Jennifer Surlas - From Court to Real Estate: A Pro Athlete's Playbook for Success

Shifting gears from the basketball court to the competitive landscape of real estate, Jennifer (Jen) Surlas brings the same tenacity to guiding clients through the maze of property buying and selling as she once did dodging defenders. This week, we sit down with the former collegiate and professional athlete turned real estate dynamo, who shares the secrets of her seamless transition into Angle Volkers Real Estate and Neighborhood Settlements. Surlas's stories are a slam dunk, revealing how the principles of teamwork and a spirited entrepreneurial approach shape her success in the housing market.

Within the heart of every home transaction are the relationships formed along the way, and that's where Jen's expertise really shines. Our conversation takes a turn into the intimate corridors of client connections, as she stresses the importance of authenticity and compatibility in these professional partnerships. We also pull back the curtain on her off-court strategy for juggling the demands of a high-flying career with the grounding force of family and self-care, including the role of fitness in maintaining her enviable drive and focus.

As we wrap up, Jen doesn't shy away from the tough topics that are reshaping the real estate playbook—think interest rate roller coasters and the scarcity of homes for sale, especially in affluent pockets. She kicks down the door on the realities facing buyers and sellers, and why, amid our infatuation with sleek new tech, personal touch still reigns supreme in the property game. Self-awareness in business isn't just a buzzword; for Surlas, it's the very foundation that elevates every interaction, every negotiation, every success. Join us for this compelling session that's less about listings and more about life lessons from the field to the firm.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:30

My full name is Jennifer Surlis. I go by Jen for the most part, or Surlis, kind of, resulting from my sports career. The name of my company is Angle Volkers Real Estate. So in fact I work for two different companies in the real estate industry. Angle Volkers is our real estate sales company and I also wear a second hat, which is for neighborhood settlements, which I'm a settlement agent. So a lot of people are a little confused about that. But, um, but that's kind of what I do. Awesome, can you tell me a?

Speaker 2: 1:00

little bit about those two um positions that you have, with two hats that you're holding here. For somebody like me who's not really like well-versed in the differences, would you mind sharing with our listeners the differences? Wouldn't mind at all. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:15

You're welcome. Real estate sales is simply real estate. You know basically taking buyers out, you know ushering sellers through the process. I've been doing this for 19 years and I absolutely adore it. The part that I love are the people and just working with folks every day. Different kinds of people, different kinds of transactions. Um, every day is different, which is amazing. Um, and, and that's really what I do. Real estate is not about unopening or opening doors to houses. Um, it's really about working with the people and gaining their trust and then finding them the home that best fits their family, or finding them, or finding that sale or that sale price, um, or walking into a room with them and saying you know what? Actually, you don't need to sell your home. This is the best fit for you based on what the market has right now. Um, so again, that's kind of who I am, um, and how I get my clients and how I keep my clients and how I want to continue to be.

Speaker 2: 2:18

And then can you tell me a little bit? You said you were in sports before. Can you touch on that a little bit and like your journey and how you got into sports and then how you got here into the real estate industry?

Speaker 1: 2:28

Yeah, absolutely, I'm born and raised in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Um, I was the youngest of three siblings, two older brothers, that kind of kicked me around. So I felt like I was molded from the jump as far as being an athlete and a competitor, and so I ended up coming to the Northern Virginia area back in 1997 to show transparency of age Great, thank you. I came to George Mason University to play basketball.

Speaker 1: 2:57

Wow, so I went to George Mason on a full athletic scholarship and coming out of western Pennsylvania, where I came from, was a big deal because it's very blue collar and everybody there. If you make it out of that area it's wonderful, and both myself and my two brothers that are were college football players. We've all made our journeys out of the area and into the sports world and I think that really molded us to who we are right now. So I played four years at George Mason on the basketball, played basketball, yeah, as a scholarship athlete and then finished in Mason in 2001 and went into Europe Overseas.

Speaker 2: 3:37

Whoa yeah, do they have basketball teams?

Speaker 1: 3:39

over there? I'm not. They do, I hope, depending on the locations, depending on what part of the area of Europe or wherever.

