Today we’d like to introduce you to James Krueger.
James, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I became a Realtor in 2009, just following the 2008 housing market crash. I carved my own path, focusing on driving income and leads until I had more than I could handle by myself. When I reached that point in 2012, I obtained my broker’s license and founded Krueger Real Estate.
Our brokerage was created with a unique brokerage model and strategy that’s quite different than most. I desired a client first mentality, and to think outside the box when it comes to personalizing the real estate process. I thrive on zigging where others zag, and believe that by having top-notch agents on board, we are then able to deliver the highest possible service to our clients.
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In the last several years, we’ve experienced exponential growth. My team and I have become well known within the industry, and we’re constantly striving to set new standards. Our pioneering brokerage model has drawn many new agents to the company, and I invest heavily in my agents’ time, energy and resources. At the end of the day, we look for great people and turn them into great agents through personalized training and consistent support.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I used to be a one-man show. I loved helping my clients but was too busy to give them the greatest possible service they deserved. When I became a broker, I started hiring agents and it eventually got to the point where I had to make a big decision: help my clients or help my agents. Going from just me to over 40 agents has been not only my greatest challenge in real estate but my greatest challenge in life.
I’d never previously held a management position or owned a company. We’ve had our fair share of growing pains along the way; a lot of trial and error–with certainly a lot of time and sacrifice on everyone’s part. Yet through it all, we’ve managed to continue to grow and evolve.
Krueger Real Estate – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Krueger Real Estate is an innovative and dynamic boutique brokerage servicing the entire Houston area. We were founded on a client first philosophy, and pride ourselves on our commitment to client service. At most brokerages, agents have to worry about everything from marketing to paperwork… and then their leftover time is to help clients.
Our brokerage is different in that we employ a team of professionals who specialize in everything from lead generation, transaction coordination to marketing so that our agents can focus solely on their clients.
I like to see the best in people, and I’m most proud of the team we’ve curated due in part to that. When we first started this brokerage, we brought on as many new people as we could; we said yes to everyone. We have since combed through a number of agents who are great people in general but don’t share the same passion for serving others as our founding principles demand. I’ve had to learn to turn people down, rather than hiring an agent who might have good numbers but will contradict our core values. Cultivating a team of people who believe in what we’re doing has been the biggest game-changer yet.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, success is defined by the successes of the people around me–and what that means ebbs and flows. When I founded my company, I was suddenly responsible for not just my own career, but the careers of my agents as well. I learned very quickly that as their leader, I needed to anticipate challenges before they arose and navigate them with confidence. I also learned very quickly that my agents and employees’ successes were my successes, and their challenges, my challenges.
I think displaying this foresight and leadership has been what’s drawn so many newcomers to the company in the last two years. I encourage open communication and maintain close relationships with my agents and employees so they feel comfortable that we will get through the bumps in the road and emerge a stronger company. I believe in the idea that if you keep others at the heart of your decision making, success will always follow.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3320 Jackson St. Houston, TX 77004
- Website: www.krealestate.com
- Phone: 713.364.4003
- Email: info@krealestate.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/krealestate_
- Facebook: Facebook.com/kruegerrealestate
- Twitter: twitter.com/krealestate_
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