The Alimond Show
Welcome to The Alimond Show --join us as we share our entrepreneurial guests' stories, uncover their secrets to success, and explore the unique paths they've taken to build thriving businesses in our community.
In each episode, our host, Aliyah Dastour, sits down with a diverse group of local business owners, from the corner cafe to the boutique shop, from tech startups to family-run enterprises. We peel back the curtain to reveal the trials, triumphs, and transformational moments that have shaped their entrepreneurial journey.
Discover the passion, perseverance, and innovative thinking that fuels these businesses, as well as the challenges they've overcome along the way. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking inspiration or simply a curious listener interested in the stories behind your favorite local spots, The Alimond Show has something for everyone.
Our guests share their experiences, insights, and valuable advice that can empower you to turn your own dreams into reality. We discuss topics like marketing strategies, customer relationships, community engagement, and much more, offering practical takeaways you can apply to your own business or career.
Join us every week as we celebrate the unsung heroes of our local business community and explore the vibrant tapestry of entrepreneurship in our area. Tune in to The Alimond Show and get ready to be inspired, informed, and motivated to support and nurture the businesses that make our community thrive.
Subscribe now and become a part of our growing community of business enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Stay connected with us on social media, and don't forget to leave a review if you enjoy our show. Let's celebrate the spirit of local business together on The Alimond Show.
The Alimond Show
Mahdi Salarfar - From Bartending to Real Estate Mogul: Building Alpha Realty Team and Beyond
Curious about how a former bartender became a real estate mogul? This episode features Mahdi Salarfar, founder of Alpha Realty Team, who shares his fascinating journey from bartending to building a successful real estate business that serves Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Mahdi’s story is a blend of inspiration and practical advice, showcasing how leveraging personal relationships and a deep-rooted passion can transform careers. Discover how he has turned Alpha Realty Team into a one-stop shop for all your property needs, bringing his vision to life through meticulous attention to client satisfaction.
Listen as Mahdi breaks down his unique marketing strategies that set him apart in the competitive real estate industry. His transition from pouring drinks to closing deals wasn’t just a change of pace—it was a strategic move powered by his ability to connect with people. Mahdi’s insights into building trust and using personal networks to grow his business are lessons anyone can learn from. He emphasizes the importance of sharing valuable real estate knowledge freely, which has not only built his credibility but also fueled his passion for helping clients achieve their homeownership dreams.
Mahdi also reveals the importance of balancing professional life with personal passions. From his love for cars and the gym to the invigorating thrill of airsoft, Mahdi's approach to maintaining mental and physical health is refreshing. He candidly discusses the impact of social media on self-perception and the necessity of maintaining a positive mindset. This episode is more than just a business talk—it's a comprehensive look at how personal fulfillment and professional success intertwine. Get ready for an engaging conversation that will leave you inspired to pursue your own passions with vigor and dedication.
My name is Matty Salfar. I am in the real estate industry. My company's name is Alpha Realty Team and our website is alpharealtyteamhomes. Did I miss a part?
Speaker 2:No. That's it, yeah, okay, you got it All right and now tell me what type of services that you're offering for your clients. Is there a particular clientele? Do you specialize in anything in particular?
Speaker 1:So what? The business model that I'm trying to curate is to make a one-stop shop for real estate. So spend some time specializing in sellers and how that system works. You break it down like a spider web. You start in the middle and just break all the way, all the steps, what you need to do, and just kind of go through that and how you can serve the client the best. And then take that model and refresh it and wash it into the buyers.
Speaker 1:And I've always had fascinations. I don't know if you guys have ever seen those HGTV flip shows and talking about, like, tearing a house down to the bones then bringing it back up. I don't know why that seemed like so much fun. My family growing up was always in the construction field, so I saw a tie opportunity into there. So I've been linking and building more into the investor field of real estate. It's awesome. Once you build trust and a community of buyers and sellers, they start opening their mind to the opportunities of real estate. So in there it's like, hey, maddie, I have this equity buildup here, or I came into this fund, or I want to take it out of this investment funnel and redirect those assets to real estate. And then from there we can go choose what you'd like to do with it. It's really fun because I've grown my service area outside of just like we've talked about.
