Investing Talks
Name: Pedro Castro
Age: 51
Country of birth: Portugal
City of residence: Braga
Let's start our conversation by finding out a little more about Pedro Castro's history and career: childhood, youth, first steps in his professional career, first dreams...
Raised in Vila Real, with the dreams common to any child, I started working in the commercial sector and stayed there.
Pedro, first of all, congratulations on 3 years at Invest 351, could you share with us a summary of your journey at Invest 351 over the last three years?
It was a day that began with lunch with three friends and, as a result of a little curiosity, slowly but surely began to take on a serious tone.
The first steps were slow but with interest, the learning process was based on initial needs, helped by the experience I had in the commercial area, as well as the contact with clients and the sharing of knowledge that Rui and João always did.
From then on, the taste developed and what was exploratory began to become professional; at that point, you try to grow on a daily basis, learning from the past, from observation and from trying to turn what you realise has worked into practice.
An essential premise: do unto others as we would have them do unto us.
"Competition is the best there can be, it forces us to continually improve. The way we stand out is through our ability to read the market, knowing how to adapt what we have to the client in question and, in the same way, being able to provide a different service."
What were the biggest challenges you faced during these three years and how did you overcome them?
Learning technical concepts and managing buyer heterogeneity.
What was the most rewarding or memorable moment you experienced during your time at Invest 351?
It's always gratifying to see that what we do works and that, in this way, we not only contribute to our own fulfilment but, even better and much more importantly, we manage to help those who come to us!
How have you seen the property market evolve in recent years and what impact has this had on your work?
The dynamism of the market forces us to choose the best practices so that we can deliver what is expected of us.
What are the main values or principles of Invest 351 that you incorporate into your daily work?
A strong ethical sentiment that, in simple words, can be summarised in what I described above as "doing to others what we would like them to do to us".
How do you keep up to date with property market trends and new industry practices?
Absorbing information that is published and exchanging opinions with those who are, admittedly, industry insiders and, in some cases, tend to be opinion makers.
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Could you share a recent success story or project that you've been involved in at Invest 351?
Having helped an emigrant Portuguese client buy a house in Portugal for the day he returns.
How would you describe the working environment at Invest 351 and how does it contribute to your success as a property consultant?
When we work with friends things tend to go well, and in this case the final balance is very positive.
I would also emphasise the criteria with which Invest 351 recruits new employees, always trying to ensure that the profiles interact harmoniously with those who are already part of the team and, above all, ensuring that there is a strong sharing of values.
How do you view the competition in the property sector and what is your strategy for standing out in the market?
Competition is the best there can be; it forces us to improve continuously. The way we stand out is through our ability to read the market, knowing how to adapt what we have to the client in question and, in the same way, being able to provide a different service.
Invest 351, being a one-stop shopis able to bring almost unrivalled value to our clients, by doing more and in a different way, not limiting itself to fundraising and the house huntingBut they manage to serve the customer in a complete and comfortable way, adding professionalism and competence to every interaction.
What are the main characteristics you look for in a potential property investment and how do you assess its return potential?
Profitability, whether it's a yeld from passive income, whether it's ROI, as long as we're evaluating investments with a strong return on investment. flipping. What we do in these cases is analyse the market's behaviour and, property by property, try to create a matrix that combines a series of parameters that have proved crucial to the investment's performance; from there we can move on to more informed advice, which brings more value and translates into superior predictive capacity.
How has your previous experience, before joining Invest 351, influenced your performance and approach in your current role?
Coming from an industry that paid a lot of attention to the customer and had a high level of sophistication, as well as having access to a lot of information, means that I try to provide myself with the same conditions. If I can't do it perfectly, the effort remains, and that effort translates into a better service for those who come to us.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering entering the property sector and wants to pursue a career similar to yours?
Take yourself seriously and work hard, try to absorb as much knowledge as possible and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Would you like to leave a message for the stakeholders in the property sector who are with us at the Investing Talks at Invest 351?
The message is to continue - all of you - to produce and share knowledge, to create value, to innovate and to believe that we will all grow with a better-informed, better-resourced and stronger sector, with better-trained professionals capable of adding value to clients. In addition, we will always have to thank you for seeing us as credible partners to the point of sharing your time with us.