Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Phan.
Hi Christopher, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path to success was anything but conventional: I went from running a family liquor store, to trading currency for a Wall Street-based company, to mortgage lending, before finally becoming a real estate agent. It was during my 14-year tenure as a mortgage banker when in 2010 Dodd-Frank Act was enacted. Although it was for good reason, it subsequently leveled my income by over 50%. Regardless, I truly loved my experience as a mortgage banker. I was able to share my knowledge on cost-effective borrowing and guide homebuyers through an often intimidating and stressful process. I excelled in structuring customized models to best suit each homebuyer’s unique needs. At this time, I was the preferred lender for a Remax office in the Houston Galleria where I used my mortgage finance experience to train over 60 agents on these various loan products and mortgage structures so they could provide a more robust level of service to their clients. I also was the preferred lender for prominent developers in the condo market since non warrantable condos required an advanced level of understanding how to get them financed due to occupancy requirements.
I still remember the transaction that motivated my decision to become an agent. I was the preferred lender on a deal with an agent who was often absent, inexperienced, and unprofessional. His clients contacted me for guidance on how to negotiate inspection repairs, sharing strategies on leverage through the process, and other questions that are typically the responsibility of the agent. I realized that if I was an agent, I would not only be able to answer those questions, but that I was also equipped with expertise in an uncharted territory for most agents—financial literacy of mortgage lending. Therefore, I seized the opportunity and began my transition to real estate in 2011.
My first couple of years were great. I was learning the business and making a great income, but I would soon realize this was primarily because we were in a bullish market. Therefore, when the market settled soon after, I began to struggle. I was planting the seeds, but failed to appropriately nurture my business to ensure future growth. The next couple of years came with tremendous struggle and I began to doubt my decision to switch careers. I felt lost, had little guidance, and was trying to figure it out on my own. I can say now that if I had to do it all over again, I would have worked for a mentor that did high-volume sales because I believe then, the learning curve wouldn’t have been so steep.
Luckily, soon after this two-year slump, everything would change. I went to a convention where I met a coach. I couldn’t afford to shell out $2,000 every month for a coach, but I took a leap of faith because deep down I knew it was worth it. I still remember the first thing she told me when we began, “I’m going to take you down a very uncomfortable path, but on the other side of it is your success.” I was determined to do something different, not only in my career, but in this industry. She helped me create goals for myself like: what I wanted to be known for in real estate and how I would stand out among my peers. And then it struck me. I wanted to create high-quality video marketing for homes. At the time, no one really created videos like this in the Houston market. Instagram had recently debuted, so people weren’t creating “content” yet. My vision was to create videos in an HGTV format that would contain three components: 1. Showcase the home at its highest potential, 2. Create emotion for potential buyers, and 3. Provide memorable entertainment for future homebuyers and sellers. All of which—especially emotion—are key for someone purchasing a home.
This ambitious marketing strategy worked, and I continue to implement it today. I combine this marketing strategy with my mortgage-planning skills to not only help my clients that are buying/selling homes, but I have also successfully attracted prominent Houston builders. I work alongside and partner with many of these builders where I develop both branding and marketing strategies. I even create portfolio products that allow them to pull initial capital from their developments so they can grow their business in volume, instead of leaving their working capital locked into a project that could take up to a year to complete.
As I overcame those two difficult years in real estate, I finally felt I had come into my own brand and was ready to have a team of my own.
We’ve been impressed with Truss Real Estate, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Truss Real Estate was created a little over a year and a half ago when I realized I wanted to share my knowledge and guidance to hopefully prevent other new agents from having to experience the hardship I did of not having a proper mentor. The name is derived from the Truss system in a home which provides support from floors to ceiling. That in essence is what we do, we provide support for our clients: from finance, to real estate, to marketing, to branding, etc.
We partner with builders on their marketing and branding, strategies to pre-sell/sell their units, source land deals, and stay abreast of all financing options to ensure our builders continue to grow. For sellers, we offer our unique brand of marketing and technology in addition to our spheres of influence to successfully sell their homes. For our buyers, we understand mortgage planning and financial strategies to help maximize borrowing tailored to their needs—not the lender’s.
With the explosion of social media, realities are often blurred and anyone with a photographer and a nice outfit can look like a professional real estate agent. I’ve always said, “You can look like you’re dressed for the ball, but you better be ready to dance.” There will be a time when you’ll actually have to speak to someone, and pictures and captions won’t be able to save you. I only say that because on T.V. and social media, everyone usually just sees the glitz and glamour. While real estate can be those things, if not taken seriously, it will chew you up and spit you out. This industry has provided me a great life but only after hard work and sacrifice, so that’s my expectation of anyone that wants to be a part of our team. Our Truss Family is a team of ambitious, knowledgeable, and authentic agents who are a testament to that and I couldn’t be prouder to be on this journey with them.
What matters most to you?
Helping people. Don’t get me wrong, what we do isn’t heart surgery, but it is fulfilling. Whether it’s witnessing my agents reaching their financial goals, helping our partners succeed, or helping clients buy/sell their homes, being a part of each of those experiences is immeasurably fulfilling and I’m very grateful for that. Overall, I believe this industry is a gift not to be taken lightly. It not only takes hard work, but perseverance and true dedication to hone your craft. Being a real estate agent has introduced me to some of my closest friends, taught me about my own potential as an agent, person, mentor, and helped me achieve success beyond what I ever would have imagined 10 years ago. Ultimately, my coach was right. I went down a very uncomfortable path and came out the other side with success beyond what I could have ever imagined.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: trusstx.com
- Instagram: @Truss_chrisphan Truss_htx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trusstx/
- Youtube: Truss Real Estate
