“I want to be sure people are treated right.”
Farhat and two of his brothers decided to build an investment business that would give them financial freedom. He focused on real estate; his brothers concentrated on management and construction. He posted more than $27.5 million in sales volume last year.
His competitive edge: Farhat’s Spanish and Arabic fluency has helped him win business with non-English speaking clients, who don’t always get the respect they deserve, he says.
What he likes most about the industry: He likes the potential for repeat sales from first-time buyers. “I don’t like to categorize myself as a buyers’ agent, but I like buyers more than sellers. Sellers move out of the area, and you rarely get repeat business. I expect to get a buyer back within five years,” he says.
Steady investors: Farhat and his brothers invest in fixer-upper properties. “We try to buy single-family homes, duplexes, and three-plexes every two or three months, fix them up, and sell them,” he says.
The brothers’ philosophy: Work now, play later.