Speaker 2: 3:47

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:48

The leagues get bigger or smaller. So I played my first season in the Netherlands, which was incredible Wow. And then I played my second season in the Netherlands, which was incredible Wow. And then I played my second season in Turkey girl, you're just like a little globetrotter literally. Well, not quite if you know the basketball world, but yes, I did tour around and in hindsight wish I would have done it a little bit longer why didn't?

Speaker 1: 4:10

you. In fact, the reason why I didn't is when I finished my season in Turkey. That was in 2002. The world was going through, you know, some things and war and what have you, and I actually got invited to play for a semi-development league to the women's WNBA, which was a league called the NWBL and it was a league called the nwbl and it was a smaller league, and the team that I got sort of, I guess, placed on, if you will, was in alabama. Okay, um, and I met some really incredible folks there.

Speaker 1: 4:45

And then, um, prior to going there, I had touched down back in northern virginia and met a gentleman who did some organization, like some travel basketball organizations, and he had remembered me and gave me a call. He was opening, partnering with a couple of other gentlemen, and opening a new sports broadcasting company. So they called and they said hey, jen, we wanted you to kind of head up the women's basketball side of this new company that we're starting up. So I left basketball and came back to Leesburg Um, this is where our office was.

Speaker 1: 5:27

Um, everything comes full circle in life. And here I am, uh, many, many years later, but came back here and worked for that startup company for a year, and then I met a gentleman who, uh, was a pretty well-known real estate agent at that time and was an investor in that company, and then pulled me into real estate simultaneously. So that's how you got your feet dipped in there. That is how I got yeah, I segued right into real estate in my mind kind of from that professional playing time, which was real neat and something that I certainly cherish at this point in time.

Speaker 2: 5:57

How do you feel that being an athlete has shaped you with your current position now?

Speaker 1: 6:03

Wow, that's a good question, probably one of the most profound questions that I get, as being an entrepreneur, being an athlete, really molds you. It teaches you how to not just be a teammate but to work um, to fight, to win. Um, there certainly are losses as well, but it teaches you how to compete and it teaches you how to be a part of a team and how to work with other people, um, as well as you know um being on time and performing at your best at all times, because at the end of that that buzzer, that that shot clock, it's a win or a loss, and so that is kind of how I run my business today. I run it based on organization. You know, a perfect practice makes a perfect performance, and so that is how I certainly have translated my athletic career into my current real estate career.

Speaker 2: 7:00

Okay, Love that. And now can you tell me a little bit about marketing for your business? How are you getting the word out there? How are you getting out there to the people about your services? Are you big on social media?

Speaker 1: 7:11

or anything, um, you know what I got to be really honest with you, um, and that's the only way I am is very transparent, um, marketing is probably the most deficient part of me, um, as far as putting myself out there and engaging in, you know, certain events and being consistent in social media. That is one of my goals, and you know it seems like every year as I get older is to be consistent and to be present in the market and with people yes, and with events, because that's really how we get out, no matter what industry that we're in right Is that we are involved, um, that we meet people, that we people like us, that we like them, and that we ended up working together in some fashion. And for me, it's not about real estate, it's about adapting that report.

Speaker 2: 8:03

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:03

And then it could be a year, could be two years, three years down the road, but I want them to call me um, no matter what advice, but at the end of the day, how I earn a living and how you know, I feed my family and my children is by closing real estate deals. Absolutely, that is my end goal.

Speaker 2: 8:21

Yeah, and what is your um, one of your biggest tips on how to build relationships with your clients? Because it's not just about a transaction, it. What is your um, one of your biggest tips on how to build relationships with your clients? Because it's not just about a transaction, it's not just all right, well, have a good one, it was nice. You know, like how important is that to you?