Speaker 1:I live in Ashburn, so when I first started real estate, the brokerage I started at was even in Ashburn. It was like one Loudon was everything and they kind of taught that about zeroing in and just being an expert in an area, and I appreciate that and I like that. I've grown to realize that the people who trust you and believe in you sometimes don't always live in this specific area. Sometimes they might cross the border into West Virginia or maybe a little bit north into Maryland or let's call it DC. All of these are within an hour's reach and I want it to be able to reach all of them that way.
Speaker 1:If a friend came to me and said hey, maddie, I want to buy a house in Charlestown, west Virginia, I saw this pricing opportunity. I was able to get this giant single family residence. It's listed for like $400,000. In Ashburn that would be $700,000. You know, and I'm like let's jump in the car, let's go see it. And it's really opened up a lot of doors. So we cover West Virginia, maryland, dc, virginia buyers, sellers, investor, markets and it's been a learning experience, it's a gift and I truly love the process.
Speaker 2:The journey. Yeah, okay, and now I want to know a little bit more about your background. You did mention that your parents were in construction, so tell me how you got into the industry that you are in right now. Like, how did that happen? Like, did somebody reach out to you and like, hey, you should do this? Like tell us that story.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's a. It's funny because it has nothing to do with construction.
Speaker 2:Okay so all right.
Speaker 1:So, aside from my family's bond with the construction field, like all my uncles, my father has a has an architectural degree Um, I went into bartending. So I was a bartender for a decade before I went into real estate, and I am so grateful. Anyone who has not worked in the service industry it is. I feel like it is a duty, a right of passage. It really teaches you how to be exposed to different personality types and how people handle certain situations, and it teaches you yourself. Well, I feel like we're getting a little sidetracked here. The main focus is how I got into real estate. So I was bartending.
Speaker 1:I was at an age of influence. I didn't know what I wanted to do, I wasn't sold on the idea of college and I was sitting at the bar making drinks. There's always these regulars that come in successful business owners. They sit back, they laugh like there's not a Carrie in the world. I respect their opinions. They're generous people. So I'm sitting there making drinks one day and I asked the gentleman's name was Sam Sam. If you're generous people, you know. So I'm sitting there making drinks one day and I asked the gentleman's name was Sam Sam. If you're watching this, I owe my real estate career to you. Aw, shout out, shout out, sam. So I was behind the bar and Sam looked at me and said Maddie, you know, if I were to do it all over again, I would choose real estate. And I'm in an age where tech is blowing up and I was like you know, I want to do real estate sales, I want to be able to travel the world, I want to be able to connect with people and I really thought that was exciting. I love humanity, I love people, I love connections. Making someone smile or laugh is like it does something to you. It's almost selfish how good it makes you feel. Yeah, in a way, yeah, thank you See. So you know, and when he said that real estate thing, I was like you know, all of those things that I loved about IT sales I could do in real estate and maybe even take it further. So let's give it a shot.
Speaker 1:I went to go chase the real estate license and a bartender who does not need to write down an order, who does not need to read a book, comprehend, take tests. Well, we did bar champs. Bartending champs is like um, a revalidation for bartenders, for um, like ingredient tests, speed tests, poor tests flair, like if you ever seen someone like flip a bottle, catch it or pot all of that I it was the time of my life, wow, um, but I had no need to like I wasn't studying, you know, in school. So pick up this giant book you know, real estate education book and went through it and start to put chapters away, start doing audios. There's a a gentleman on YouTube. Anyone who's trying to get their real estate license, I recommend it's called the prep agent. I would be when I was younger, when I would shower. I'd put on the JBL, my favorite tunes and I'm in the shower like you know having the time.
Speaker 1:Now I'm trying to pass this test. I need my mind to be always in the constant thought of real estate. So I'm in the shower like like, like chattel is like cattle because it moves, and you're like, yeah, that sticks, that sticks, and then, slowly, those little things and past Virginia and it was 2019, like right before the market, like 19 was fantastic and then 20 was like it's like you just learned how to walk and everyone is like running around you and you're like wait a minute where are you guys going?
Speaker 2:you know?
