As Devonte Saunders walks through a luxury condo in his hometown of Atlanta, he can’t help but reflect on his years growing up as a child in the foster care system. The word “home” was always a foreign word to him, considering that he never had one. In fact, during one stretch of his childhood between 2004 and 2009, he was forced to move between 10 different foster families. Now, fast forward to more than a decade later, and life has an entirely new meaning for the 25-year-old father, entrepreneur, and realtor. As the owner of his own company EXP Realty, Saunders helps other people to find their dream homes and to build the lives they have always desired.
It’s a full-circle moment for him. “Being able to do what I do is amazing,” he said. ” I never really had a home. Any time I started to settle somewhere, I had to pack my bags up and leave all over again. So, being in a position today to help others find security and comfort is an extraordinary feeling. I can’t really explain it.” On a daily basis, Saunders works with everyday families, but he considers his specialty to be his work with high-profile celebrity clients. As Atlanta continues to make its mark as the “Hollywood of the South”, he has tackled opportunities to present some of the most luxurious properties to music artists, actors, athletes, and high-powered businessmen and women.
“I show a lot of condos and multi-million dollar properties, I do it all.” I do not do rentals, but when it comes to real estate, I am involved in everything from commercial, residential, land, and investments.”Saunders credits his success to his perseverance, which he developed as a foster child. Not to mention, he is a connector. When he is not showing properties or creating video tours for his clients who are unable to physically attend a showing, he is making his rounds at networking events, promoting his business, and strengthening his brand.
“You have to be willing to get out there and meet new people, shake hands and pass out your business cards if you want to succeed,” Saunders said. “You don’t just enter the industry and all of a sudden you are selling stuff. You have to build relationships. Next, you have to build your brand. If you are afraid to do that, you will not succeed because you will not get clients.”
Aside from his social media, one of the ways Saunders is strengthening his brand is through education and creating products. Recently, he released a new book “This Could Be Your House,” a guide detailing everything a person needs to know about homeownership.