Speaker 1: 8:36

Um, it's extremely important. It's, in fact, um, the most important thing to me is my relationship with my clients, my clients. Um, sometimes people tell me this is a good thing or a bad thing is that I ended up being friends with my clients. My clients are my friends and my friends are my clients, and those kind of are interchangeable to me because I myself, I am who I am and as I've gotten older, I've realized that I can walk up to anybody, whether I'm, you know, dressed professionally or I tend to work at times in my athletic attire and look, if you will. But I'm just very honest. I'm very transparent and, like I remind my kids every night and every morning, be yourself, and that's who I am. I am myself.

Speaker 2: 9:30

I love that. Yeah, that's great advice actually, because you do put up a front. I feel like you'll get so tired. So just be yourself, and people who are meant to work with you and want to be around you will be around you.

Speaker 1: 9:40

It's just everybody wins and you know, as you say, that it goes the same for the professional person. Sometimes you come across people that just aren't a good fit for you and that you can tell that they don't appreciate who you are or that you are yourself. They want you to be something else, and it's taken many years and many simple answers of no right. But I'm okay with not working with those people.

Speaker 2: 10:11

Here we go. That's right. It's like it's not for everybody and that's okay. It doesn't have to be like anything, that it's just everybody can find who is best for them and that's why it's a hundred percent. Yes, sorry.

Speaker 1: 10:17

It's okay, it's you know, it is allergy season out here.

Speaker 2: 10:22

It is and I'm kind of choking on my water too. Yeah, so let me get another sip. But here it is and I'm kind of choking on my water too. Yeah, so let me get another sip. But, um, you know, that's a great answer, thank you. And then, what do you like to do on your free time? Are you still playing basketball?

Speaker 1: 10:33

on your own. I haven't touched a basketball and I can't. Well, I take the fact.

Speaker 2: 10:38

I do touch a basketball.

Speaker 1: 10:40

I have an eight-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter that are active in sports as well, and we we do not. I do not push them to playing a certain sport, um, but we do have some neighbors that have some basketball hoops as well as we do, so I do touch a basketball, um, but my passion is to just really stay in shape and to work out.

Speaker 1: 11:00

I think again that as I get older, I keep saying that and prefacing that with a lot of prefacing, a lot of questions with that. It's really important to stay active and to find our release right. Yes, what makes us happy? What gets our endorphins going? What, you know, what makes us smile, what makes us feel the best, so that we can deliver the best. And so my routine is fitness. You know, to an extent, I mean I like to play hard and work hard, um, but I do cherish getting into the gym, um, going for a walk when the sun is at its best and um, and eating healthy. You know when I can control that. So that is really like my. My true love outside of my family and my real estate business is, um, making me be the best, whatever I can do to fuel myself.

Speaker 2: 11:50

So love that. And then, how are you finding balance to do all of this and then hold your two positions in the real estate market?

Speaker 1: 11:58

Um, it's. That's an excellent question, um, and that answer changes on an annual basis, if not a monthly or daily basis. It's taken a lot of time. I've worked in both industries or the same industry but in both companies for, like I said earlier, 19 years, having my real estate settlement license two weeks prior to getting my realtor license, and sometimes life gets really busy. Her license, um, and sometimes life gets really busy, um, but I've learned over the years that what is most important to me, which is my family and my health, um, that comes first and foremost, and so that has been kind of at the top of my mind and at least I try to get back to that, um if I lose sight of it, to just kind of keep that balance. Um, and a part of that balance is taking care of myself, because we can all take care of other people, um our children, our spouses, our partners and our clients, but if we don't take care of ourselves, guess what? We're not the best version of ourselves.

Speaker 2: 13:01

We're not, that's so true. And often, uh, look over sometimes, but not intentionally, maybe intentionally, but I think it just you're subconsciously doing that and you forget like, hey, you need to care for yourself before you're going to care for others, because you're the only one you Absolutely and honestly I talk to my clients about that too- you know and they appreciate that.

Speaker 1: 13:25

You know, I'm like like, hey, I'm actually in the gym right now, I'll be back in 45 minutes and I'm on top of that, and they trust that I'm going to deliver. Yes, and that's all earned over time.

