Jack Apap

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Sasha Marceta with Skyview Experts

When Jack Apap graduated from the University of Dayton in May of 2016, he realized his interest in real estate was more than a summer job helping his dad distribute property flyers and setting up For Sale signs. He discovered that his true enjoyment in life was home renovation and restoration, and helping people achieve homeownership success.

Born and raised in Bloomfield Village, and a graduate of Birmingham’s Ernest W. Seaholm High School, Jack decided to follow in his parents’ footsteps and join the family team at The Apap Realty Group at Signature Sotheby’s in Birmingham.

In just three-and-a-half short years, Jack has achieved a career volume of $31 million — $14 million of which he generated last year. During his first few years in the industry, Jack earned the Signature Sotheby’s bronze and silver medal and was recognized as an Hour Detroit Real Estate All-Star in 2018 and 2019.

“I received my real estate license during the summer of my junior year at college,” Jack shared. “During my time off from school, I used to work for my parents, and I began to learn the ins and outs of real estate. However, once I started my real estate career and began to build relationships with people, I could see that real estate was suited for me beyond connecting to what my parents had created; real estate was, and still is, a perfect fit for my personality.”

By nature, Jack is a guy who loves to be on the move. “I cannot imagine sitting at a desk for nine hours straight every day,” he said. “I love the diversity that each day brings. Whether it’s the people or the homes or simply the scenery, having the ability to be on my feet and create my own opportunities is what makes real estate so unique. I can honestly say I learn something new every day — not many other industries can say the same.”

The enthusiasm Jack has for his real estate career is reflected in the time and attention he pours into his business. “It’s so gratifying to find the perfect home for my clients,” Jack said. “I’m sure most agents love when clients purchase a home on the first day of showings, but I believe the most rewarding part of my work comes after a relationship is built and a perfectly-matched home is found. The joy that comes from hard work and tenacity is priceless.”

As with many young, eager professionals, Jack’s dedication to his work is full throttle and often met with the challenge of knowing when to turn “it” off. “I love my job; however, I have a habit of working 24/7,” he said. “Luckily, my entire family is in the business, so we get quality time together — like it or not. However, my parents just became next-door neighbors, so this might be getting a little too close for comfort,” Jack said, laughing.

The Apap Realty Group has six active agents. Jack’s parents, John and Bridget, founded the unique family-based business more than 20 years ago and have remained consistent in its sales and service since its inception. “My parents have definitely influenced me in a major way,” Jack shared.

“It has been very inspiring watching how they built their business from scratch to becoming top producers in the area. And never once have I felt pressure from them to join the family business; they have always supported my choices, ideas, dreams and goals.”

When Jack does break away from his work, he spends much of his free time with his fiancé, Megan, or running half marathons. He also enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing in a hockey league at Troy Sports Center, a men’s softball league in Southfield and squash at the Birmingham Athletic Club. When time permits, Jack also goes house hunting with his older sister Mary Clare — who is also an agent at the firm — and vacations with his family in Florida and Northern Michigan.

Along with the entire Apap family, Jack is most passionate about his work supporting their recently launched Paul C. Apap ALS Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is named after Paul Apap, who was Jack’s uncle and like a second father to him. Paul was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2009. “For 10 years, my uncle fought this disease with a positive attitude,” Jack shared. “He was the most selfless person I have ever met. He kept his humor at all times and lit up a room everywhere he went.”

The organization is committed to lessening the expenses to families affected by ALS, which often amount to nearly $200,000 annually to care for a single patient. They additionally donate to the ALS Therapy Development Institute to help find a cure. A portion of every Apap agent’s commission goes to the foundation to provide the necessary financial support to ALS patients and their families. “We fulfill this goal by providing the specific equipment and services needed to assure quality patient care and comfort for the entire family,” Jack said. “My uncle Paul would say ALS is not an incurable disease: it’s an underfunded one.”

Jack’s uncle, along with his aunt and cousins, all struggled with ALS and were motivators for Jack to help make a difference. “My relatives fought this horrible disease with smiles on their faces and made the best of every situation that was thrown their way,” Jack said. “They are true inspirations to me.”

Becoming a real estate agent helped Jack put his renovation and restoration dreams into a reality. “If I was not in the business, I would not have worked with contractors and investors who showed me the tricks and trends in the industry,” Jack said. “Through the knowledge, I have acquired from them, I was able to understand the renovating process and put it into action. I have now flipped several homes throughout my real estate career and feel confident about my goals moving forward.”

For Jack, success means being consistent every day and never settling for anything but the absolute best. “I attribute my success to hard work and persistence,” he said. “But at the end of the day, we work in a service industry, and therefore, anything I can do to make my clients’ experience more enjoyable is a good day in the office.”

Rising Star - Jack Apap