We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jay Anwar. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jay below.
Jay, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I came to the US when I was only 9 years old. We ended up settling in a small town in Texas called Beaumont. Nothing ever came easy for me or my family. My father had no degrees or discernable skills to find a high paying job so he became a gas station clerk and my mother was a homemaker who did not speak any English. We were a family of six who lived in a trailer behind the gas station where my father worked. Not long after that, the US as a whole experienced a traumatic experience on September 11, 2001. My family and I became targets of ridicule, mistreatment, and bullying – so much so that we did not feel safe anymore and decided to move to a bigger city in Louisiana for a safer climate.
I experienced all of this as a child who could not truly understand or grasp what was happening. I had become conditioned to work harder and smarter than my peers, both in school and in life. I gained a knack for seeing opportunity where no one else could see it or they couldn’t be bothered enough to look. I learned early on that life is not going to be fair and that if I want to make something of myself I could never be too good or too big for any given moment or opportunity. Take what you can get while looking for the great moments on the horizon. It all adds up.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I fell in love with Real Estate while I was in college. I remember the exact moment as well. It was a fall evening and I was working part time as a leasing agent while I was in sophomore year around 2012. I was riding in a golf cart on the community looking at the property and thinking to myself, “I’d love to build something like this for myself.” The idea of having rental properties so that my family and I didn’t have to work our souls away anymore was so appealing. After college, I took a job as a Leasing/Ops manager at a property management company to learn the business so that one day, when I could purchase my own, I knew what I’d be doing. I worked my way up to a management position and realized I wasn’t happy. I moved to Colorado in 2018 and hopped around jobs for about 8 months until I found the car industry. I fell in love with sales because it allowed me to play to my strength of listening to and helping people. I was a Finance Manager making a comfortable living but knew in my gut that was not my final stop, so I took a leap of faith in 2022 and switched to Mortgage Lending.
Finally, I was working in the Real Estate industry like I had always wanted and was playing to my strength as a sales person who was able to listen to and help people purchase their dream homes. I finally feel as if I have found my final destination and could be more excited about it. I focus on a empathetic approach to helping individuals and families. I don’t want to just be a paper pusher or number cruncher. I truly listen to what my clients tell me and try to formulate a strategy to purchase a home (or refinance) that aligns with who they are and their life goals. Not everyone is ready to become a home owner or refinance and I relish the opportunity to educate them instead of just doing the transaction to make a commission check.
Lastly, I take time to educate myself about the different type of loan products that are available and how they can help my clients. I have utilized products like Down Payment Assistance for individuals who are purchasing their first home so they don’t have to worry about saving having to deplete their savings just to make their American Dream come true. There is always a path to homeownership for anyone who truly wants it and understands the benefits and risks. I am here to guide them along the way.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that have been most impactful for me are:
– Not listening to outside noise when it comes to making life or career decisions. Everyone’s path is different and unique and no one strategy or advice works for everyone.
– Always having your ear to the ground and be looking for unique advantages for yourself. What is working well for you now will not always work well for you in the future. If you’re not willing to learn or adapt, you wont make it very far in any career or life path.
– Know that little things add up. Everyone has days where they may not want to work, read, or do any of the work that is required to advance and push forward. If you read 1 page a day from a book, eventually that you will finish that book. If you exercise for 20 minutes a day, eventually you will get into better shape. if you make just one prospecting call per day, you will have made 365 new contacts per year. By doing so, you will have come along further than where you were before. it all adds up.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking to collaborate with anyone working in Real Estate or Real Estate adjacent industries. I am always looking to meet Realtors, Financial Planners, Divorce Attorneys, New Home Builders, etc.
This industry provides us with a unique opportunity to help people and be a part of their lives in a way you cant truly do anywhere else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://planethomelending.com/mortgage-loan-officers/colorado/lakewood/jay-anwar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayanwarmortgages/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junaid-anwar-278382132/
