On Top of Their Game: Two Great Leaders Share Their Winning Ways

Nate Martinez started at the bottom. Actually, he started below the bottom – 40 feet beneath street level in a four-foot-wide hole, pouring concrete for sewer lines in the extreme Phoenix summer heat. Today, the RE/MAX Circle of Legends member co-owns the six-office RE/MAX Professionals brokerage with Frank Russo, and he’s a top team leader.

“When I had my first child, I knew I didn’t want her to grow up in the same neighborhood I did,” says Martinez, who lost many friends to drugs and violence growing up in West Phoenix.

Although his mother didn’t graduate from high school, she worked to keep him fed, clothed and out of trouble. “But I wanted more, even as a little kid,” Martinez says.

At 26, he had a good job – a $12-an-hour union concrete-pouring position with benefits. But he thought earning a real estate license could help him generate some extra income. It changed his life. His confidence went through the roof, and he was filled with a sense of pride. “It helped me grow up,” he says.

Working only part time initially, Martinez sold 34 homes in his first year, while still pouring concrete up to 60 hours a week. On his breaks, he prospected carpenters, plumbers and other tradesmen. Joining RE/MAX in 1991 was the tipping point that allowed him to pursue real estate full time.

“Once I got the brand tied in, the referrals started absolutely flowing,” Martinez says. “They haven’t stopped since.”

Victor Vidales is a persistent man. In real estate, you have to be. For example, he called the asset manager of state contracts for the Department of Housing and Urban Development for two years. When HUD started accepting Arizona agents for these contracts in 2008, Vidales’ persistence paid off; he’s listed more than 800 HUD homes over the past 30 months.

That focus on cultivating relationships has contributed to Vidales becoming a true RE/MAX success story. The RE/MAX Hall of Fame member became the first Latino business owner to receive the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award in the program’s 23-year history.

“Building and maintaining relationships has been my highest priority,” says Vidales, a Sales Associate/Owner of RE/MAX New Heights Realty.

“I can’t keep track of how many boards and organizations he helps,” says RE/MAX New Heights agent Armando Banda. “He is sincerely committed to the community.”

The two met at church, where Vidales, a devoted father of five, leads a men’s outreach ministry. His involvement constantly yields leads; in fact, Vidales was introduced to the HUD asset manager through someone he had worked with for 15 years doing community clean-ups and working with at-risk youths.

Vidales says his relationship-focused approach can work for any agent.

“It’s all about managing yourself and your time the best you can. Create a plan and pour your energy into it, then constantly tweak it to make it work.”

Winning Ways

Nate Martinez and Victor Vidales say any agent can become a top producer. Here’s how they did it.

Use the brand.
Martinez remembers being envious of the little balloons on the name tags and lapels of top sellers at the very first National Association of Realtors convention he attended. He was inspired by the RE/MAX brand and the energy of RE/MAX agents. “I knew RE/MAX was bigger than me, than what my broker at the time had to offer,” he says. After he joined RE/MAX and began integrating that balloon and other marketing materials into his promotions, business took off.

Connect with people.
“Real estate came naturally to me,” Martinez says. “This business is easy if you can Connect with people and want to help them. Pouring concrete foundations? That was a hell of a lot harder.” The dynamic personality and steely work ethic that enabled him to canvass every single tradesman on the high-rise building site when he first started out continue to fuel referrals today.

Adjust to the market.
Martinez’s business partner Frank Russo steered him toward the REO market. At the peak, about two years ago, Martinez managed about 265 REOs at a time. He built that section of his business through education at formal RE/MAX classes and seminars, as well as networking with asset managers at related events where he could make connections. Currently, he’s helping his team readjust to traditional resales by systematically analyzing neighborhoods where his agents can become dominant. They send highly targeted direct mail to key communities. Unlike several years ago, when he would mail pieces touting his office as the specialist for all homes in the community, today Martinez’s marketing is geared toward the specific neighborhood. “If they own a half-million-dollar home, I’m not sending them comps on the
$100,000 condo down the street,” he says.

Keep learning.
Martinez regularly attends RE/MAX conventions and classes to stay on top of his game, and he encourages his agents to do the same. “I’m constantly trying to figure out a better way to do things, to build our team into better agents,” he says. “If there’s anything I’ve wanted to learn, I’ve always been able to find it on RU.” He’s constantly feeding his brain and always asking whether there’s a better system or a better way. “Gaining knowledge gives me power,” he says.

Be open to change.
Keen awareness and being open to change helps keep Vidales and his agents primed to embrace the ever-changing market. “He’s always staying a step ahead,” says Sales Associate Armando Banda. “He’s up on his statistics and prepared well in advance for changes.” Vidales was way ahead of the curve on REO and short sales, and nimble enough to capitalize on the change. “He saw exactly where the market was going,” Banda says.

Know the customer.
One change Vidales is primed for is the shifting demographics in Phoenix. It’s projected that Latinos will make up 50 percent of that city’s population in the next decade. “It’s important that RE/MAX continues to do its best to stay in front of these new clients,” Vidales says. He remains in the community where he grew up, which has helped him maintain strong connections with members of the Latino community there. Speaking Spanish is a critical tool in connecting with the demographic, he says, “even if it’s just at the very basic level, while you’re gathering info to convert a lead.” Another thing to keep in mind, Vidales says, is that many Latinos are the first in their family to own a home.

Be visible in the community.
Vidales volunteers with a slew of community boards, including the Maricopa Industrial Development Authority, Phoenix Community Alliance, Arizona State University Board for College and Public Programs and the Audubon Society. Winner of the 2010 Impact Business of the Year Award from the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce for his commitment to improving lives in the South Phoenix neighborhoods where he grew up, Vidales has a deep commitment to helping others. “There are endless opportunities to serve and be face-to-face with potential clients,” he says.

Create a plan.
Vidales develops annual goals for himself, as well as daily and 10-day goals to stay on track. He’s constantly keeping an eye on his progress, and determining what he might need to adjust to achieve his goals, such as the number of phone calls he makes a day. “Time is the most valuable resource we have,”
he says.