From a Flipped House to Atlanta's Most Mission-Driven Real Estate Team

 

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Our Founder's Story — And Why He's Sharing It Now

If you've followed Justin Landis Group over the years, you know that everything we do is built on a foundation of relationships, purpose, and genuine care for the people we serve. But not everyone knows how it all started — or how close it came to never happening at all.

Our founder, Justin Landis, is finally sharing the full story. And he's doing it on his brand new podcast: The Justin Landis Show.

Here's a preview of what you'll hear.

A Georgia Tech Engineer Who Found His Calling in Real Estate

Justin didn't set out to build one of Atlanta's most recognized real estate teams. He came to Georgia Tech to study chemical engineering, graduated with a degree he wasn't sure what to do with, and knew only one thing for certain: he wanted to work for himself.

In 2003, he borrowed $4,000 from his grandmother, bought a house, flipped it, and caught the bug.

Over the next several years, he and a few college friends bought a "We Buy Ugly Houses" franchise and flipped around 150 homes across the Atlanta metro. They were young, leveraged, and riding the market up — until 2007, when everything changed.

The Crash, the Mentor, and the Comeback

When the market turned in 2008, Justin was in serious trouble. Heavily leveraged, out of traditional employment for five years, and carrying a negative net worth. But he had one thing going for him: he'd personally sold nearly 100 homes during the flipping years.

"Maybe somebody else will let me sell their house," he thought.

A mutual connection introduced him to mentor Rich Richardson, who helped Justin learn how to build a relationship-based real estate business from the ground up. The strategy was simple and brutally effective:

Meet one person face-to-face every single day.

Coffee, lunch, a run, a drink — it didn't matter. Show up, connect, and let real estate come up naturally. No fancy CRM. No paid leads. No ads. Just relationships.

By 2009, while the Atlanta market was still cratering, Justin sold 30 homes. The referral flywheel had started spinning.

Why Justin Landis Group Exists

As the market recovered, Justin's business exploded — 365 days a year, 55+ homes sold, and a baby on the way. Something had to give.

His broker at the time asked him a question that changed everything:

"If you could provide this opportunity for someone and you don't, are you doing everything with what God's given you?"

That was the nudge. Justin launched Justin Landis Group with a mission that still guides everything we do today: to serve clients, coworkers, and community above ourselves, with a vision of being Atlanta's trusted source of real estate.

The team started small — Jared, Ashton, and Amanda — and grew steadily by attracting agents who were mission-driven and genuinely good at their craft. One of our proudest milestones: 38 agents have hit $100,000 in gross commission income for the first time while on our team.

The Campaign That Raised $270,000

As JLG grew, so did our sense of responsibility to the community. We launched a bold challenge: help 90 buyers go under contract in 90 days and raise $90,000 for the Atlanta Mission to fight homelessness.

Transaction partners — lenders, attorneys, inspectors, movers — all donated. On day 90, at 4:09 PM, we got the 90th contract signed.

We hit our goal. The Atlanta Mission used our story to challenge their own donors to match it. The final total: $270,000 raised.

That campaign cemented something we already believed: purpose-based business is good business.

What's Next for JLG: The 5-10-20 Initiative

We're not slowing down. Right now, JLG is running a focused initiative called 5-10-20:

  • 20 more agents helped to reach $100,000 in gross commission income

  • 10 more agents guided to 100 lifetime transactions — the point where a truly sustainable referral business begins

  • 5 more agents moved into leadership roles as brokers, directors of sales, or team leads

This isn't about production numbers. It's about building careers, creating opportunities, and developing the next generation of Atlanta real estate leaders.

Thinking About a Real Estate Career in Atlanta?

The market has faced real headwinds over the past few years — lower transaction volume, higher rates, more competition. But Justin's message is direct: people are still coming in and succeeding every single day.

The key is finding your edge. Relationships win. And having the right team, the right mentorship, and the right brokerage behind you makes all the difference.

Whether you're brand new to the industry, a newer agent working toward six figures, or an experienced agent ready to build something bigger — we'd love to talk.

Listen to The Justin Landis Show

Every week, Justin sits down with agents, brokers, investors, and industry leaders to share what actually works. Real stories. Real strategies. No fluff.

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts — and share this with someone who's been thinking about making a move in Atlanta real estate.

Explore what's possible with Justin Landis Group at justinlandisgroup.com

Get in Touch

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Fill out the contact form below to get connected with us today, or head to our Meet The Team page to learn about our agents and find the right fit for your needs.

 
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