Chris Ballard- Sophisticated Marketer (#84)

Bio Christopher Ballard, co-founder and principal of McWilliams|Ballard, began his career in residential development sales and marketing over 30 years ago working for Washington, D.C. developers such as Hazel/Peterson and Charles E. Smith. Christopher and his business partner Ross McWilliams founded the firm in 1996. McWilliams|Ballard’s primary focus is collaborating with developers in the conceptualization, design, marketing and sales of new condominium and townhome communities. To date, the firm has sold over 40,000 homes in 13 states, representing over 14 billion dollars in sales. Other services include market research, feasibility studies and best practice consultation. McWilliams|Ballard is consistently ranked among the top 10 national firms with a focus on project development sales and marketing. Christopher is an active member in his community of Alexandria, Virginia and currently serves as a Commissioner for the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority. He has participated as an expert witness in multiple real estate related trials and arbitrations. Christopher holds a BA in Economics from George Mason University, and an MS in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University. Show Notes Overview, Origins and Education Clients are developers of condominium projects, primarily. Three stages: 1. Predevelopment, 2. Marketing the project and 3. Closing (6:15) Initially B To B- To developers and then B To C- To consumer/buyers (7:15) Origins (8:00) Raised in Cincinnati, OH and then Ann Arbor, MI before moving to Northern Virginia when he was 6 yrs. old (8:15) Dad worked at FCH, an affordable nonprofit housing finance business. Coordinated with HUD in facilitating their investments. (8:30) Grew up in Annandale, VA (10:20) Attended Bishop Ireton HS (10:30) Mom treated him like an adult as a young person (10:45) He was confident at an early age in speaking to adults (12:00) Was “hyperactive” kid (perhaps ADHD) (12:30) Wasn’t a great student, but didn’t apply himself (13:45) “Classic broker” personality- Light the spark of activity (14:40) Story about moving to NJ when he was in 5th grade and lived in a model home in a job his Dad worked (16:00) Around real estate his entire life…his Dad was his inspiration (18:40) When a Senior in HS he joined his Dad on a construction job and found out that getting up at 5am was not for him (19:30) His Dad then introduced him to the sales and marketing (20:50) First Job- Mayhood Company Joined Mayhood Company when he started college at George Mason University (21:15) Reference to EYA (Bob Youngentob) (21:30) David Mayhood was his first boss and inspiration Started in early 1989 and his first job goes into foreclosure (23:20) He learned that joining then was actually a good experience to work hard to get any sales (23:50) Learned how to refine skills in challenging times (24:40) While in college he be...