Talk of one lady who is very popular among property developers in Lagos, the name Mrs Alaba Alozie would come to mind. She is a realtor and Developer who has paid her dues in the real estate industry. She’s the CEO of Lasgidi Realtors Ltd and Co-Founder of Lasgidi Property Limited. She has had a successful career in Real Estate for over 6 years. Alaba has 6 years of experience as a real estate agent and broker in five states and serves as a principal broker and consultant to other real estate professionals on management, marketing and sale of real estate products and services, with special skills in survey and title documentation.
A few weeks back, she spoke to ISAAC ABIMBADE (08155107955), about her journey so far. She told us the many things women who are coming into the sector should know and how they can make millions selling properties. Below are excerpts.
What does it take, especially for females who are aspiring to become successful realtors like you?
My name is Mrs Alaba Alozie, Managing Director, LASGIDI Property Limited.
I started 6 years ago selling for different companies but now I’m a developer. Lagos is big enough for everyone to come on board because presently, we’re still having over 20 million housing deficits in Nigeria, and you know that females can do better in this business because we know how to convince people to buy things from us. We know how to convince our husbands, relatives, etc. And that was how I started. I strongly believe any lady can also do just that. One of the things that can make you succeed is your integrity, and I know women are better in that regard. So, I want to encourage all the women whether they are in Nigeria now or abroad to do this. I have some friends who are realtors and selling Nigerian products from there and they are doing fine.
How did you become a realtor?
When we relocated to Ajah 10 years ago, we had a lot of issues renting houses. My husband, brother and I now had a meeting and told ourselves that is it not better to do it on our own? because we also had some of our relatives looking for houses but couldn’t find one. It was during this period a friend of mine called that somebody needed a filling station around Apapa. And that was my first transaction. From there I started telling people what I do and a year after, I joined RevolutionPlus Property. I started marketing their products. My family, friends from Ife who were my classmates also encouraged me. About 4 years ago, I travelled with RevolutionPlus Property to the US to speak to Nigerians over there to come and buy real estate products we sell. The encouragement was something else. You don’t even know your strength until you move. Ladies can sell real estate better. It is the same way you sell other things.
Was there anything you did special when you started the real estate business?
When we started, some of the companies that we joined were doing training upon training for us in Nigeria and outside the country. I remembered following RevolutionPlus to Dubai, South Africa, America, Kenya for different pieces of training and they encourage us that whatever we get as a commission we should take a certain percent from it to invest in ourselves. And we have a lot of platforms to sell like Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedIn, etc. What I tell ladies is this, people still want to buy real estate in a traditional way, whereby you take it to their doorsteps but some people still buy online.
You have won a lot gifts and many awards from different developers; Can you share some of them with us?
When I joined RevolutionPlus about 6 years ago, I was adjudged as their best Realtor of the year, winning car and international trip. The following year, I won again and the third year I started my own company and that’s what gave birth to LASGIDI Property. Ladies who are in their 20s, 30s are selling and I have a friend who’s a 58-year-old Pharmacist. She’s selling. What people want to see is your integrity.
And I will also advise them to get the knowledge of the industry very well. When I wanted to start development, I went back to my town Ilesa, Osun state. We now have our first estate in Ilesa. They (ladies) can do it. They can even do Joint Ventures. And I also advise ladies that when they make their commission they shouldn’t spend recklessly.
What do you say to the first-timer, for emphasis?
What I do is, I don’t sell for everybody. I sell for the people I have relationships with because the people in the diaspora are entrusting us with their money and many of them have been duped in the past. Ladies must understand the industry. Don’t sell products without titles. Make sure you understand the type of developer you sell for. Don’t sell for people who you think they can run away. Sell for those with REDAN certified, so that if you have any issue you know there is a body you can report them to.
What stands you out from other realtors?
As a realtor, I give my clients gifts. I make sure that they quickly take possession of what they are buying. And sometimes, I go out of my way to do a lot for them. I do search for them even when they aren’t buying from me. So as a developer, I don’t sell land without titles. It stands me out. The governor has had a meeting with REDAN not to sell land without titles because you must be sure of what you sell.
What were you doing before Real estate?
When I left OAU about 22 years ago, I was at home for 2 years and I told myself at a point babe, you can sell, and I started selling Ankara. I will buy Ankara from Lagos market, take it round offices and from there I started going to Dubai to bring things. Have always been a salesperson even though I studied Demography and Statistics on school. I encourage ladies to learn trading or how to sell.
Would you say that your course of study, Demography and statistics helped you to where you are today?
Yes, I studied Demography, and it’s the study of population and it has made to know the population, where to go and I have the statistics of what Nigerians need. When I wanted to start real estate I did diligent findings to the population that buys.
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