Ali T. Charara

A COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Stylish Detroit

Prior to launching a career in real estate in 2005, Ali T. Charara was an entrepreneur, a real estate developer and also worked with the City of Dearborn as a sworn officer of the 19th District Court. He initially started working on a part-time basis; however, after two years into his career, he decided to fully commit himself to his true passion of real estate.

Since that time, Ali has an impressive career volume of more than $350 million — $62 million of which he generated in 2020. He has been with CENTURY 21 Curran & Oberski for 15 years and has won numerous awards within his company, including President’s Team, Quality Service Pinnacle Team, Top 21 Global Team and GRAND CENTURION for six consecutive years. Ali also received an award recognizing his professional accomplishments in real estate from the American Arab Chamber of Commerce and was given special recognition by the Michigan House of Representatives. Since 2018, he has had the #1 team in Michigan in sales volume and placed in the top 10 in the United States.

Ali was born in Lebanon and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. His father was a successful businessman who played a major role in influencing Ali and, ultimately, became a motivating factor for Ali’s success.

“My father is the one man I admire most in my life,” Ali shared. “Everyone who knew him loved him for his amazing characteristics. When my father passed away, I decided that I wanted to keep his legacy going by following in his footsteps as a businessman.”

When Ali first got into the real estate business, it was a very challenging time because the market was hitting rock bottom and future growth looked uncertain. As a new agent, he had to deal with foreclosures and short sales while witnessing other agents leave the industry. “I gained a lot of experience by weathering the storm,” he explained. “I believed in myself, trusted my instincts and focused on building a solid clientele.”

Ali defines success by commitment: to his job, to his clients, to his family and to himself. “Being committed to my efforts is the core of success,” he said. “It’s how I’ve built my business, and it’s what keeps me going every day.”

Admittedly, Ali said every dream and goal in life revolves around real estate. “I confess that I eat, sleep and breathe real estate,” he said with a laugh. “I honestly don’t know what my life would be like without it.”

Ali’s allegiance to his work underscores his passion to be the best at his craft. “I am dedicated to my team and my clients,” he said. “I have no problem taking calls late at night or making myself available on weekends; my door is always open for all agents and clients alike.”

Ali has an acute understanding of how to put his clients at ease and said the most rewarding part of what he does is to make people happy. “I will always go over and above for my clients,” he said. “Any obstacles that come in the way, I make sure they are resolved in the best manner for a happy and successful closing.”

Getting to the closing table is Ali’s favorite aspect of his job. “Closing day represents all our accomplishments because it entails going through so many hurdles, solving so many unexpected issues and addressing them head-on,” he said. “It’s the challenge of a transaction that makes the closing so rewarding.”

Setting personal goals has helped Ali define his career path. In 2016, he decided to start a team, which now includes two other agents. Together, they work to motivate and empower one another by helping each other with support, assistance and ongoing education.

MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN FOR ALL AGENTS AND CLIENTS ALIKE.”

Given Ali’s status and expertise, he is especially talented at guiding and advising up-and-coming agents. He stresses the importance of building relationships — not just with clients but also with other real estate agents. “Relationships are built on mutual respect,” Ali explained. “Clients should be treated the way you would want to be treated. The same goes for other agents. This includes agents on your team, in your brokerage and on the other side of the transaction. When there’s mutual respect and honesty, a long-term relationship can be built; otherwise, you will lose credibility, and people will prefer not to deal with you.”

Outside of business, Ali enjoys running, and watching and playing football. He and his wife, Mirna, have been married for 16 years and have two boys, Mohamed Ali and Tyser. They enjoy watching movies together and hanging out with friends and family.

Ali’s career in real estate has been a natural extension of his enthusiasm and extraordinary focus on the needs and goals of his clients. Moving forward, he is most passionate about growing his business and reaching yearly goals while continuously reinvesting in his relationships. “In today’s real estate business, I don’t wait for properties or deals to hit the market,” Ali said. “I am committed to finding and creating deals. If need be, I will knock on people’s doors to put things together; I don’t wait for them to knock on mine.”

Ali T. Charara - Top Producer/COVER