Speaker 1:so just trying to like find your feet, and I was really in a looking for guidance in real estate because I don't have a relative, I don't really have a family member. You know, like coming to America, there wasn't like somebody that did real estate in my family. You know, I didn't. I didn't even have close friends that did real estate. I just you hear of these successful people and you're like millionaires, what do you invest in Somewhere in the top of their portfolio, if not number one is real estate.
Speaker 2:You just jumped right in, didn't you? Yeah? I want to say that is amazing and this is why I love asking everybody who comes in, no matter what industry how did they get in there? Because I love seeing when their face lights up and they talk about like man, like they're reflecting where they are right now and where they were.
Speaker 2:I think that's just so cool and you have such a great personality, so friendly, approachable and like easy to talk to. So I think that is so great and, obviously, like I think that is so important for real estate like to have a good heart and a good personality and just have a good outlook on life. So I think that's amazing and thank you for sharing that YouTube prep agent for anybody who's listening and maybe they're thinking about getting into real estate or curious about it and sharing your resource that you use to help you and where you are today, I think that's just so great.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you so much. Yeah, if there's anything I could do to help anyone, I listen to a lot of motivation in the morning. I feel like there's a lot of power in, like getting the right mindset before you go attack the day. And Denzel Washington said each one teach one, and it's very selfish of you if you have some sort of knowledge or a gift to not share it with the world. So anytime someone comes to me, and if anyone does listen to this podcast and has any questions or anything about real estate or wanting to see where their future could go in it, or even if it becomes a part-time opportunity to your full-time career, I'm here to you, happy to help, and all my social media is like we're going to put them up there, so please reach out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, thank you. I want to talk a little bit about marketing. How are you getting it out there about the type of services that you do? I know you were diving in a little bit into video and content creating. If you want to share with us how that's been and what you're learning, how long is this podcast we got?
Speaker 1:time, All right. So when you go to real estate school, they teach you about real estate and kind of like how to not get sued. What they do not teach you is is this industry is a marketing industry. This business is all about you and selling your unique like uh, what is it called? Value proposition? So I didn't know how.
Speaker 1:You know, in the beginning it all started with like seeing all the realtors post on Facebook and then it was like all right. Well, then you see realtors advertised on Google and then it's like, oh, Zillow. And then you're just going by your office asking everyone like, hey, what do you do? And what do you do? And everyone just keeps saying, oh, it's referral, it's my community, your sphere, and I was like no, it can't be true, there's got to be a better way. And I feel like if I gave someone $100, they'd be able to give me a phone number that I could call that would sell a house. There's truth to all of it, but the reality is, if you're just starting out, you just need to start with the people you know and just build value, Let them know that you have the knowledge and that you are a resource, and that's kind of how I started.
Speaker 1:I did not give up bartending for two years into real estate. So I was like a realtor by morning and a bartender by night. So I can't curse, I promise you not. I would be. I would be bartending and you would hear people having conversations about trying to purchase a property and they're not my clients. But I have this knowledge. I would just lean in and be like have you guys tried this?
Speaker 1:I would tell your realtor to look into this, like this strategy, and they're like who is this guy? You know, like, yeah, and it's just like I just started giving the information away for free. I was like I, they might not be my clients, they might not never, but guess what? This is? This is real information and if I get it out to enough people, they will look at me like the way people feel about Google. Hey, Maddie, I have this real estate question. I don't know how to answer it. Cool, but Maddie does, and if he doesn't, he'll go figure it out.
Speaker 1:And that's kind of been the thing I've held on to the tightest. And I know we're talking about marketing, but that is marketing, Like just being open and curious to the world. Someone comes up to you in the morning, a stranger, and you're talking about coffee. What do you do? Oh, that's really cool. You work in sales yeah, me too. You know I work in real estate. And then that opens up the conversation to a possible friend, somebody that they know that might want to do it or something. It's just awareness and, by the simplest terms, in five years that has turned into marketing.
Speaker 2:No, that's brilliant and I think that's great. That ties back into how you like being around people and helping them, like you just hear you want to help them. You're also leaving a positive impact for them too, because maybe again, like they're not, maybe not your clients, but they'll be like man, that guy was so helpful. I didn't even know that and now I can tell this to my real estate agent Like who was that? Like I want to go ask him another question.