Speaker 2: 13:36

Yes, but it's about being honest and knowing what you need and kind of going from there and now what have been some struggles that you are facing right now in the real estate industry, that you have learned to either kind of pivot or work with it with any issues that are going on that is on the exterior or on the interior, or I'll use my sports analogy, which I always do on the court, actually participating in the game or sitting in the stands is for buyers.

Speaker 1: 14:17

Is the interest rates right? We all look back to, you know, three years ago, four years ago, when the rates were, you know, under 3% and we were buying and we were able to afford the homes. I mean, let's be honest, we live in the, the melting pot right of the United States. For the most part we live in, the most we would leave. We live in the wealthiest County and being here in Loudoun County and so finding homes for people at such a high interest rate is a challenge right now. Some of our folks that we've been working with for years could afford a home at X price when the interest rates double. Guess what? That cuts their buying power in half as well. So it's all relative. So that's really difficult for buyers.

Speaker 1: 14:57

In addition to that is the inventory. You know there's a lack of inventory right now because what guess again my sports analogy you can't win on both sides of the field. So you can't sell at the highest price point and then segue into a home at ease. You're going to fight for it? Yep, you're going to overpay for it. You're going to compete for it? Um, but you might get it. So that that's the biggest challenge when I meet with people. If you're a seller and you're selling and you're downsizing or you're relocating or, for unforeseen circumstances, you're going to be in temporary housing or rentals. You're going to thrive as a seller right now, just with the amount of demand for homes and the lack of supply.

Speaker 1: 15:46

Yeah, so that's. Those are really the biggest challenges right now.

Speaker 2: 15:50

Yes, Thank you for giving us some insight and words of wisdom there. You're welcome, you're welcome Um, and how are you keeping up with technology in order to, like, help you guys and staying on top of that, like any AI use, or just staying on top of the market, like anything that helps you as far as resources?

Speaker 1: 16:08

That's really hard. I think technology is a very difficult thing to stay up on, especially somebody at my age, in the mid-40s, where technology wasn't our focus. We could perform, we could maintain Instagram and all those things, but now that we've got all these AIs and we've got these things and um, I'll tell you a funny story about that actually, um, but it's impossible to keep up with technology, in my personal opinion. Um, so I try to to hone in on the statistics and how I can best serve my clients. That's first and foremost. And then if I can expand that through platforms that are available that I can take the time to understand, then that's an asset. But I never I never focus on keeping up with, because you can sit there all day and try to learn new things. I did use one of the chat bot things.

Speaker 2: 17:06

Probably chat GPT or something like that. Yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 17:08

For something just again. You know, an aid in synonyms and things like that for a description of something, yeah, and it kind of bit me in the tail.

Speaker 2: 17:18

Oh no.

Speaker 1: 17:19

It was funny. It actually cost me a gift card to what I was listing a property. And again, I could get in trouble for this. But I'm honest and I don't mean to do anything. But I simply had the chat bot assist me with the description of this condo, right, yes? So I put the description, I put my request in, and so what I ended up doing was putting in the description of the listing that there were stools based on the you know intelligent chat bot, um said that stools conveyed and the agent called me out on it that rented the property.

Speaker 1: 17:56

And he was like Jen, where are the stools? And I'm like, what are you talking about? And I had to go back and, sure enough, I put it in there because I did use, I loved, like that sentence. So I threw that sentence there, changed it up a little bit, you know, and then clicked active and then he ended up renting it to his son. Okay, he calls me up and I said you know what, jim, I got, to be honest with you, I totally goofed up. And this guy is one of the older realtors. He was phenomenal but he was older, so he didn't even catch my whole chat Like that, didn't even go anywhere with him.

Speaker 1: 18:34

So I had I ended up sending an Amazon $150 gift certificate to his son, as a you know an apology for misleading, if you will that there were stools that conveyed with the condo.

Speaker 2: 18:49

So there's my lesson. Is that a lesson learned? That is?

Speaker 1: 18:53

my lesson on trying to keep up with technology.

Speaker 2: 18:55

Okay, it's not for everybody, right, it's not for everybody. Hey, it's not for everybody. I tried it, okay. Well, thank you for sharing that story with us.

