“For me, it was all about networking—working the bars, clubs, restaurants, talking to friends, teachers and anyone who I had direct contact with,” he says. “I worked with a loan officer and we would reciprocate deals. Plus, once you get clients, the referrals begin and the pyramid kicks in.”
A-K Real Estate’s Samer Kuraishi Group has its own Zillow page, and Shafer’s name is listed under it, which she says is the best marketing she can have.
“Everyone on Samer’s team is encouraged to set up a profile,” Shafer says. “This is the tool of the future. It’s not just for young, savvy computer people, but for everyone. I rarely come across anyone who doesn’t know what Zillow is.”
Looking Ahead
Zillow has helped A-K Real Estate grow to one of the most successful brokerages in the D.C. area, and Kuraishi envisions even bigger things ahead.
“Right now, I have built an exclusive real estate company based on my leverage of Zillow and will be spreading myself out more,” he says. “I see being able to branch out to Miami, L.A., Seattle, New York—becoming more of a boutique firm. That’s what I am looking for.”
For more information, visit www.zillow.com.
