Hero Thilakaratne is a realtor, marketer and an investor who was born in Sri Lanka and now lives in Australia. He studied at Doha College and currently works as a real estate agent at Zed Real Estate. He is still single and not yet discovered his lover. Hero loved real estate over a long time. Later on, he recognized his unique talents in the real estate industry. In 2014, Hero launched his own firm. He joined Zed Real Estate in 2017. His uniqueness and hard work have brought him great respect in the real estate industry. He is popular among clients for his exceptional service and open-minded behavior. He is a valuable agent for Zed Real Estate because of his ability to attract buyers. In his free time, Hero loves discovering the hidden gems and treasures of Australia. Although he lives a busy life, Hero never forgets to enjoy life.
1. Let’s start from the introduction. tell our readers more about yourself.
A: I am a positive, energetic, passionate and enthusiastic person no matter where I go and what I do. I stay away from negativity. There are no negative people in my life or in my circle of friends. Always laughing, cracking a joke and having fun. Driven and hungry for success to provide for my family and give back to the rest of the word in the future. Time is limited. On average we sleep 25 years of our life, another 30 years are spent getting a formal education, eating, on the road and watching TV. Realistically we only have around 20 years to actually create something for ourselves and our family. Why waste it taking more days off. Which is why I work hard every single day possible.
2. How did you find yourself in Australia?
A: Grew up in Doha Qatar, My older brother came to Australia after his A levels and I guess I followed him.
3. And what motivated you to step into real estate industry.
A: The super successful and the super-rich all invest in Real-estate to multiply their money. They might have made their money through a smart idea or a business, but they all need a place to park their money and most of them have chosen Real Estate. God doesn’t make land anymore, so why not buy it up when you can and make the most out of the appreciation. So I thought to myself, why not invest in real estate myself and work in real estate as well along side the big players and like-minded people.
4. What qualities do you believe make an excellent real estate agent?
A: Honesty, Integrity and Professionalism. It is strongly in my ethics not to mislead people or lie to people to close a deal (Happens very often in the industry) I educate people on what they are buying or selling as sometimes they don’t see things that I see. There’s always that satisfaction when I know that I’ve educated someone to an extent that I don’t need to close the deal, they close themselves.
5. What are your obligations as a Real Estate Agent? Are you familiar with industry best practices?
A: Personally, I am obliged to give people the advice that’s right for them and helping them grow financially. I hate to call myself a real estate agent. I call myself a wealth creator. If a property is not right for a person who really wants to buy it, I will give them reasons not to and educate why it’s not the right property for them. Could be their future plans, goals, age, potential etc. I believe the easiest way to become successful is to help others succeed and build wealth. If my clients fail, I fail. I also strongly believe that word of mouth business is the best business out there.
6. What do you find most challenging when you accompany prospective clients on property tours? Why?
A: You get a lot of “I Know it all” people. However, it’s very easy to overcome those issues, because I talk to them and ask the right questions not only business related, but about their personal lives, family, investments and future plans which helps me flip the table and educate them on if it’s the right property for them or not.
7. How will you attract new clients to ur company
A: Word of mouth and Social Media.
8. On average, how many homes have you sold each year as a real estate agent?
A: Approximately 30 to 40
9. What are the most effective advertising techniques? Explain how you use social media to promote properties.
A: We advertise on online real-estate portals, Photo boards in front of properties, Brochures and go very hard on Social Media. The power of social media is insane and surprisingly it’s free. I can’t understand why a majority of businesses focus on old school, expensive and ineffective means of marketing when Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and Youtube are all so effective and always accessible in their pocket.
10. Describe how you inspect a property. What are your main points of focus and what do you ask the owner?
A: Land size, location, lifestyle, future potential, suburb growth, internal floor area, fixtures, fittings and appliances, heating & cooling. Most of my questions from the owners aren’t about the house. It’s more about them. Why are you selling? What is your motivation? What are your future plans? Where are you thinking of putting this money once you’ve sold it? Those questions give me an opportunity to offer them my knowledge and experience and sometimes there are instances where I’ve convinced people not to sell depending on their situation. Because remember it’s not always about me, It’s them I focus on, If they Grow, I Grow. My simple formula.
11. A young couple is looking to
buy an apartment. What kind of houses would you suggest to them? How would your approach be different from other cases?
A: A young couple would have plenty of time to start off and build an investment property portfolio which means they have POTENTIAL! For the younger generation out there, I would always suggest they buy a house with land. Focus more on the land than the house and don’t be emotional when buying. Land value appreciates and building value depreciates. It’s the equity they build up in the land that’ll give them options and open more doors for growth in the future. In terms of my approach the point of difference is that anybody that walks through my door is not just another buyer or seller to me. I will have a GENUINE INTEREST in them, their success and their growth. This leads to long term and life long business and relationships.
12. As a businessman where do you see yourself within next 5 to 10 years? And any specific goals you want to reach?
A:Within the next 10 years my biggest goal is to build my property portfolio and be financially free so I can Spend more time with my parents and family. Most importantly I would like to help the next generation, the young hungry entrepreneurs with potential, succeed and grow. Give them the support and financial education that we never had when we needed it the most.