Speaker 1: 19:02

I think I'm going to go back to the grassroots of writing my own things. Right?

Speaker 2: 19:06

Yes, Lesson learned, lesson learned and also, it's also nice that some people are not using ai. It's like it'd be weird if everybody, every single person, it was the thing right. It's like not, you kind of lose your essence a little bit I agree, the human touch of it all and it's nice and refreshing to see when people are like I'm not really into like the social media thing. You just like, you do like, like you said, grassroots, like shaking hands, talking to people in one-on-one as opposed to like sending a video.

Speaker 2: 19:34

It's just like just make that effort to maybe meet up for coffee as opposed to just sending the video. I think that's that means a lot.

Speaker 1: 19:41

Yeah, I, I, I typically do kind of dial back to the grassroots when we when I, I mean gosh, this is probably 15 years now. I mean gosh, it's probably 15 years now the owner of my company, julie Brody, of Angle Enlopers and Neighborhood Choice Realty, who is kind of our rental division of this, the company, she loaded herself, myself and a few other gals, we loaded backpacks up with flyers and we walked miles to townhome communities dropping our cards and our flyers and just introducing ourselves and that's sort of how we built our company um, and built our business and kind of got some really good momentum.

Speaker 2: 20:21

Oh, I love that. It's cute Like you get to go out, be with your friends, talk to people, shake hands. I love that.

Speaker 1: 20:26

Yeah, and for me too, it was a workout.

Speaker 2: 20:29

See, everything has to lead to a workout, doesn't it?

Speaker 1: 20:32

If I'm going to, do something and I'm going to be out there, I'm going to do it right. And you know, at that point I don't think we had watches to start our walk as far as the workouts go, but yeah, no, it was certainly a win-win situation.

Speaker 2: 20:45

Okay, love that. And as far as sports, is basketball the only sport you've ever played, because to me you seem like a triathlon type of girl or something.

Speaker 1: 20:52

I am not a triathlon, let me clear that up. So when I was younger, in high school I played softball, volleyball and basketball.

Speaker 2: 21:01

Okay, I knew you played something. I was like she's too fit. There's no way she could play basketball.

Speaker 1: 21:05

But it's been obviously many, many years since I've participated in an active sport. Participated in an active sport, um, but I did have the passion to play volleyball or basketball in college and then I was pulled to George Mason, um, by an assistant coach who ended up being a head coach for many years, by the name of Debbie Tannehill, who actually works in real estate now with me Um, we're on the same in the same brokerage. Um, she has since gone to the yoga side of athletics.

Speaker 1: 21:32

Okay, um, if you will calm yes, calming, um, very good for our industry of the hustle and bustle, Um, but she's pulled me into some yoga which again I need to get back into to be more consistent in that.

Speaker 2: 21:45

How do you like it? Cause it's not, as like you know, crazy intense, but it's a lot of like bending and stretching and breathing. You know it's amazing.

Speaker 1: 21:51

Um, it is so good, it's you, you feel so refreshing afterwards. You do feel like you're stretching, because when you play sports and you grind, oh yes, you hurt and yes, it feels good and yes, you may win or you may lose, but you don't get that stretch and you don't get those words like they're in yoga, the practice itself. If you can get into it and you can be conscious and aware of the words that are being said and the breathing that's being done as you're performing in that moment and that moment, that's huge and that's a real challenge for me. So that's why I like to do yoga, yeah, and I like to participate in that. But really now I've gone from a couple of co-ed softball leagues over the last five years and doing yoga consistently with Debbie and her classes and then just to my own regimen at the gym.

Speaker 2: 22:43

So that's really. And then what are your kids playing in sports right now? Any basketball, no.

Speaker 1: 22:49

No, my kids are not in basketball. They have not. They're a little young. They're getting to the age where they may start to dabble in a league or something like that.

Speaker 2: 22:57

Eight, seven and eight yeah, they're still little.

Speaker 1: 22:59

They're 16 months apart. My daughter is seven. She's in soccer. She's our little feisty, you know, fighter, and our son is more of the engineer type of brain. Okay, and our son is more of the engineer type of brain.

