Today we’d like to introduce you to Cici Carter.
Hi Cici, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My mother got me interested in real estate at an early age. When I was a child in Northern California, she would take me with her to open houses, and I loved those outings. When I became an adult, I would take my children on those same outings, visiting decorated model homes and taking photos of all of us inside of them, dreaming of one day owning a home of my own.
After I purchased my first home, I realized I wanted to become a real estate agent and help other people purchase homes for themselves and their families. I went to real estate school in the evenings and obtained my real estate license in Georgia in 2004. Shortly after we moved to Florida, I obtained my Florida real estate license in 2011. I am currently licensed in both states, and I have my broker’s license here in Florida.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For much of my real estate career, I was a dual-career agent; I worked as a software developer during the weekdays and I worked my real estate business in the evenings and on the weekends. At one point, I was also going to school part-time and serving as Minister of Music at my church, which felt like I was working four jobs.
Managing my time was a huge challenge, and I used my calendar to keep track of all of my appointments and to make sure no customers slipped through the cracks. I still use a calendar to manage my time, because it’s so effective.
Another struggle was learning to treat this like a business. My first twelve years as a real estate agent, I treated it like a hobby that sometimes earned me a check. I helped customers purchase a home, but I didn’t have a system for keeping in touch with them after the closing, so I missed out on a lot of repeat business and referral business. I also spent a lot of that time as a “secret agent”, not telling the people in my circle that I was a real estate agent, then getting angry when they bought or sold a home without using me. If they don’t know you can help, how can you be angry when you aren’t the one they think of when they need a real estate agent?
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Cici Carter Team, Powered by Keller Williams First Coast Realty?
In a nutshell, I help buyers, sellers, and investors purchase and sell residential real estate, including multi-family properties up to four units. I am passionate about generational wealth, and I’m convinced that everyone should own at least one property to live in and one property to rent out. I am committed to leaving an inheritance to my children’s children.
As a Gold Key Certified real estate agent, I’ve been fully trained on how to create a top-shelf customer experience. This is one of the things that sets me apart from other agents, and it’s what I’m most proud of. I want my customers to be so blown away by my service that they become my most enthusiastic cheerleaders, consistently recommending me to their friends and family. I believe in communication, and would rather be told that I am communicating too much than too little. My team and I let our customers know what’s coming next at every step in the process, and we remind them throughout the process that our goal is to provide five-star service. We usually hit that mark, as evidenced by our customer reviews.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Our team utilizes AI extensively in our marketing campaigns, in our data analysis, and in our digital media production. AI is a tool that is becoming an integral part of the real estate industry. I don’t think it will ever replace the human touch, but real estate agents who don’t learn to use it will end up falling out of the industry in the next five to ten years.
I remember when Blockbuster Video was the only place in town where you could rent movies to watch at home. When Netflix started their DVD-by-mail program, Blockbuster was unbothered. They were still a big deal, and the company was still making money, in spite of Netflix. In 2007, Netflix started their streaming service, and Blockbuster was still renting movies from their stores. Three years later, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy.
I never want to be the Blockbuster of real estate. I keep track of changes in our industry, and AI is probably the biggest game changer. Real estate agents who aren’t mastering AI will go the way of Blockbuster.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.CiciCarterRealEstate.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CiciCarterRealEstate
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CiciCarterRealEstate
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/CiciCarterRealEstate
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CiciCarterRealEstate
