Rising Stars: Meet Caitlin Jones

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Jones

Caitlin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was recruited into real estate. I have a Master’s degree in Higher Education and moved to Tampa to take a job as the first Coordinator for LGBT Programs and Services at USF. I am from Western Pennsylvania and lived/worked in Ohio for two years after Grad School. At that point, I decided to do a nationwide search and knew that Tampa was a great fit for my next chapter in life. After working at USF, I worked at the University of Tampa, helping students choose majors and teaching academic success courses. During that time, I was presented with the opportunity to join a local real estate mega team. It was a risk/reward choice for me because I wanted a career that would allow me to better support my family, and by joining a successful team, I knew I could learn the tips/tricks to make the big career shift work. From there, I used my background in education to learn as much as I could to ensure I best served my clients. After 2.5 years on teams, I went out on my own to build my own brand. Thankfully I have found great success and, in turn, have been able to focus on benefitting my community. I sold over $11,500,000 in real estate my first year on my own, and now have started my own team, the Jones Home Team, to continue to build and grow my impact.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Challenge allows for growth. The biggest struggle is the constant question of “Where is my next client coming from?!” People think that real estate means that we meet people, look at beautiful homes, and then hand over keys on closing day. There is SO much more to it, and if you need to sell enough to support a family, you have to understand that your #1 role is generating leads and new business. For me, that was the biggest struggle. I went from a salaried role with benefits to a job where I only get paid when all of the pieces align and a deal closes. There’s no fallback, no paycheck, and no guarantee that even after I do everything “right,” that the deal will close. It involves people, lots of people, and with people, there are so many factors that can lead to a transaction falling through. Covid has made that even harder! For example, I had a listing where everything was complete, the loan was clear to close, and the buyer lost his job, so we had to start over at step #1. My sellers were devastated, but there was nothing else we could do. For me, I remain focused on the people aspect of real estate. I am not a salesperson; I am a facilitator who uses what I know to help buyers and sellers understand each step of the process to achieve their goals on their timeline. That has allowed me to really build relationships, and in turn, build my business.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My hashtag is #InclusiveRealEstate. I learned early on that far too many people say, “I don’t care who you are as long as you have money.” I am the exact opposite. I understand that money is needed to complete real estate transactions, but I actually care way more about who you are and how I can support you in turning a dream into a new address than I do about your bank account balance. I am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, and I am committed to supporting my community members. My wife and I bought our first house before we were married and the closer refused to allow us to take the title with full rights to survivorship despite that being one of our legal options. He told us to “Quit Claim it to yourselves once you get married.” I wasn’t in the industry yet, so I didn’t know that I could have fought him on that. It is little stuff like that that drastically affects the process for LGBTQ+ people, and many don’t even know it because you trust “the professionals” to do what is right. I use my role to be an advocate for everyone I represent.

I ensure Queer couples have the experience they deserve and have all of the options afforded to them. I ensure Trans buyers have a smooth loan process, understanding that their social security number may be linked to their current name and birth name. I do more to make sure people are taken care of. Beyond that, I donate $75 from every closing to LGBTQ+ people in need annually during the holiday season, so this year I’ll be giving back $4000. I am most proud to be authentically me in my business. I know that this country is not fair and equal to everyone. I know that people of color face discrimination despite redlining being outlawed decades ago. I know that people of different cultures and religions have specific needs in their homes to align with their beliefs. I honor what matters most to every individual client, and beyond that, I pass that expectation on to the professionals with whom I work. I now confidently tell people that I will not send them referrals and build their business if they use the money they make to oppress me and other marginalized people. You’ll never find me playing into the “Old Boys Club” model that has been present for far too long.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’m all about calculated risk. Sometimes you don’t know until you try, but the try should be dictated by thought and potential reward. When I was building my business, I was more concerned about risk because I needed to ensure I could pay my mortgage and get diapers for my baby. Now, I see risk as an opportunity to build something much bigger and more powerful, but that comes with comfort from having a deeper understanding and a cushion to know we will be ok if it doesn’t go as planned. I find risk exciting. I look for opportunities to be unique and even have “create” tattooed on my forearm as a reminder that I have the power to create the life I want to live. Yes, I have been skydiving and jumped off a 50-foot cliff into a river, but risk related to people is even more exhilarating for me. I am an extrovert through and through and LOVE the moment when something I took time to develop shows up as being meaningful and purposeful in the lives of others. You don’t know until you try, and for me, the butterflies from a little bit of risk make it even more fun!

Contact Info:

• Email: cjones@thejoneshometeam.com
• Website: www.thejoneshometeam.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejoneshometeam/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJonesHomeTeam
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-jGMpp73_Dp11hTSjUC7w