Jason Gracey is a broker associate for RE/MAX Vintage in Cypress.

What was your first job in the realty industry?
I’ve been in real estate around 12 years and came on as a regular agent for my wife’s aunt, who has been in real estate for 40 years.

Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised here in Houston. I’ve bounced around quite a bit – I’ve lived downtown, out here in the Cypress/Spring area, the west side of town, Spring Ranch, Memorial area, all over.

What is your favorite free-time activity?
I home brew beer, go swimming with the kids and go on camping trips with the family. I also enjoy cycling and photography.

What do you do to relax when you’re stressed?
I unplug all modern devices and just take in the time. I also like reading, cycling and swimming in my pool.

Growing up, what did you want to be?
I wanted to be a lawyer for a while – not many people can say they wanted to be a lawyer when they were five years old. I also thought advertising was interesting.

If you could have lunch with a well-known figure (living or not), who would it be and why?
Ronald Reagan. He was so instrumental and brought a lot of change throughout the world during a tough time. I read a few books about him, and I think he’s a brilliant person in a lot of different ways.

Where is your favorite place to hang out?
I just bought a new home with a wonderful backyard, and my home office overlooks it. So, I really like hanging out here. There’s a local tavern nearby with a lot of craft beers, so my wife and I like to go for burgers and beer there as well.

What do you love most about the industry?
I like meeting lots of different people. I’m an easy-going person and like to listen to people. I like to find out about all of my clients. I have people from all over the world, with different professions, so to me, it’s fascinating to learn about their cultures or what they do in a specific job.

How do you distinguish yourself from the crowd of agents?
I listen and be myself. I talked with a lady on the phone this week for less than five minutes, and during the conversation, she said, “You seem to be a pretty easy-going guy, and you’re real easy to talk to.” A lot of agents just tell their clients what they want to hear and treat them like a number. I treat them like a normal person. I put all the information out there – if it doesn’t float their boat, so be it, but I like not having to be someone or something that I’m not.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
The time demands. Clients want to call you at 9:00 at night, and you have to be on-call 24/7. It comes with the job. It’s definitely a benefit, but at times it’s a curse.

Where do you go to network and meet new clients?
Really, just all over. I attend some networking groups in the area, and that helps build relationships with other people that can turn into into referrals.

What has been your greatest accomplishment?
Raising four kids.

What was the last good movie you saw or book you read?
The last good movie we saw was the new “Star Trek”.

What is your favorite restaurant?
My family and I really like Locatelli’s Pizza.

Architecturally speaking, what is your favorite building in Houston?
Not a lot of people know about this, but there is this building called the Lanier Theological Library. This lawyer had this church brought over brick by brick from Europe and on his own private property, he had the church and he had this entire theological library with literature from all religions, and it’s open to the public. The spot looks like a European village, and it is beautiful.

What kind of car do you drive?
I drive a Ford F-150 pickup truck.

Smartphone or Paper?
Smartphone.

What is your favorite city after Houston?
Austin, TX.

In 10 words or less, what is your advice for someone new to the industry?
Persevere. Hold onto your money. Educate yourself, and be yourself.

What’s your favorite Real Estate iPhone/ Blackberry app?
DocuSign. You can use it on a computer or a smartphone.

Who are your favorite people to follow on Twitter?
Conan O’Brian.

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