Residential Realtor
Frederick, who earned a BS/Business Administration degree at Jindal School, with a concentration in management information systems, is a residential Realtor in North Texas. “I help clients sell and buy residential real estate. This includes researching the local market, identifying market trends, locating property, marketing, negotiating contracts, managing transactions from beginning to closing,” he says. He’s also co-founder and vice president of 5th Street Investments, LLC. In that position, he primarily oversees property management and manages back office records.
How did your degree impact your career?
I can’t pinpoint a single part of my degree that has impacted my career. What it has done is instill in me a comprehensive confidence to take on professional challenges. Several teachers pushed me to work harder than before, and each class imprinted its unique material on me so that I felt comfortable no matter what industry I found myself in.
What do you enjoy about your current position and/or profession?
The flexibility in my schedule and who I choose to work with. I answer to my clients and that’s it. The effort of those around me has minimal impact on me so I can forge my own path without feeling like others are at the wheel.
How do you see your profession changing in the next five or 10 years?
Technology is at the heart of most changes in real estate. For example, clients want to see houses at their leisure and technology is starting to allow that by creating ways for buyers to access properties on their own. It’s mundane tasks like these that don’t really require a real estate professional. Our expertise is in the process. We bring experience to the steps of negotiating and contracts that are huge pitfalls for a layman and can lead to huge profits, if done well.
What unexpected experience or event has shaped and/or influenced your current professional life?
The 2008 Great Recession meant I no longer had a job and the IT market was ice cold. I turned to the family business of real estate after family and friends made it clear the job opportunity was realistic.
What is a professional highlight of your career, either where you currently work or in the past?
In the IT space, I was really proud to implement our company’s system at Bank of America. It was a huge client, and at age 26, I felt empowered by the accomplishment. In real estate, it was when I capped just two months into the “fiscal” year. Capping requires a certain amount in sales that isn’t easy for the typical agent. Accomplishing this in just two months was energizing and a confidence builder.
What characteristics do you look for when hiring people into your workplace?
As a Realtor I don’t hire, I partner with people. I look for partners such as title reps, lenders, inspectors and others who are selfless and driven. They need to have integrity and an eye for details. The same goes for my real estate investment business. Partnering with the right sub-contractors who are dedicated to be the best at their craft can make or break things.
Why did you come to UT Dallas?
UTD was a natural fit for my original degree, computer science. UTD was also 15 minutes from my parents and girlfriend (now wife), making it an easy transition for an introvert. I stayed at UTD because it provided an environment where I had plenty of higher ed options and great people (counselors, friends, teachers) to be around.
What is your favorite UT Dallas memory?
It has to be life on campus. On several occasions during my four years at UT Dallas I could have never left the campus, literally. I obviously went to school there. I lived in the Waterview Park Apartments. Tons of my friends either lived on campus or went to school at UTD. I worked out and worked at the Activity Center as a lifeguard, which also is where I met friends I still talk to today. I volunteered with SUAAB and helped set up and attend campus events. My favorite memory was creating my own life on campus where I could mature with good people.
Did a UT Dallas professor inspire you? Who was that and how was that person inspirational?
I had a tutor (can’t remember his name!) who I met through the library at UT Dallas. He led by example, showing how there are several ways to solve a problem. Good teachers show you their way, less inspired teachers show you the book’s way, but this tutor observed how I learned and reframed his lessons so I would understand the material inside and out. That took me from a D to a B in calculus I.
Has something about your UT Dallas education surprised you since graduating?
I’m surprised by the number of alumni I meet. I forget what UTD President Franklyn G. Jenifer said exactly, but during freshmen orientation he said UT Dallas is Texas’ best kept secret. It is, or maybe was, only a secret because graduates don’t think anyone will be impressed by the school name. At this point in my career, I’m very proud to have gone to UTD and everyone else should be, too.
What advice do you have for college students hoping to succeed professionally?
Be confident! But don’t be arrogant. There is a difference. When your future manager asks if you want to take on a new task, jump at the chance. It will be terrifying, but eventually you’ll get comfortable in the increased role/responsibility. Then you’ll be asked to take another leap. Do it again! It always amazed me how I “climbed the corporate ladder” when I was in IT and all I had to do was say “yes” to seemingly difficult tasks that never turned out to be as tough as my imagination thought they’d be. Confidence is what I see family and friends lacking the most. Unless you are content, do no settle.
What makes an effective leader?
Being a servant leader. No matter what the career, you will inevitably be part of a team. As a Realtor and investor, my team is me and the people I choose to partner with. I do everything I can to make their jobs easier. I serve them despite the fact that I’m ultimately leading the group to the finish line. I can’t get the job done without them, and a leader who understands that will be successful on all fronts.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I’m all about family and friends. God blessed me with a loving wife, two children, family and friends. We go on trips, hang at home, serve our church, enjoy local entertainment – all of it is a slice of heaven because I’m doing it with people who care for me as much as I care for them. And on the trivial side of that same coin, I play volleyball and work out. Those two activities are a blast, keep me in shape and help me stay young-ish.
