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JOHN APAP
top producer
JOHN APAP
Signature Sotheby’s International Realty John Apap is a Broker and the Top Producer at Signature Sotheby’s International in Birmingham. John loves working in real estate so much that his wife, Bridget, also went into the business with him. After graduation, John’s son, Jack, joined him in the office and in a few months his daughter, Mary Claire, will be the fourth Apap on the team. “It’s almost like a family business,” John said of the Apap Group. By Susan Kehoe, PhD Photo Credit: Tara Danielle Photography
John started in real estate 20 years ago after participating in the family food business known as the Birmingham Deli. His mother and father owned delis throughout the area, and one remains with that name in the Fisher building under new owners. When his parents were selling the chain of stores his friend suggested to John that if he had a real estate license, he would make a commission on both the buying and selling of those properties. That was enough to prompt John to change industries and earn his license. “I love what I do every day. The lifestyle is 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., but it’s an opportunity to earn good money with honest hard work. Some people earn good money at their jobs, but don’t love what they do every day, as I do.” Recalling the days when he first started in the business he said, “There was no Zillow or Facebook then, everything was print marketing. You couldn’t scroll through 18 photos of a house’s interior or take a video tour. The average buyer saw a postage stamp picture of the house exterior and spent Sunday afternoons going to one open house after another until they found the right one. Using the electronic tools and social media to narrow the choices is less time-consuming for the buyer. Social media has reinvented marketing in real estate, and it’s better for the buyer and seller.” As Top Producer in his Signature Sotheby’s office, John brought in $80 million last year. “If I could do one thing differently, I’d delegate more. We have a great team that I can depend on to get the job done. But I like that personal touch of talking to clients myself”. There are times when John carries a list of 50 clients. “I try to talk with each of them at least once a week. We also send them reports of properties in three categories: those that sold, those
Bridget and John
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I love what I do every day. The lifestyle is 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., but it’s an opportunity to earn good money with honest hard work.
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pending, and those that are active. That way, they can see how the market in their neighborhood is doing and remain competitive.” According to John, analyzing the amount of online activity a client’s listing receives each week is an important indicator. “If a property receives a great deal of activity online, but has few showings by agents, we analyze how to change that situation. It could include anything from staging rooms in a house to make them look larger or more inviting, to a price change.” John and his family enjoy taking a break when they can to head for their condo in Harbor Springs. In winter, Naples, Florida, is another favorite destination but it’s almost impossible for them to take much time off with so many clients. “Many things can be accomplished by phone and email, but there are always hands-on situations when you need to be there for your client. Having a place in both locations would be a great lifestyle after we retire.” John and Bridget are two of those people who went to neighboring high schools, Brother Rice and Marian, but never meet until after college. He took an interest in a Young Professional political organization, and she came one night to check out the social scene in the group. They’ve been married for 28 years.
Jack, Bridget and John Apap
John’s participation and donations flow into The ALS Association Michigan Chapter because his brother has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease commonly known as ALS. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is also close to John’s heart since his 7-month-old nephew was diagnosed with leukemia. “Most of our support goes into these two organizations with hope for new treatments to
relieve the pain of those suffering and ultimately to find a cure,” John said. This very upbeat, family-oriented Broker says he wants to be remembered for being honest and hardworking. Sounds like the perfect definition for “Top Producer.” It’s remarkable to find that one man’s enthusiasm inspired his entire family to join in the real estate business.
Signature Sotheby’s International Realty JOHN, BRIDGET AND JACK APAP The Apap Group 248-225-9858 (c) japap@signaturesothebys.com www.johnapap.com
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