John Wicker

John Wicker worked in construction to get him through high school and college. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering, which set him up for working in software. It was at one such company that he got his first sales job.

When he initially got into sales, he was still attending school, working on his MBA. His manager told him that to succeed, he needed to give up pursuing his master’s degree and study sales instead. He took this advice, and he has never regretted it. Learning more about sales was the best thing he could have done for his career.

For a long time, he was a slave to travel. His job would fly him to another region that was struggling. He would help build it up, and as soon as he had turned things around, they would ship him off to another region to start all over again. The lifestyle was starting to weigh on him. It was a blessing in disguise when the company was sold. Despite being a top producing associate, his entire team was laid off. Rather than jumping right back into the rat race, he considered his options.

A big part of the equation was his two kids. he had been traveling so much that he worried about missing the big moments. He wanted to be there for them more than he wanted a high-powered position that paid well. His most important role was “dad.”

As he evaluated his opportunities, he knew he was good at selling. He did not need to be attached to a company to do that! With his background in construction, real estate seemed like a good industry. He could look at a house and understand it from a structural perspective. He also had unique qualities that would benefit his clients - he was a problem-solver, he could remain calm and manage his emotions, and he had connections.

This was about more than being a good agent. He wanted to be a real estate resource. If a client had a question about anything in real estate, they could rely on him.

He briefly left that side of the real estate for his flipping business, Whitehat. He had an amazingly loyal team. Leaving that behind was incredibly difficult. In the end, he could not compete with hedge funds, unsustainable though they were. But his team stood by him, even when he told them they would eventually be closing, and they could leave at any time.

It taught him the importance of building a strong team in real estate. It is about the quality of the workers and the work, not how many agents you can squeeze in an office. He will extend that level of quality to you.

When a client works with him, he asks them hard questions. It is important to understand what a client is looking for. The most rewarding part of this job is when he asks the right question that reveals the path toward their truth. In return, he can promise professionalism, honesty, and integrity.

He is not desperate to make a deal, so the client gets his authentic perspective on any home we view. He knows what to look for in the bones of a house and the inner workings. Wallpaper, carpets, and paint colors can easily be changed. A bad foundation is a much graver concern.

His goal is to make his clients ecstatic about their decisions and the outcomes. That means different things for different clients. He’s flexible with the various needs of the buyers, sellers, and investors he works with. Handling problems as they arise and keeping clients apprised of the evolving situation ensures a stress-free transaction. He hopes he gets to provide that same seamless experience for you.