Stars to Watch 2015: Nicholas Hoffer

Senior Managing Director & COO, Hunt Mortgage Group L.L.C.

Most Proud Of: His dual roles of senior managing director and COO give Hoffer a host of responsibilities, including overseeing operations, servicing and business intelligence functions, as well as coordinating the firm’s information technology. And then there’s managing the firm’s process improvement programs and serving as a member of the executive management team. However, what stands out in his mind as the most rewarding of his accomplishments is “being able to provide clean and safe homes for families that otherwise would be living in possibly dangerous situations.”

Secrets to Success: What works for him, he said, is his “inclusive and perfecting style of work and management” and his “creative problem-solving skills.” Surrounding himself with professionals who excel at their jobs is critical, too.

Greatest Challenges: “Building a career during some of the most turbulent times for real estate has been difficult. A lot of opportunities were created by the turmoil; being able to differentiate myself quickly was difficult at times, given so many talented individuals pursuing the same opportunities.”

Best Advice Received: It has come from many of his managers: Don’t make mistakes. “One mistake is O.K., two is not good and three gets you fired. I was trained that when I deliver work product, it has to be right.”

Advice to Others: There’s no single path to a career in real estate; people frequently settle in a part of the industry they didn’t originally consider.  “(Hopefuls should) keep focusing on the fundamentals and let their careers take them to wherever they’ll end up finding the most success,” Hoffer said. “When your interests and your strengths align, you’ll find it.”

—Barbra Murray

CPE selected 17 individuals and teams as the 2015 Stars to Watch. Details on their accomplishments appear in the February 2015 issue.