This month, we had the opportunity to sit down with Anthony Lamacchia—CEO of Lamacchia Companies and broker/owner of Lamacchia Realty—to learn about what motivates him to continue pushing forward and why agents and brokers need to do a better job of paying attention to the market.
Paige Tepping: Tell me a little bit about your history in the industry and what you’ve done to get where you are today.
Anthony Lamacchia: After turning 21 back in 2002, I bought my first property and ultimately began my real estate career as I got involved with buying properties, fixing them up and then selling them. In 2004, I decided to get my real estate license, and two years later, I left my dad’s landscape construction business and began selling as a REALTOR®. And I sold a lot. It wasn’t long before I became a top REALTOR® in my marketplace, which set the stage for my next venture: building a team. Between 2009 – 2012, we were selling upwards of 700 homes a year between myself and eight other power team members. In 2015, I took a leap of faith and decided to convert our model to the brokerage model. While it took a couple years, I finally got it right, and today we’re growing a lot.
PT: Are there any milestones that stand out in your mind over the years that have helped shape who you are?
AL: The work ethic that I learned from my family is one thing I would point to that has helped me get to where I am today. As far as milestones, we hit a billion dollars in sales volume last year, which is a really cool company milestone. One of our brand offices also achieved a significant milestone this past June: 100 sales in one office in one month.
PT: What’s on the horizon at Lamacchia Realty?
AL: First and foremost, we will continue to grow. In fact, our growth is going to accelerate because we’ve gotten better at it. We opened an office in Fort Lauderdale last year, and we believe that Florida will continue to be a lucrative market as we’re seeing mass movement down to that area.
PT: What drives you on a daily basis and keeps you motivated to continue pushing forward?
AL: I’ve been interested in (and obsessed with) business since a very young age. Having grown up with a dad who owned his own business and a grandfather who worked as his accountant, I always expected to get into business. From the time I was young, I envisioned owning a large company—and while I used to think it would be landscape construction, it ended up being real estate. I love the business, and real estate happened to be the path I chose.
PT: You’re passionate about providing top-notch technology, tools, systems and training. Why is this so important, especially given today’s real estate environment?
AL: We take a different approach than other brokerages, most of whom get involved in the race to the bottom and give up tons of commission and don’t try to create real, valuable things. One of the things that differentiates Lamacchia Realty from all the other brokerages within the industry is the fact that we’re a full-service, value-based brokerage. We want to offer agents everything they would need, from training to technology to support. We’re 100% committed to offering them everything they need so that they can focus on what they’re best at, which is selling real estate.
PT: What are some of the key offerings you provide your agents?
AL: Most importantly is the sales training we provide, which is totally different than the sales training provided by other brokerages—and it’s sold across North America. Step-by-step, it teaches people what to do, what to say and when to do it. And for those who take advantage of the program and follow it closely, their business is growing dramatically. In addition to our sales training, we also have an extensive suite of services. We provide our agents with listing assistants and buying assistants (or what others call transaction coordinators) as well as a team of people who take care of administrative tasks for them.
PT: You’re also passionate about advocating for homeownership. Talk about your work in this area.
AL: I’m very involved with the National Association of REALTORS®, without which we would be in big trouble as REALTORS®. In fact, next year, I’m going to be chairman of the lending and finance committee. I enjoy being involved in the various committees that I’m part of, and I’ve spent time testifying at the state level with lawmakers on Beacon Hill as well as at the national level on Capitol Hill. Years back, when the market was in bad shape, I had many meetings with numerous government agencies (FHFA, FDIC, HUD) and met with a handful of senators, congressmen and heads of different bureaus.
PT: As we head toward the future, if there’s one thing agents and brokers should focus on, what would it be?
AL: They need to do a better job of paying attention to the market so that they know what’s to come. I’m amazed at the amount of broker/owners and agents who have verbalized the fact that the market has changed and that it’s now better for buyers because it’s not as frenzied as it’s been. This is exactly what I’ve been telling people would happen since last April. I don’t have a crystal ball or anything, but I’ve dedicated my time to watching the market and monitoring the data.
PT: What’s your best advice for real estate professionals?
AL: My best advice is to get real training. Too many agents approach training by the seat of their pants, and they’re missing out.
PT: What’s your favorite part of your job?
AL: As I truly enjoy seeing and connecting with everyone who makes up Lamacchia Realty, my favorite part of my job would have to be the people. I love helping others grow, and I take pride in seeing them reach their goals. There’s nothing more gratifying than seeing someone come into the company at 10 sales a year and reach that same number after just six months with us.
To learn more about Lamacchia, his visions and the goals of his company, please visit www.RealTalkWithAnthony.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to paige@rismedia.com.
