International Men's Day

Why Alex Ventura, Senior Valuer is our inspirational man this International Men's Day.

How do you try to be a role model for those in your team?
My Branch Manager has always advocated that ‘It’s better to be a radiator than a drainer’ and I can proudly say that I have been placed in the former category. Working in an Estate Agency is no picnic, but it’s also incredibly rewarding in both a personal and professional sense. Whether it’s celebrating a new listing, agreeing a sale or completing on a particularly complicated chain of transactions, make sure your positivity and passion for your role emanates from your desk to your team as the heat from the proverbial ‘radiator’ emanates from the office heating appliances. Positivity and success are always catching – spread about it and the whole team benefits. It helps that I’m also blessed with excellent role models in and out of work that have in turn inspired me in my profession. With the Heaton Moor Branch having won Branch of the Year for our wider organisation two years in a row, we have a lot to be positive about and our passion is producing results!

2What inspired you to start a career in property?
I’m proud of my family heritage and am fortunate to have a plethora of role models in the Ventura family to look up to – and this is what inspired me to start a career in property. Despite having completed a Bachelor's Degree and being selected for a scholarship to undertake a Master's Degree in European History, my vocation lies in property. My grandparents and in turn my parents have successfully built up a private landlord portfolio started in the 1950s in South Manchester and progressively grown over the subsequent decades. My older brother also works as a Chartered Surveyor for one of the largest builders in the UK. Having began as a Lettings Specialist acceded to my present position as a Senior Valuer, I’m also following in the footsteps of my relatives by building my own private portfolio. Perhaps I should have ‘seen the wood for the trees’ during my formative years and realised the Venturas will always find a home in property.

How has your journey with your brand evolved so far?
I joined Julian Wadden in 2021 during the hectic years as the world was taking baby steps out of the Covid-19 Pandemic. As a Valuer, working in such an affluent and active market was a challenge, but one that I was more than happy to step up to. To this day, writing this article, it’s been a privilege to be part of such a hard-working and constantly evolving brand that has gone from strength to strength with each passing year upholding a sterling reputation in the local area. Hopefully we have proved that the tried and tested high-street independent model is not a relic of the past amongst the recent novel online/hybrid agency flirtations, but indeed the future of Estate Agency in the UK.

What do you love about your job?
Some people love their job and others loathe it – I’m lucky enough to be in the former. I’ve always advocated that all young adults should take part in an internship as an Estate Agent – a job where no two days are the same, where every day is a new opportunity to generate business, where the skills you learn and various roles you naturally take on prepare you for more than just selling houses. I’m sure when I signed up for the job as a Valuer at Julian Wadden, the roles of becoming a marriage counsellor between rival factions in a sale and becoming so fluent in conveyancing legalities I could add ‘Paralegal’ to my CV certainly didn’t feature in the job description. Being an Estate Agent takes character, ambition and empathy and can open up doors to not only progression within your brand but developing yourself as a person and increasing your confidence and wherewithal outside of work. I can say with some certainty my job has done exactly that.

What advice would you give to younger people entering the property industry?
A former Manager of mine once professed that ‘people from your university-educated background either sink or swim very quickly in this industry’. 18 months later I was promoted to Valuation/Assistant Manager of one of our branches. My advice would be that anyone wanting to enter this industry needs to be able to learn to ‘swim’ quicky – by being willing to learn on the job and wanting to climb the proverbial ladder. My early months in agency in 2015 were a baptism of fire being thrown in the deep end that no Master's Degree could adequately prepare me for. We also often joke in our Heaton Moor Office that we should return to Estate Agency School whenever we make trivial mistakes, but even ten years in a classroom being taught theory by the best would pale in comparison to the lessons learnt in an office on the job in your probation period.

How do you take care of your physical and mental well-being?
I’m a serial advocate of taking care of your physical and mental well-being, but like many others in my industry struggle to find the time to carry through with my preaching. Recently, I’ve found a daily solo walk even for half an hour can be a tonic for the mind and soul, not because it’s particularly physically taxing but because it’s the only time during a busy day I have time to completely switch off from a demanding, but rewarding daily work routine. Having a close relationship with family and friends is also vital to keeping yourself healthy in 2025 – being able to vent to my wife and parents but also having the joy of my two year old running for a cuddle as soon as I come through the door from work are something I couldn’t possibly do without. And are key reasons why I am able to take on the challenges and make the most of opportunities in the property industry day in, day out.

Do you have a particular moment or accomplishment you are proud of?
Apart from being selected as the Inspiring Man for my brand? I’m incredibly proud of applying the lessons I’ve learnt in the property industry to begin building my own private rental portfolio. Without the confidence and knowledge built during my decade in Estate Agency, I would have never had the conviction to buy, develop, refinance and let out the properties I have under my name. My wife and I have just this year also began working together to start our own portfolio – quite the venture, but one we are more than prepared for.

What's a fun fact about you?
Magically, I was selected to be an extra in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets at ten years old. I’m also often likened in appearance to Danny Dyer, albeit without the accent or acting ability. As my amateur acting career never really took off, I think I’ll stick to being a Senior Valuer at Julian Wadden Estate Agents.