Justin Ford

Flourishing With Faith and Fortitude

By Jane K. Asher, Ph.D.

Photos by Tracie Seeley with Downriver Real Estate Photography

Photo taken at Lombardo Homes - Montcaret in Northville

After being featured as an Agent on the Rise in December of 2019, Justin Ford was confident he would eventually make his way to the cover of Real Producers. “My goal has always been to be a top producer in anything I do, so I knew that if I continued to work hard, it was only a matter of time,” he said.

Committed, determined and motivated to take his real estate career to the next level, Justin began 2020 with the ambitious goal of selling 100 homes and closing $20 million in volume. Equipped with a strong mindset and discipline, Justin didn’t just achieve his goal: He reached new heights by selling 125 homes and closing $31 million.

“Having a strong team around me has been a major factor — from having my wife, Joy, by my side to handle all of our admin work and customer communication to having my showing assistant coordinate and handle all of my showings, I wouldn’t be able to succeed at this level without them,” Justin said. “One of the keys to my success in 2020 was going on a 30-day, liquid fast for the entire month of June. While I was praying, God told me to fast for 30 days. As a result, I sold 31 homes that month, and my business exploded the rest of the year.”

In order to become more organized and free up time to focus on his strengths — lead generation and appointments — Justin hired an executive assistant at the end of 2020. Additionally, to keep up with the demand of his growing business and extra lead flow, Justin welcomed several agents to the Justin Ford Real Estate Team. “I now have a like-minded team of eight agents and three admins, all of whom share similar goals and dreams,” Justin said. “I am very selective about whom I allow to be a part of our team — you have to be a really awesome type of person to work with us!”

In January of 2021, Justin relocated his independent brokerage to eXp, a move that granted him the opportunity to earn stock, build residual revenue share and grow his team across the globe. “I am super excited to have switched over to eXp, where I am able to partner with real estate agents around the world and help them build and grow their business,” Justin said. “My goal is to build an international team of 10,000+ agents and help them succeed at a high level in real estate and in life. More so, my wife and I want to help agents improve their marriages, show people how to get out of debt and build wealth, and, most importantly, help people grow spiritually and establish a relationship with God.”

Justin, who dropped out of high school his senior year and began down a harrowing path of drugs, alcohol and crime, turned his life around at the age of 19 after a several-month stay at Grace Centers of Hope, a Christian rehab facility in Pontiac. “This is where my life truly changed: I became a born-again Christian and developed a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is truly the foundation of my life and my success,” he said. “I have a vision for my life and for what God has created me to accomplish throughout my time on Earth — it has been my driving force and what continues to guide me every single day.”

Photo provided by Justin Ford

In 2021, Justin wrote his first book, “Unleashed: 7 Key Principles to Breaking Free and Breaking Through,” which recounts his battle with drug addiction and explores his path from “brokenness” to a successful life. “I hope that my book helps people all around the world break free from the things that are holding them back from discovering their purpose and living the life that God created them to live,” he said.

Justin and Joy, his wife of over 15 years, have a blended family of four children — Angelina, 20, Emilio, 18, Tiara, 15, and Judah, 8 — and a 1-yearold grandson named Joel. “We have a lot of fun together; we all love to travel and go out to eat,” Justin said. “We have big dreams as a family and want to change the world together.”

Justin and Joy, who lost their home to foreclosure and went bankrupt shortly after they were married, are proud to have recently purchased a new home in Plymouth after renting for 10 years. “As a result of the financial hardship and loss we experienced, I decided that I was never going to allow that to happen to my family again, and I made a commitment to win in life no matter what,” Justin said. “Buying a new home was a big deal for my family — it gave us newfound confidence and security.”

Photo provided by Justin Ford

When he’s not working, Justin spends his free time reading his all-time favorite book, the Bible — his other favorites include “Rich Dad’s CASHFLOW Quadrant” by Robert Kiyosaki and “Transformation” by Ed Silvoso. Justin loves football, working out, traveling, and listening to worship, Christian rap, smooth jazz and Latina music. He also volunteers and financially supports Grace Centers of Hope — the place that fostered his rebirth many years ago — as well as several other local ministries and churches.

Photo taken at Lombardo Homes - Montcaret in Northville

“I have a vision for my life and for what God has created me to accomplish throughout my time on Earth — it has been my driving force and what continues to guide me every single day.”

“I want to be remembered as someone who overcame many struggles in life but never gave up and never quit, and to show people that no matter what you face in life, you can succeed and live a blessed life,” Justin said. “More importantly, I want to live for the Lord and impact others to do the same.”

Justin is ever so grateful for all the people who shaped his personal path of faith, notably Pastor Pat Bossio Jr. “He took me under his wing when I was a young 19-year-old just starting to get my life together, and he taught me how to become a man, a husband and a dad,” Justin said. “I am blessed to have many coaches, mentors and advisors who help me become a better version of myself and am especially thankful for Jeff Glover, my first mentor in real estate who continues to play a major role in my business.” Justin, who works alongside Jeff as a coach at Glover U, leads the organization’s “Prospecting Bootcamp,” in which he teaches agents all over North America how to take more listings and sell more homes by calling expired listings and for-sale-by-owners. This form of lead generation has been pivotal to Justin’s success in the real estate industry.

Justin’s many achievements in real estate throughout his eight-year career — and his swift succession to Top Producer — are a result of his hard work, strong mindset, determination and discipline. More importantly, his personal and professional journey is a testimony of faith and fortitude … a testament to the blessings that abound from a purpose-driven life.

Justin Ford - Top Producer/COVER