Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Williams Cage.
Hi Angela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I started as a Financial Rep at Union Planters & also worked in Accts Payable at FedEx. I remained at FedEx for 15 years & resigned to work in Mortgaging full-time. In 2006, I started working as a Loan Officer with a local Mortgage Brokerage just before the market crashed.
After a few years in that field, I took an interest in obtaining my Realtors license. In 2009, I became a Realtor & sold new construction homes with Leader Realty/Regency Homebuilders and remained there for 4 years. I received valuable information on how the process worked & was able to start my RE career on this side of the business. In between working as a Loan Officer & a Realtor, I was a Leasing Agent with 3 large Property Management companies. One year, I put over 300 families in a rental home! As I learned about the Real Estate business I decided to go into it full-time & haven’t looked back.
Real Estate quickly became my passion! I went full force into making sure that I touched every aspect of the business. New construction was so intriguing to me & I desired to build my own home but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I worked with other Agents to assist them with their clients working with Regency Homebuilders in the many neighborhoods they built in. When I stepped away from new construction, I focused on residential solely and my business has been based on referrals for 90% of my business. I’ve owned my properties for years and Property Management became my side hustle. Now, I manage properties for several owners & have a limit as to how many I manage personally.
Recently, I went to the next phase in my career by attending classes to become a Commercial Designated Realtor. I received a scholarship from the organization that will pay for my classes to obtain the CCIM designation.
Commercial RE has always intrigued me & I often said that I wanted to gain knowledge in that field. Now that I’m growing in all aspects & moved to the Downtown Memphis area with Harris & Harris Realty Group, I plan to create a space in my everyday life for Commercial opportunities. Many clients contact me to help them find a space for their small business & I would always have to send them to others because I wasn’t sure of their process but now I’m able to be their One Stop Shop!
Lastly, I’m in the process of building my dream home which opened my eyes to building & development. I recently connected with a builder that is showing me the process so that I can offer these services to others. There’s a boot camp class I attended recently in Atlanta that’s called Building Builders Academy. The owners are called The Construction Kings & they’re providing a service that NOBODY else is offering & it’s hands-on. I am more confident now to step into this field & know that I’m building a legacy for my family and putting my stamp in all things Real Estate.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been easy for me in this field. I’ve had to take some wins & some losses in the Mortgaging industry. Sometimes clients didn’t follow directions & deals would fall through just before the closing date. In the leasing field, it was heavy competition with other Leasing Agents & I would often find my rental signs on the ground by Agents that wanted only their signs to be seen.
In Real Estate it took me a minute to pass the exam because I’m an overthinker. When I failed it the 1st time I didn’t go back for a year because I wanted to study more & ended up having to repeat the class. The RE industry is saturated with Realtors that know the same customers as Memphis’ circle is big but small. So competing with other colleagues was often a struggle but I take it in stride & do my part with those that trust me to handle business on their behalf.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Harris & Harris Realty Group?
Harris & Harris Realty Group is a new Real Estate Firm that opened 1 year ago in June of 2022. Our new downtown office opened on April 1st, 2023 with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. It was a grand event with local politicians like Paul Young & Martavious Jones. We are the first female blacked owned Real Estate Firm in the Downtown Memphis area. I am an original member that came on board on day 1.
I’m a Residential & Commerical Agent specializing with Buyers, Sellers, investors, etc. I mostly have Buyers as clients & the word is that I’m a strong negotiator which allowed me to be a Top Producer for years. Social media shows my record of always working to provide a service to my clients that allows them to live their dreams by becoming a homeowner. I show each client that I care about their living condition & won’t hesitate to go the extra mile for them. If it takes me to get repairs done, supervise contractors, or reduce my fees to assist them, I won’t hesitate to help because it’s more than a paycheck for me.
I’m super proud to be affiliated with HHRG as it has afforded me the ability to feel proud of being with a company from the ground up. It’s a great feeling to know that we are making great strides in becoming a force in this industry. I want readers to know that if you give me the opportunity to become your business partner, I will do everything in my power to treat them the way that I would want to be treated. I’m experienced in many aspects of the Real Estate industry & I take pride in educating myself so that I can provide the proper contractual obligation to my clients for years to come.
I’m in the process of getting my Commerical designation by completing the 4 classes to obtain this esteemed level of education. I’m also in the process of building my own home which gave me the desire to become a custom builder. The female builder that I’m working with is teaching me the ropes which will allow me to provide this service to others as this field is dominated by men.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Finding a mentor in this business can be hard in this industry because people don’t have time to train & work on their business. Surround yourself with like-minded people & take notes when they’re discussing deals or situations and ask questions.
See if an experienced Agent would allow you to shadow them from time to time. Offer a commission split and agree with a timeframe of at least 1 year because it must be long enough to be worthwhile to the mentee.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.AngelaCage.com
- Instagram: @angelacage
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abcsellsrealestate
Image Credits
Larry Bland and Jordan D. Bronson
