Christela Amonkou: Failure Was Not An Option

Christela Amonkou shares her story of coming to the United States from Haiti and beginning her career in real estate. She shares her time at UNF and how real estate class sparked her interest in the industry. Christella shares how she became a top agent in Jacksonville through specializing in first-time home ownership, people with credit restoration needs, and helping clients understand the importance of the role homeownership plays in building generational wealth. She also recalls how she had a deep soul search and realized that she wanted to do something for herself, rather than just be available for her children. For Christela, it’s as much about the relationship she builds with her clients as it is about the real estate transaction.

Christela Amonkou is now a member of the Million Dollar Club with Engel & Völkers Jacksonville and a Ruby Elite recipient in 2021. She was one of the top producers in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Mandarin office and an honored member of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ President Circle, placing her in the top 5% of Realtors company-wide. She has consistently been a multi-million dollar producer in 2018, 2019, and 2020. She is a Certified Relocation Specialist and Residential Sales (C.R.S.). Christela accomplished becoming a Million Dollar Producer in her first year of real estate in 2018. She became a member of the Honor Society in 2019 and a Member of the President’s Circle in 2020, just four years after entering the real estate
[00:01 - 14:08] Opening Segment

Introducing Christela to the show
Brief background and career
How her interest in real estate sparked and decided never to work for someone else again

[14:09 - 30:33] Walking the Talk as a Broker

Christela shares her high expectations when she started at real estate
Christela stresses the importance of interviewing a broker before signing with them
Having a business plan and goals in mind
Christela’s advice to agents is to reach out to top-level professionals for guidance and support
One of the key things that successful agents do is focus on the basics, such as working in their sphere and adding value to listings
Christela recommends taking courses and absorbing real estate information from multiple sources
[30:33 - 50:38] Education In All Forms

Why agents should always be educated in the current real estate trends
Regularly attending training to stay up-to-date on the latest industry changes
Christela talks about the importance of having a transaction coordinator
How this can shorten the learning curve for agents
Consistency is key in order to keep your clients
Christela emphasizes the importance of family communication and having a financial goal

[50:39 - 53:21] Closing Segment

Final words
See the links below to connect with Christela

Quotes:
“We are helping clients in their biggest decisions and biggest investments…I’m not just your real estate agent, I’m your advisor.” - Christela Amonkou