This month, Five for Friday puts the spotlight on 2017 Partner Circle award-winner Jon Davis, Vice President at SVN Vanguard in Santa Ana, California. There, he specializes in the industrial, land & development, multifamily, office and retail markets.
What advice would you provide to an aspiring advisor who is new to the industry?
Be consistent and work your plan day in and day out. I have tried my best to “work all the time at work” and remove distractions as much as possible. Given time, as long as you have a plan and work that plan, you will be successful. Do not be afraid of cold calling and always call. Calling is the cheapest way to get a leg up in our industry.
What does the SVN Difference mean to you?
I think having SVN’s collaborative structure is very powerful in our industry and truly creates an advantage when talking to owners and future clients. It is very powerful to deliver the 9.6% higher sale price message when meeting with owners. The ability to look at other real estate brokers as partners rather than competitors brings weight to an owner meeting, and is a powerful message they do not typically hear. Additionally, having the ability to leverage our international platform has helped scale up our business.
What learning tools (book, blog, website, etc.) would you recommend to your colleagues to further their knowledge and enhance their careers?
When I am driving, I like to listen to personal development audiobooks. I also like to read a local online media platform called RenTV (real estate news), along with reviewing RCA, Orange County Business Journal, Western Real Estate News, and Globe Street to name a few. I would also suggest daily monitoring of what trades in your market, whether that be leases, sales, new listings, etc.
What inspired you to join SVN?
In 2010, after I graduated from Chapman University, I began working with Cameron Irons, who at the time had a smaller, boutique, commercial real estate office. Around the end of 2013, Cameron decided to join the SVN family and acquired a franchise. I have been lucky to work with Cameron from the start of joining SVN, and wouldn’t change a thing.
What was your most memorable deal and why?
I’d probably have to say my most memorable deal was my first deal, which was also my smallest sale, as it was the introduction to my most valuable client. I had a north Orange County (California) four-unit apartment building for sale and was contacted by an exchange buyer looking to diversify into a smaller multi-family property. We discussed the deal at length, along with other investment criteria and strategies. Oddly enough, that client wasn’t able to purchase the deal as it was in escrow with a different buyer, non-contingent, and set to close within a week (which it did, thankfully). That first property and first call created a relationship that has led to multiple deals with that client, and many more to come.
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