By: Joshua Finley

The story of Christopher Harrison is not only a victory in the field of real estate but a story full of determination, changes, and vision. Beginning the journey as a young businessman directly out of high school in Alexandria, Virginia, Harrison has created a significant position in the real estate market. It reveals the drive that underlines business acumen within the USA and the opportunities that can be inherent in such a sector as real estate.

Early Beginnings and Entrepreneurial Spirit

“I started off at Alexandria, Virginia and then about 25 years or so, I moved to Baltimore, Maryland. That’s kind of the origin of where I’m really from,” Harrison shares about his early life. Unlike many other real estate tycoons, he did not start his journey with university degrees or climbing the corporate ladder. Contrary to this, as soon as Harrison completed high school, he immersed himself in the business world.

“I was an average guy, went to high school, then after high school, I started my own business,” Harrison explains. His initial business experience was getting involved in clothing stores and car washes, which gave him a general understanding of business basics and the value of cash and customers.

Transition to Real Estate

Expansion into real estate was partly through luck or contingency and partly by choice through a strategic turn. “I had a hauling company… I started thinking I like hauling and cleaning out houses,”  he recalled. In essence, this cleaning opportunity provided him with the impetus to enter the real estate market in Baltimore, and as a cleaner, he was able to meet other real estate players in the city.

“One guy pretty much changed everything,” Harrison recalls. This meeting enlightened him about the financial side of owning real estate, which involves purchasing, repairing, and reselling the houses. His tutor was involved in the property business, owning hundreds of houses, and he introduced Harrison to the best features of real estate investment before the market plunged to a low in 2008.

Photo: Pexels.com

Building a Real Estate Empire

Harrison recalls his early days in real estate investing: “My partner pretty much brought the equity piece to the table.” He began with no capital to invest in the business and relied on partnerships and borrowing to fuel his buying of properties. “I found a guy, a seller. He was just a guy that owned a sub shop and he was trying to sell these houses… I had all my pieces in place.”

However, victory in the real estate business is never in a straight line. The financial crisis in 2008 was a great shock. “I went down from 22 houses to about two houses,” he states, showing the strength that one may need to survive and come out of such a situation. He learned that it does not only take financial skills to make profitable decisions but also the ability to endure market swings.

Key Strategies and Insights

Christopher Harrison’s success in real estate is built on several key strategies:

Relationship Building 

Harrison is keen on building and nurturing relationships, knowing that real estate remains a people business.

Market Timing

Drawing from the experience of the market crash, he acquired an excellent perception of when to invest and when to retain security.

Diversification

This gave Harrison a clue on how to avoid being greatly affected by the market fluctuation. He invested in different kinds of property and even had a bar at some point.

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Insights and Advice for Aspiring Real Estate Investors

For those looking to dive into the real estate market, Harrison offers sage advice: “When people say you don’t need any money to get into real estate, I think that’s not entirely true… You can use other people’s money, but you need some of your own.”

His experience also brought into focus the importance of being prepared to embrace opportunities, the virtue of gaining something from every scenario, and the impact of relationship building. “It’s not just about finding deals; it’s also about making sure you can handle the deals when you find them,” he noted. Christopher Harrison’s story from a young, ambitious businessman to a property mogul is inspiring one to ambition, aggressiveness, and the relentless quest for success. He also encourages others to consider real estate as a viable investment and business opportunity.

To learn more about Christopher Harrison and his businesses, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.

Published By: Aize Perez