Speaker 1:So I think that's so great, or I'm not using him, I don't have representation. Let me get his phone number and start you know what I mean. Like nobody knows, and if you go, I'm sorry, I feel like I just took your thunder right there.
Speaker 1:One last little tidbit right here, I feel like in my beliefs, if you are passionate about something and if you feel like that you want to contribute something, then it should never come from a place of taking. So I don't sell real estate because I want to take commission money. That is how it goes. I love real estate because I love the feeling at the closing table when you get to go and they've worked so hard and they've given an entire breakdown of their entire life to the underwriter and fought nail and hammer to get their offer contract accepted. And then they're sitting at that closing table, they're signing that last little document and I bend the corner with some flowers and then maybe a nice bottle of champagne and I'm like, hey, you did it. You get to go home and sleep in your bed like in your new home.
Speaker 2:How crazy is that? Yeah, that's huge. That's like such an important big deal for them, right, and you get to be there and experience maybe their first home or their first time selling a home very cool, see, that's why I think you're in the right path, because seeing all that passion and the way you talk about it like it shows through and it shows that how much you care, so I think that's just so cool.
Speaker 2:And then seeing you talk about it, it's just like yeah, we got that on camera. He'll always remember the way he feels.
Speaker 1:And I think that's awesome too. Like we were talking about the marketing and stuff. I feel like you can talk to so many people in person, but this might be that tidbit about marketing. Here you go. The real marketplace in today's day and age and I'm about to give away the secret dude this is like is the internet. The online marketplace is more vast than the people that you could run and knock and call and try to reach on your own. So if you want the cheat code to this entire world, don't be afraid to speak out and let people hear what you're doing and who you are, and don't be afraid to look silly. God knows how I look behind that camera. You know what I mean, but the more people that you can reach, you know, the more people you can help.
Speaker 2:God knows how I look behind that camera. You know what I mean, but the more people that you can reach, you know the more people.
Speaker 1:you can help and I feel like that's the way. Thank you for sharing that secret. Internet. We might need to cut that out. We're keeping it. It's okay, that goes my business.
Speaker 2:No, you love to share. So thank you and tell me who are you outside of real estate?
Speaker 1:What do you? There's pillars of happiness and success, right. So it's not just about work. There's different facets that make a round life, and if your job is your life, I don't believe that you're happy. And that's no offense to anybody that finds value in their work, because I love my job. From the moment I wake up at 6 am to the moment I put my head down at midnight, all I think about is real estate. The moment I put my head down at midnight, all I think about is real estate.
Speaker 1:But you have to find time in there to take care of your mental health, take care of your physical health, take care of your relationships like your friends. You know your friends, your community, make sure you're checking in and then find something that's creative, and then something maybe like a sport that keeps you on edge, and that little formula right there keeps me happy. If I can just keep a little bit of all of these in my day, then I always have something to look forward to. So, outside of real estate in itself, I am a giant car enthusiast. I love machines, I love the way they operate, I love the way that it works the compression, combustion, racing, the smell of exhaust and burning tires, it's just ah.
Speaker 1:So maybe I'm working in real estate to one day race Formula One.
Speaker 2:There you go. I love that.
Speaker 1:But yeah. So racing cars, building cars I own a Mustang, I have motorcycles. I really enjoy it and there's a camaraderie aspect of it. You go to car meets and you have friends that have cool cars and you guys start comparing how, what they did and who they used and kind of it's kind of like Legos as an adult you know. So cars is one. Another one is the gym, of course.
Speaker 1:I believe that even ties into the mental health aspect because, yeah, outside of the body, like yeah, we love what the gym does to the body, but I think that that is like super granular compared to what it does for the mind. And for me, I do it first thing in the morning because to prove to myself that I can handle something hard, and once I've reached that level, then I feel like I truly come from a place of like all right, you've broken down all of those, all of those like that anger in the day, and now you're just. You are just a humble version of yourself that can walk through this earth. You know, because if you lift in the morning and you leave, you feel destroyed. You're like every activity pump more caffeine in me, get more protein, drink more water, because I am falling apart over here. Yeah, oh my gosh. So the gym, yeah, and then I picked up little stuff Like last night we went and did airsoft.
