was talking to somebody earlier today about, like do you think the real estate industry is like shifting, changing, and she's Like a transaction coordinator and she was saying like and I agree with this hundred percent Everybody like there is always going to be a market of people that are going to want that advisor Level experience. For sure I'll hold them by the hand and take them through the process. Of course, like automation is never gonna know that away. It will for percentage, little things like 10 Transactions. They're like I can do this myself. So there's a certain market for every industry of people that are like that.

Speaker 2: 23:40

Right yeah.

Speaker 1: 23:40

I would say so, but there's people like us. That's like. Show me what to do. We're designed, what? Like? Help me guide me through these decisions.

Speaker 2: 23:48

Yeah, yeah now I don't think that automation Will ever really take real estate over. There's so many little things that are different every step of the way. Every house is different, every client is different, every moving situation is different, every, you know just timeline is different. Every little thing is so different, you know every one. Problems arise. I've never dealt with the same problem twice you know it.

Speaker 1: 24:14

You have the experience to know how to navigate right. Right, as the newbie is like uh, you too.

Speaker 2: 24:20

Yeah, and sometimes we still have to call other agents to. You know, I definitely have my roll adix of Agents where I'm like, hey, this is happening, have you dealt with this? You know, yeah, what can you tell me? So, no, that's why I'm saying you know, there's always going to be something that's different and you're not gonna have dealt with everything. But that's why it's important that you also do get an agent where they're okay to Say, hey, I don't know this one.

Speaker 2: 24:47

You know, let me reach out to you, know my relationships and see how we can get this solved. You know the best, yeah, um, and I've done that plenty of times where I've called, you know, other agents and one agent will say one thing, another will say another and then, you know, by the third agent I have the best case scenario for what I can do for my clients. And I think you know the agent to agent relationships are very important for that reason. And it's also good to just have those relationships, because when I'm representing a client, you know, I want the other agent to feel comfortable and confident in working with me and my client. I think that camaraderie is important.

Speaker 2: 25:33

You know, a lot of people think that sales is very bulldog-ish, but it's not. You're always going to want that win-win scenario for both sides and, yes, there's no negotiation tactics. You know, of course, that you can do for your sellers or buyers, you know, to benefit them a little bit more, but at the end of the day, real estate is also very market-driven business. So if you think that you're going to negotiate on a house that 15 other people want, it's not.

Speaker 1: 26:04

You need to reset your expectations Right.

Speaker 2: 26:05

It's not realistic, you know. So there's only so much we can do at that point. But yeah, I think you know, having agents around and having those positive relationships with your peers and not seeing them as competition but rather as collaboration is really important too.

Speaker 1: 26:24

What are you going to do when you retire?

Speaker 2: 26:27

Oh, I want to do like a bed and breakfast with like a winery and like a restaurant.

Speaker 2: 26:31

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I miss the hospitality industry, I do. Oh, that's funny, I do. I like working with people. I always did. When I was growing up, my dad actually pushed me to the IT side because he was like, everything's going to be IT, you know, and he doesn't like people. So I was like, well, that's not me Like, I like talking to people. I was always the friend. You know that everyone came to for advice. I was always, you know, the friend that was helping everyone. So to me, I knew automatically that I am a people person. I want to work with people and I always said that to him.

Speaker 2: 27:07

If you put me in front of a computer, even now, I hate it. I just hate it, even like for my job. You know, the things that I enjoy the least are the things that I have to do on the computer. For example, I switched from Keller Williams to Samson properties and trying to learn the new systems, I was like, oh my God, this is torture for me. And I reached out, you know, to some of the people there and I was like, please, I just need someone to like hand hold me, I just want to be in my bed and so forth. Yes, exactly, and then I'm okay. But yeah, so very much so a people, person, so I think, owning, you know, like a nice bed and breakfast and winery or restaurant or whatever.

Speaker 1: 27:50

There's a robbery out in Round Hill, you know, like a little motel. Have you seen that place?

Speaker 2: 27:55

Yeah, the right before seven. Yeah, I know that's been on for a while. I've actually never been inside of it.

Speaker 1: 28:05

I think it'd be so fun now.

Speaker 2: 28:06

Yeah, it would. Someone will probably snatch it up, but we'll see.

Speaker 1: 28:10

That's not your property, though.

Speaker 2: 28:12

No, I want views.

Speaker 1: 28:14

Yeah, I want to be like views out there. Yes, like.

Speaker 2: 28:16

I love Blumont. I think you know, ideally, if, whenever we're ready to move next, it will probably be Blumont, because I just I love the views.

Speaker 1: 28:28

Where are you at?

Speaker 2: 28:29

now Percival, Okay yeah close by.

Speaker 1: 28:31

Yeah, close by. But I saw your daughter does like horseback. Yeah, she does Everyone's got little farms.

Speaker 2: 28:38

I know. I know she goes to Butting Equestrians in Waterford, okay, yeah, so they're really cute and the trainer there is just so patient and good with the kids. And then the horse actually was what drew me into that one, because we went trunk retreating at Percival Baptist and both times that we went back to back years. I saw this horse there and you know it was dressed up in a Halloween costume and the lady was there and I was like, oh my God, this is so cute. And that horse was surrounded by little kids, I mean just surrounded, and it was completely fine, so chill, and I was like, okay, that's the horse I want Lily to train on.

Speaker 1: 29:20

Horse got commissioned for that yeah right.

Speaker 2: 29:23

But then I, so I host a Halloween party for my neighborhood every year. We have like a big food truck and bartenders and everything. I mean we make it super fun. So I see this lady and she's stopping by with one of the neighbors that I did know and we introduce ourselves and she starts talking about her horse and I was like wait a minute. I was like are you the lady that that does the trunk retreating? And she was like yeah. I was like, oh my God. I was like I need your number now. I need your horse, yes, yes. So we actually became friends and you know they're. You know it's a wonderful little establishment, like I said, out in Waterford, so if anyone's looking, highly recommend them.

Speaker 1: 30:02

I love that. Yeah, you get to support each other Absolutely Always. All right, so just to kind of wrap it up here, what's one piece of advice that you'd give, whether it's from your childhood growing up, whether it's from building your business to where it's at today, or just kind of running into the people that you ran into along the way, like what's one thing that you could share with the world?

Speaker 2: 30:24

I would say follow your gut, follow your intuition about you. Know what kind of person you are and what you think you're passionate about. I don't fully believe you know that every passion should be you know a business, because sometimes that's that's hard to live off of. I do believe that you know you need to be financially stable above all else. But if you can kind of incorporate your personalities and passions into your job, I think that you really can have the best of both worlds and that's when you're the happiest. Honestly, you know when you really follow your gut and when you're just yourself, and I think that's probably the best that I got.

Speaker 1: 31:17

I love it. Thank you so much for being on the show. You're welcome. Thanks for having me.