When Song Zhang set out to purchase her first home, she was overwhelmed with questions and anxieties as to how to navigate the process. Luckily, she was paired with an agent who could field every question along the way, and who’d soon become her mentor. Inspired by her experience and the opportunities real estate can afford others, she decided to earn her license. That was five years ago, and today Song Zhang has established herself as professional leader in her community, complete with a reputation for savvy investment strategies and a personal touch.

Today, Song leads a team of seven as the head of her own brokerage. Serving buyers, sellers, and investor clientele across North Jersey—particularly the areas of Jersey City, Hoboken, Short Hills, and Marlboro. There, she has managed to drive more than 60% of repeat and referral clientele alone. Prior to her career in real estate, Song built a career as a data analyst on Wall Street and analyzed Mortgage Backed securities, and she parlays this practical experience and financing knowledge, when leading her clients to select dream home and high returned investment properties. “Buying or selling real estate is one of the biggest purchases in my clients’ lives,” she says, “and I remember when I purchased my first home. I had so many questions, but my agent answered the phone and guided me. I do the same thing for my clients. I’m there for them no matter the hour, and because of my research-heavy background, I’m able to provide the best information.”

Likewise, Song is an investor herself, and understands home values and strategic pricing. “I do everything I can to help my clients in selling or choosing the right property,” she says. “I help them make the most of the transaction by making sound investments. Some of the people I’ve worked with hade been able to happily retire after working together over the years.” When marketing properties, Song preps each listing prior to market before exposing homes across a range of listing platforms and social media outlets. She also taps into her native Chinese community to lure prospective buyers. In 2017, she closed over $20 million in volume, with the average price point of her listings ranging from $600,000 to $1.3 million.

Beyond the office, Song gives back to her community through her local church in Jersey City, and through sponsorship of a Chinese language school. In her free hours, she most enjoys time spent with her family and loved ones.

As for the future, Song intends to keep progress steady as she further developers her brokerage and fosters her growing team of real estate professionals. “This is a people business,” she says, “and it’s all about team work. I want everyone on my team to enjoy and find success in their careers.” Now, with five years of insight, Song Zhang consider what she enjoys most about her chosen field. “It makes me so happy to move people into their homes and see how their lives change,” she says. “Sometimes they’ve just gotten married or have had children. There’s nothing more rewarding them watching them grow.