Howard Wilner
Although not many business leaders can brag about a 13-percent increase in sales volume, Howard Wilner personally reached this milestone. This president and CEO of Mina Property Group LLC has managed to increase revenues for every company that he has managed. He attended Framingham State College, Mass Bay University and Boston College and graduated with a degree in business administration and general management. Since then, his career has been trending upwards until he reached the position of a president with the Marlboro Auto Exchange. A few years later, Howard Wilner moved on to serve as the president of Automax Pre-Owned. His other expertise also helped propel him as one of the trend-setters in the market with an innovative style of managing.
Have you ever sold real estate? How did you make it happen?
Although I have not sold any of my personal real estate properties, I did negotiate a series of transactions for my companies. Working as a president mandates that you take charge of these types of deals. So, whenever we had to relocate in the past, I was the point-of-contact person who would have to meet with prospective buyers or sellers. Doing so helped me learn the ins and outs of the market as commercial dealings tend to be even more complex than residential purchases. In other words, I am fairly confident in my ability to arrive at a compromise with people who I am interacting with.
Have you ever made a real estate purchase or sale you have regretted?
Fortunately, I have not. That is, not yet. Since you never know what the next venture will bring, I do realize that this answer may change over the next few years. For now, however, I am happy to admit that all of my commercial relocations were successful in terms of profitability and proper real estate search. I was always able to find the right buyer or seller that would work with me on the price and get it close to where I wanted it to be.
What words of wisdom do have for the inexperienced person looking to buy or sell?
Based on my current experience, which is quite similar to that of people who deal with residential real estate, you have to do your research. This includes everything from online explorations to face-to-face meetings with potential buyers or sellers. One of the most important lessons that I have learned over time is to never settle. That means that you should not accept the first deal that you come across simply because it may fall within your terms. Odds are, there are much better bargains in the market that you have not explored. And even if there are not, doing additional research will be useful because you will never have to wonder if you made the right call.
What property marketing strategies do you most prefer?
Online marketing is probably the best course of action nowadays. When you look at the alternatives, I doubt that anything comes even close to internet-based advertisements. First, you get to reach much more people that you would be able to otherwise. Additionally, online resources allow you to customize your campaigns to a point where you can target people based on their buying history and preference. Ultimately, the most important reason why I suggest this method boils down to cost. Online marketing is by far the cheapest way to get your company out there as you only pay the fraction of the price compared to in-person or written campaigns.
What tools of the trade do you believe are crucial for success in the real estate industry?
Great soft skills are probably towards the top of the list. For those unfamiliar, these are the intangible features that include a high level of proficiency when communicating, treating others with respect, being empathetic, and so on. Obviously, you have to understand the way in which the market operates, or you will never realize any substantial gains. Fortunately, if you are willing to spend the necessary time, you will eventually become an expert. I am the prime example of this as I did not really know much about commercial real estate at first. After a few transactions that my company wanted me to take care off, however, I became extremely knowledgeable.
Do you have a mentor or someone of that nature who taught you what you know?
I do not have a formal mentor that was there for me since the beginning. I do, however, have a lot of people who helped change my life. These include everyone from some of my early professors to those who were my superiors at the beginning of my career. Watching the way in which they handle tough situations has definitely taught me a lot about critical thinking and smart resource utilization.