Speaker 2: 23:15

But he's our little husky guy.

Speaker 1: 23:16

He's in flag football here in Loudoun. So get them started. You know, our goal is for them to have fun, and I want them to understand how to win and lose in life and how to be a part of a team. And so you know, with children it's constant lessons, no matter what.

Speaker 2: 23:32

I feel like the way you you talk about sports is so different, because I feel like the way I look at sports, because I'm not a sports person, I'm just like, oh, it's just like about teens and like rooting, and that's just me coming from the outside looking in.

Speaker 2: 23:45

But the way you say it is like, yes, you are learning a lot of things. It's more than just about like watching it on TV and like when you're actively participating in it, you're around other peers, you're learning how to work with them and how to work with it yourself. It's more than just like, yeah, let's go. Team, that's my team, that's it. Like my team, my team. But ears, breaking it down for me in a way that I usually don't think about sports because I'm not a sports person. Right, it's a different outlook, like the way you're using it, even just to raise your kids and teach them like some great character traits, like in the. In the real world, I don't think about that, but the way you see it is more than just like oh, it's just sport, like I want. I want to win, win, win, win. It's completely different and I usually my husband loves sports like, okay, football, and I'm just like I don't get it Because he doesn't talk about it in this way and the way you talk about it is amazing.

Speaker 2: 24:36

Like it just completely changes the narrative. For me it's not. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's more just like.

Speaker 1: 24:45

It does, and there's so much more to sports. You know sports is not just a physical thing, it's a mental thing. Yeah, you know sports is not just a physical thing, it's a mental thing. Yeah, and then that really is again trying to teach my children as far as okay, if you're losing, how do you carry yourself, you know how are you sitting on the sidelines. So those are the conversations that you know we're having with kids nowadays and it's really important.

Speaker 1: 25:08

And then teaching them how to accept, you know, a win or a loss, because that carries on forever. I mean that carries into my days. You know I could being approaching a two and a half million dollar listing tomorrow and get there and being all pumped up for my game, right, my start time, my, my buzzer to go off, and then at the end of that game that buzzer goes off and that seller may buzzer to go off, and then at the end of that game that buzzer goes off and that seller may look at me and go you're not the right fit for me, and I have to look them in the eye and say I respect that.

Speaker 2: 25:41

Yeah, and if I, if you change your mind.

Speaker 1: 25:44

Please know that I'm here versus number one, feeling, you know, awful, but number two, most importantly, showing them how I feel you know. So I feeling awful, but number two, and most importantly, showing them how I feel. So the mindset, the way you carry yourself in athletics is really true to any occupation.

Speaker 2: 26:02

Wow, I feel like I wish I had played sports now, because I was like I'm not a sports girl, but no it's more than that.

Speaker 2: 26:11

It's building all these character traits. It's building how to learn to cope in the real world, and it's nice that you have a coach and parents that can help them guide you. I don't know, I just think that's amazing, and maybe I I mean it's never too old, right, but like it's best when you're young too, to yeah, when you grow you take it in like a sponge. So absolutely, I think that's amazing. Thank you for sharing that piece. I was just a little bit curious and wanted to dive deep into that a little bit more.

Speaker 2: 26:34

And now for my final question. If you could leave our listeners with any piece of advice or anything that's in your heart it can be in regards to sports, life, real estate, anything what would that message be?

Speaker 1: 26:53

Wow, that is. That's going to take me a second, it's okay, um. I think the most important thing, um, as just again, thriving in business, uh, winning, losing, you know, understanding those parts of life the best thing that you can do, the most important thing that you can do is be aware, be conscious of yourself, how you are, but of how the other people are too, so that you can best respond to that Um, so that you can be your best self for yourself and for the other person that's across the table from you or across a transaction from you, or on the other side of the phone with you. That's probably the most important thing for me is just to be aware, be a conscious, to be present, absolutely thank you so much for being here today and talking to me and sharing your stories.

Speaker 2: 27:43

We really appreciate it, thank you. Thank you for having me.