\nPlease see the interview with Marika Abuashvili<\/span> \u2013 Executive Board Member at The Georgian National Association of Real Estate (GNARE).<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
First, please tell us about your success story, what Have you gone through the stages, what difficulties were there and what stage are you at now?<\/strong><\/p>\n
My success story is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. I have always believed that success is an internal measure and that one must challenge themselves in order to continue growing. I have gone through many stages in my life, from moving to a different country with my family, to learning new languages, changing professions, gaining technology skills, and managing my own business. Each stage presented its own set of difficulties, but I always kept in mind Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous quote, “You must do the one thing you think you cannot do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Currently, I am in a new stage of my life where I am reinventing myself in Georgia. I am using my experience and knowledge to mentor a new generation of Georgian Realtors\u00ae. I believe that this experience will provide me with a new set of challenges and opportunities for growth. I am excited to see where this new chapter in my life will take me.<\/p>\n
What was the biggest challenge on your career path, which seemed intractable at first, but you managed to deal with it anyway?<\/strong><\/p>\n
As a real estate professional, I’ve encountered my fair share of challenges throughout my career. But the biggest one by far was during the mortgage crisis of 2008-2009. It was a time when the housing market was in free fall, and the economy was on the brink of collapse. It was as if the entire world was on fire, and we were all running for cover. Businesses were closing, people were losing their jobs, and corporations and even whole cities were going bankrupt. It felt like the apocalypse was upon us, and nobody knew what tomorrow would bring.<\/p>\n
The real estate market was hit particularly hard, as home values dropped dramatically and foreclosures\u00a0 increased.\u00a0 It made\u00a0 it very difficult for real estate agents to make a living. It was a time when many of my colleagues left the industry in search for more reliable income. But something was telling me to stay and face the challenge. So I did.<\/p>\n
During that time I had to quickly become a versatile professional and think creatively,<\/p>\n
I had to adapt to the new reality and find a new business model to stay competitive. This meant gain deep knowledge in new legal and financial regulations, creating new sets of services for my clients, and becoming an expert in navigating the complex transactions in challenging market. I had to handle multiple roles and responsibilities while also being a therapist, a financial advisor, and a legal eagle. I had to be available 24\/7 for my clients.<\/p>\n
In the end,\u00a0 hard work and determination paid off. I gained a reputation as an expert in the\u00a0 given market conditions. What was an obstacle for others became my niche and comfort zone. Through this I was able to maintain my livelihood, provide for my family and help dozens of clients out of deep financial troubles.<\/p>\n
This was a\u00a0 rewarding experience\u00a0 that taught me valuable lessons, and made me a stronger professional. It helped me to become more resourceful, adaptable and compassionate, which are all crucial skills for a successful career in the real estate industry and beyond.<\/p>\n
What is your main motivation to keep moving forward?<\/strong><\/p>\n
My family is my main motivation for moving forward. I strive to be strong for them and provide them with a comfortable and fulfilling life. I wanted\u00a0 to give my children the best education possible and be able to care for my parents. Seeing my children grow up and watching their life unfold\u00a0 still motivates me to be a positive role model for them, to show them that it is important to never give up and to always be compassionate and strong.<\/p>\n
Challenges may come up in life, but my love for my family always gives me the drive to keep going.<\/p>\n
Tell us about your current activity in Georgian real estate What position and direction do you work in the National Property Association? And in a few words, tell us about your future plans.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Since my late 20s until very recently I lived in the US, in Seattle, where I had a 25+ year real estate career at one of the nations largest real estate companies (Coldwell Banker). During this time, I was involved in many aspects of real estate: marketing and\u00a0residential sales, new constructions, technology and MLS services, digital transactions, and mentoring new agents. Through the years I accumulated an incredible amount of work experiences. Since my family and I have\u00a0returned to Tbilisi, Georgia I’ve used this opportunity to share the professional knowledge acquired throughout my career with my Georgian real estate colleagues to give them a perspective and direction using the American philosophy of business.<\/p>\n
Currently I hold a title of executive board member at Georgian National Association of Real Estate (GNARE) where my main focus has\u00a0 been strategic development\u00a0 and education. There are several main goals we’ve been working\u00a0 on with the association board and member volunteers. . Here is to name the few:<\/p>\n
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- Raising the level of professionalism in the real estate industry, increasing the level of mutual trust between service providers and consumers.\u00a0We have adopted NAR Code of Ethics and are successfully implementing this training third year in the row,<\/li>\n
- Developing mandatory education\u00a0 course which will provide necessary knowledge and help build skills needed to succeed in the\u00a0 real estate profession.\u00a0 At the same time, such education course can serve as foundation for\u00a0 licensing for real estate profession in Georgia.\u00a0 Syllabus for such course is already composed and approved by European association of realtors CEPI<\/li>\n
- Planning and implementing training sessions by international and domestic specialists\u00a0on variety of practical topics such as business plan time management,\u00a0contact management,\u00a0exclusive contracts, financing and taxation,\u00a0 law and regulations.\u00a0 We are working in close cooperation with Real\u00a0 Estate Business institute in the USA and had some valuable trainings completed by international trainers (REBI)<\/li>\n
- Developing technology tools which will help agents and consumers use more reliable information about real estate properties.\u00a0 We are getting close to adopting a multiple listing service system to provide technology for simplified real estate transactions. (MLS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As we know, you are the chairman of the real estate commission of ICC Georgia. What activities and projects do you carry out within this committee and Are you planning any initiatives in the near future?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Becoming a member of the ICC Georgia Executive Board is an excellent opportunity to extend my\u00a0 reach beyond the real estate industry and take part in the important process of the modernisation and enhancement of Georgia\u2019s business environment. ICC unites an incredible community of business people, whose support\u00a0and knowledge is invaluable.<\/p>\n
I view education as my main focus\u00a0and plan to work in several directions this year. Among them, raising public awareness about the profession, raising the level of trust between consumers and agents, developing a foundational program for real estate agents as a vocational study, and conducting seminars on business topics ranging from planning & time management to technology and more. We will experiment with different formats – online and live webinars, round table discussions and workshops.<\/p>\n
Finally, we will limit ourselves to the traditional question, what would you advise to a beginner professionals and young people who are now standing first career steps?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Always show up on time. Take chances. Challenge yourself. Give it 100% of what you’ve got, no matter how small or how big is the thing you are doing. Become a true expert in what you\u2019re doing . Learn everything there is to learn about your craft. Be the best. Be patient. Never expect immediate results. If you fail, get back on your feet as quickly as you can.<\/p>\n
Do what you love and love what you do.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>