Speaker 1:I enjoy shooting and I know that's controversial to a lot of people, but I feel like safe gun use, maybe as a sport even, is healthy. We go to the range with a couple of buddies. I think it's fantastic. You know, um, we go to the range with a couple of buddies. We go, we it's. I think it's fantastic. You can take the whole gun apart, put it back together. Wow, you know, talk about different components of it. Um, trick it out like a car would put different pieces on it Some rhinestone, a little pink.
Speaker 1:If you really wanted to, yes, or whatever. They got these gold plated pistols, so it is fun. But so last night we did the the other aspect of it. Right, you play video games, or this is like video games in real life, to where you just you put on a chest, play, you put on a mask. It's completely regulated, it's completely safe, it's indoor, they create obstacles, two teams breaking up, and they're airsaws, little plastic bullets, you chrono, so everybody is shooting at the same, like power, yeah, and then you just kind of go through these obstacles blue team, red team, so I love that.
Speaker 1:Outside of work. I guess that's kind of what fills my time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know. I'm glad that you're finding a balance so you can give the best of yourself to your clients, right?
Speaker 1:So I think that's great.
Speaker 2:And to take care of yourself, because that's also really important, which goes to my next question, for anybody who's listening out there Maybe they're inquiring about like selling or buying a home. Why should they come to you and what can you offer to them?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. They always talk about like the elevator pitch or like kind of like that, that value proposition, and I guess I've never talked about what my like 200 word word, like pitch would be. But if it were to be in a way, it would be that this is not you coming to buy a car. This is not a sales experience, this is a. I am a tool in your toolbox. I come at it in that perspective. You come to me as a resource. We will go through, we will figure out all of the little factors that make up how you got to this moment before you called me, and then we'll figure out all the little factors that it'll take to reach the goal that you want to achieve. And then we'll tie it up into one plan and, once you're happy with it, we'll execute Period.
Speaker 2:I love that, and what are some current challenges in the real estate market that you've encountered and how are you dealing with them?
Speaker 1:There's a lot of noise. We're in a very dynamic market right now with everything as far as, like, the interest rates. You hear it like every day like, oh, interest rates, what's the interest rates, what's the interest rates? And I'm like, oh boy, you know there's a lot of noise. And then there's obviously what's going on with politics. We're going to have a new president here come the new year, so that has a lot to do with how people want to allocate their funds, whether they want to be a little bit more conservative or whether they want to go out more.
Speaker 1:The shift in the market as far as how homes are readily available is its own battle in itself, because we're in a gigantic housing shortage and with the inventory that we have now, I feel like not enough listing agents are going out and educating their sellers to deliver a ready home. I believe that sellers have this made up in their mind that if they just list their home, somebody will just take it in whatever condition and in a hyperinflated market where homes are expensive enough as they are already. And then you bring a buyer who's stretching because inflation right there, they're stretching as much they can to reach that property. They buy that home and now they don't have any extra funds for renovations. So why it's pushing a lot of people to new construction? And the new construction knows that.
Speaker 1:But maybe it's not in the exact area that you want it, because certain areas are gentrifying, so there's a lot of pieces that go into it. So if someone tells me that they want to wait until next year to buy a home, or oh you know, we might not do I just I ask why? Because it's such a loaded question. You know we'd have to break down to all the million aspects into why you made your decision, to all the million aspects into why you made your decision, why that's the thought process and how we can translate that into what you want if you want it in a different way. And I feel like that kind of goes back to the value proposition and also the heart of this industry. It's like how can we service you, how can we serve you the best? And that's the importance of picking the right realtor.
Speaker 2:Absolutely no. Thank you for sharing that. That was very wow. My brain is just like what?
Speaker 1:Not because, of like that you feel like I got off track. No, no, you did not get off track.
Speaker 2:I just mean like holy moly, like the inventory, thinking about like the politics of it and the new president, how all of that impacts like buyers, sellers, just the industry as a whole, and you don't. I don't think about that because I'm currently not a homeowner and I don't think about these things, but I'm thinking about it for other people who are currently going through this or trying to figure it out from the real estate point of view, the agent's point of view and the buyer and seller's point of view. So my brain is just like whoa, like it's crazy out there. That's why I'm like, ah, I know what you're saying, but like it's like so much.
