Today we’d like to introduce you to Phong Tran.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story started in private healthcare managing multiple clinics. I went to buy my very first property and during the transaction I was completely lost and on my own. At the time I didn’t know better, I just assumed that’s how it was supposed to be where you do everything on your own.
Come to find out my agent wasn’t working in my best interest. The sewer inspection showed it needed replacing but he made it seem so minor. And then 2 years after I bought, I had to replace the roof.
I was fed up with my job and then covid hit, so I decided I needed a backup plan and got into real estate sales. I started at a local team who taught me everything I know. Over time there were alot of changes and I noticed some strains on the team that I wasn’t for, it didn’t align with what I wanted anymore. So I took another leap and built my own team.
I wanted an organization that has values for both the agent and the consumer. Consumers shouldn’t have an experience like I did. I want to create big moments for both our clients and our agents.
Where I’m at today, we’re a small organization thats actively growing in revenue and agent count and staff.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been an easy road. There’s been alot of learning on how to actually operate a business, not just sell houses. Managing personnel was a big one for me, that’s a whole different skill set.
Then you have the market which is always changing. Inventory, interest rates, you’re constantly fighting those and trying to adjust. I also learned how important marketing is, I didn’t realize that at first. And we’re always refining our operations, figuring out what works and what doesn’t and fixing it as we go.
We’ve been impressed with The Momentous Group, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Real Estate Sales
We serve the Portland metro and surrounding areas including SW Washington. We work with buyers, sellers and investors all over the metro.
The name comes from wanting every transaction to be a big moment for the client. Buying or selling a home is a big deal and it should feel like it.
What sets us apart is how we treat our clients. We’re known for negotiating the best deal we can, on price and on repairs, and we negotiate hard. But we’re also known for making our clients feel like family. We don’t leave anyone on their own, we walk them through every step especially inspections. If something comes up like a sewer line or a roof we’re going to tell you straight and help you figure it out, not make it seem minor. I learned that one the hard way.
We have core values that everybody on the team lives by. One of the big ones is put the client above the commission. If a deal turns against the client we tell them plainly, even if the right move is to walk away. Nobody on our team gets in trouble for telling a client to walk. We also do what we say, if we tell you something is getting done it gets done, and if a timeline changes you hear it from us first. And we keep our clients updated on a regular schedule even when there’s no news, so you’re never wondering where things stand. When something goes sideways we own it and the conversation starts with what we’re doing to fix it, not excuses.
Respect is a big one for us too. Clients, teammates, vendors, even the agent on the other side of the deal. Everyone gets treated right, no matter what.
For our agents we put alot into training and support. A team taught me everything I know and I want to do the same for my agents. When the agents are doing good the clients get better service.
I’m most proud of the culture we have. Our clients come back and send their friends and family, and our agents actually want to be here.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’d say I’m a risk taker but not a reckless one. I think about it alot before I jump.
The first big risk was leaving healthcare. I had a steady paycheck and walked away to go into real estate, which is all commission, and I did it during covid. The second was leaving the team I started on to build my own. Now everything was on me, the money, the marketing, the agents, the staff.
The way I look at it, not taking a risk is a risk too. If I stayed in my old job I’d probably still be unhappy. So I do my homework, have a backup plan, and then go for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://momentouspnw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momentousgrp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/momentouspnw/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInPDX
