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In the fast-paced world of real estate, agencies that take the time to foster the potential of their new recruits can massively benefit from the results.
In a recent episode of Secrets of the Top 100 Agents, property consultant at Wilson Property, Matt Fava, spoke of the role that mentorships played in helping him to become the 11th ranked dealmaker on REB’s 2023 Top Dealmakers at just 25 years of age.
Fava first spoke of his unconventional work background where after a short stint working as a chef he decided to follow his passion for real estate, taking up an opportunity at Wilson Property.
Remembering this period, Fava described it as a “crazy time in the market” fuelled by the COVID-19 induced real estate boom of 2020 where he found himself both lacking in confidence and overwhelmed by the upfront demands of the profession.
“I was nervous. I went from not having to talk to people, being behind the scenes in a restaurant, to now being front and centre, answering phones, talking to heaps of people I’ve never met before.”
Throughout this learning process, Fava spoke highly of the “team culture” he was welcomed into at Wilson Property, crediting fellow Wilson agent Alan Whitty for helping him to hone his practical skills across appraisals, listings and sales.
“He (Whitty) really went out of his way to put me under his wing and take a sacrifice on his end to help me be better for the future.”
While this momentum propelled Fava through the extremely busy market of the COVID-19 climate, the inevitable slowdown necessitated the development of a different set of skills for success.
“As it slowed down, for me personally, it was a bit of an adjustment because then I had to learn much better vendor management because houses weren’t selling in two weeks.”
Conceding that it meant learning a “lot of different skills”, he noted the importance of being able to communicate with vendors over an extended period of time.
On this point, Fava said another colleague who was instrumental in helping expand his skill set as Matt Johnson, licensed estate agent, who “was very good with that side of things because he’s a very good operator … He’s got a lot of procedures in place and always keeps in contact with vendors.”
Reflecting upon his real estate career thus far, Fava was emphatically appreciative of the support and mentorship provided by his colleagues, especially in an industry that can be as cutthroat as sales, where oftentimes agents don’t see any point in assisting others.
“We’re very lucky at Wilson Property. It’s a real team culture,” Fava concluded.
Only four years into the real estate industry and having sold 50 properties over 2023, Fava’s success is a testament to how agencies can harness the mentorship process to refine recruits with passion and raw potential into top-ranked powerhouses.
Listen to the full conversation with Matt Fava and Grace Ormsby here.
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