There are many ways to make an impact in real estate. In an industry teeming with seasoned professionals and veterans, every year there are newcomers who manage to make a significant and equally impressive mark. Hudson ‘Mitch’ Willis of LPT Realty in Florida has not only cultivated an impressive resume as a real estate rookie, but has also positioned himself as an agent of trust, honesty and integrity.
“My personality is just always trying to help people,” says Willis, one of five Regional Rookie of the Year winners in RISMedia’s second annual Real Estate Rookie of the Year award program—sponsored by industry education leader Colibri Real Estate.
Before becoming an agent, Willis served in multiple industries of care, stemming from his family background in retail. Previous stints include experience owning an ACE Hardware store, serving as a criminal investigator where he worked his way up to sergeant at the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office to his wife operating a daycare out of their home. In his young-but-flourishing real estate career, Willis has maintained an unwavering commitment to treat everybody the same, regardless of circumstance.
“What has really helped my business is just being kind and compassionate with people. In law enforcement, there were a lot of people whose issues or problems needed to be listened to, and I didn’t realize when I got into real estate that people just need somebody to listen to them. They might be going through a divorce, or somebody may have just passed away, and there’s a lot of times I’ve just had to sit there and listen to them pour their problems on me,” says Willis. “But that goes a long way.”
In addition to his dedication to ongoing learning and personal development, Willis attributes his success to the valuable mentors he has gathered along the way. “If you can find a mentor or a coach that has been there and done that, and is truly concerned about your success, I think that’s the greatest thing,” says Willis, who has also mastered the art of tailoring mentorship and guidance to fit his unique and individual journey. “We see people in the industry that are doing really well, and we strive to be like that, but you’ve got to make it fit who you are, and always be yourself.”
As for the biggest disruptor in his career, Willis asserts that getting over the hump of the “what-ifs” and leaning into his dedicated client base have been most significant. “My original broker, Christy, said, ‘Mitch, you’ve got to realize that you’ve been building a sphere for years. You’ve come in contact and helped a lot of people already that like and trust you. They’re not concerned about what brokerage you’re with or who you know or anything like that. You’re the kind of person people want to do business with.’”
Rookies remind us that there’s always room for growth, which is why Willis’ advice for new agents embodies untapped wisdom from a fresh perspective. “Don’t chase the money. A REALTOR® once told me: ‘You know, Mitch, pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered.’ You need to be relational and not transactional. I think that is one of the most truthful things you can say. You’ve got to be relational with people, because as soon as they realize you’re treating them as a transaction, it’s over with. People want to do business with people they know they can trust, who are going to look after them in their home.”
For more information, please visit https://www.rismedia.com/rookie-of-the-year-2023.