Speaker 1:It's all right, let me carry it. And when you're ready to pick up the hammer. You come and call me and we'll put the hammer down.
Speaker 2:Okay, thor, calm down. No, I'm just kidding, all right. So I have a couple more questions here. Where do you see yourself as a person and with your business in the next five years? Take a moment.
Speaker 1:Hopefully a better man than today.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And that's all I could really ask for. I wake up with the drive to do it to the best of my ability every single day, and maybe I fall short in some areas in days, but I give myself grace for that. You know you? Just you wake up every day and you do what you can and you hope enough days like that will lead to a different life and I know what I want out of the next five to ten years and I want to share it with you so I can hold myself to it. But it'd be more exciting to see it in that time and then go back and reflect. But I pray that it's a better man than today.
Speaker 2:Okay, thank you. I love that, and now I just want to make sure, before I ask my last question, while our audience is listening, while they're listening to this podcast, did I not touch on something that maybe you wanted to talk about while you're on here?
Speaker 1:If you're not subscribed to the Alimom podcast, you should do it today.
Speaker 2:Oh, my god and follow him too.
Speaker 1:What's your? Instagram and youtube um, so my instagram is maddie salafar. I have created a alpha realty team instagram but I feel like I I understand the need for a professional business page. I feel like I reach my. I call them my friends. But anyone who like actually is interested in me. You will go find me. You know, I don't feel the need to go advertise out to like. Sometimes you will see agents who will post on timelines and I completely get it.
Speaker 2:That is advertising.
Speaker 1:Yes, I post all of those on my story because I feel like, if you really cared, that's when you would like. You know what I mean. Go and see it. So it's just Maddie Salifar. Maddie Salifar is my Instagram. Maddie Salifar is my Facebook Alpharealtyteamhomes and we have a contact us page. You can go there.
Speaker 2:It'll go right back out to you and I'm excited to talk and help. However, I can Perfect All right Now my final question. Hit me If you could leave our audience with a message or share, maybe like a mantra, that you like to live your life by and use that as inspiration for others. What would that message or mantra be?
Speaker 1:Okay, this one is like near and dear to my heart and I have a whiteboard in my bedroom and I've wrote it down, like I write my goals. And then I have this quote and I've signed it. I was like a promise to myself and it's right next to my door as I leave my bedroom, so I'm reminded by it every day and it says this and I, if this can help anybody the way that it helped me, the world should know about it. I refuse to believe in anything that does not empower me. Wow, and that's it. You don't. Anytime you have a negative thought, something that makes you smaller than your potential, use that and just erase it.
Speaker 2:Wow, powerful stuff. I love that you like use that as motivation for yourself. I love that. I'm glad I asked because I like to know people's like what's driving them, what's inspiring them.
Speaker 1:If I could have that tattooed on my forehead? And I could look at it every day in the mirror when I woke up and brushed my teeth. I would oh my.
Speaker 1:God, sometimes you just need to be reminded. It's just, it's so like. It's such a noisy world and we live in an era with social media and so much like and so much like. Oh, you know, we're just going through TikTok and Instagram and Facebook, you start seeing everybody else's lives and the effort people put to taking just one photo and you just start like beating on yourself and it's just, it's not healthy. And I understand the need for social media, but also too much of anything is a bad thing. Yes, you could love Kit Kats. A box of Kit Kats won't serve you, you know. So just always remember to wash your mind. As much, as as much as you love to eat Chipotle, just make sure you have a salad every now and again.
Speaker 2:What about the salad bowl? Is that good? It's a mix of best of both worlds. Hey then you know well thank you so much for being on the podcast. Thank you for sharing your time and humor was funny, made me laugh, so really appreciate it oh, thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 1:It's been truly a pleasure, and this doesn't feel like an interview. I feel like I've sat down across my front and had a talk.
Speaker 2:Good, that's, that's the goal, that's what I want. So thank you so much thank you very much, guys.