#COMMUNITYOVEREVERYTHING: MEET TRESA TODD LUGTEN

In a relatively short time, COVID-19 has proven to be an incredibly disruptive force for an overwhelming percentage of our community. In this time of uncertainty, CityCentral is dedicated to addressing the concerns of our community and uplifting our members. As a part of our Community Over Everything Campaign, we aim to provide our community with advice on managing the current situation by giving a platform to those members who feel emboldened to lend their insight. Today we have been fortunate enough to talk with Tresa Todd Lugten, who tells us about her career and offers advice on how to approach working during COVID-19 

Tresa’s Road to Greatness: How It All Started

Tresa Todd Lugten is a real estate investor and the founder of the Womens Real Estate Investors Network.  As a real estate investor, Tresa focuses on buying and selling single family homes.  She was convinced by her three sons, successful real estate investors in the Dallas area themselves, to enter the business.  Despite not having any real estate knowledge when she started, it didn't take long for Tresa to become one of the top female investors and mentors in the industry.  It was during her time as a real estate investor that Tresa founded the Women's Real Estate Investors Network.  Tresa coaches, mentors, and teaches women how to become real estate investors.

"I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ENCOURAGING WOMEN AND INSPIRING, I’M JUST FOR WOMEN!"

Tresa began attending networking events with her sons who were starting the Dallas Real Estate Investors Network.  When she would walk into these networking events and see about 80 to 90 men and only 5 to 10 women, she felt inspired to start the Womens Real Estate Investors Network.  With only 3% of real estate investors being women,  Tresa started the Womens Real Estate Investors Network to change that.  Her first meeting had 40 women attend. Since then, thousands of women have come to the Dallas Real Estate Investors Network and changed their lives financially. 

What Does The Womens Real Estate Investors Network Do?

The Womens Real Estate Investors Network is unique in two ways : It is truly womens only in order to create a fun, laid back atmosphere, and they are unapologetically thorough and honest about negotiation, the market, and how to close deals. "We are going deep teaching people how to negotiate, how to market and find their deals, all the different strategies that you can use that are working right here in our area." Tresa believes there is no better place that a woman can go and get every single thing she needs if she is interested in becoming a real estate investor than her network. Her advice for women in the real estate investment world is to not freak out.  It is important to stay calm and remember that what we’re really doing is helping people solve problems.  And the most rewarding thing to Tresa?  Watching a woman get her very first deal.  

Adapting to COVID World

Covid-19 has presented many unique challenges to everyone in the business world.  Tresa's advice during this time is to just keep going.  “It may be necessary to make some tweaks or changes, but the most important thing is to not get distressed. With everything going on at the moment, there are going to be more people with problems now than there ever were before. Our job is to go out there and offer people a solution.  So, we just need to be prepared and ready to go out there and offer solutions that help people. It is important to make sure that we encourage them, not scare them.  You want to create a win-win for yourself and for them.” Tresa believes it is best to continue doing what you've always done while being extra thoughtful of people's current situation.  The best piece of advice Tresa has gotten in her career came from her son, Kelvin. “You don't have to know all the answers or have it all figured out.  Just get started and it will all unravel.”  As for how Tresa is adapting to the current situation, she is having a greater presence online.  Every day she hosts a Facebook live where she gives tips and will soon be doing online training on her website womensrein.com.  Don’t forget to join in on her Facebook live every day around noon!