From Appraiser to CEO And Everything In Between
Larry Goodman, CEO, HomeVestors of America
By Carole VanSickle Ellis
When Larry Goodman, CEO of HomeVestors of America, graduated from the University of Alabama with a real estate finance degree in 1987, he dove right into the industry as a real estate appraiser in Miami, Florida. It was not long before Goodman expanded his area of expertise, branching out from residential real estate into commercial properties.
“That was a great thing for me because I learned these really good observational skills,” he recalled. “When you are an appraiser, you are really looking at everything with a fine-toothed comb. It opened my eyes to all the things that I did not see [before].”
Goodman’s eyes were opened to more than just the vitally important details of buildings and construction, however. He began to see just how big the opportunities in real estate really could be.
After several years as an appraiser, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and began working in the real estate investment management space with a firm specializing in real estate investments on behalf of institutional investors. He remained with that firm through thick and thin, staying on board for 15 years and working in myriad positions during that time.
“I did everything from acquisitions to asset management to portfolio management,” Goodman said.
He also gained valuable experience and excelled in working with myriad forms of institutional capital, multifamily and single-family properties, hotels, industrial properties, office space, and retail space.
“It was a very broad, well-rounded experience in all facets of real estate,” he concluded, “and I worked with pension funds, insurance companies, high-net-worth individuals, and other various comingled funds and individual accounts.”
While he was in Atlanta, Goodman branched out personally as well. He started a family, marrying his wife, Marge, of 28 years and eventually having three daughters: Nicole, Brittany, and Madison.
“Family comes first. They are my top priority. It is not even a question,” Goodman said firmly. “I have learned over the years that it is important to have a good work-life balance. We are a close-knit family and I am very proud of my girls and what they have done so far in their lives.”
His oldest daughter ultimately chose a career path in real estate finance, a choice Goodman describes as “very interesting.” He added, “There are so many areas of real estate you can go into; it is such an interesting business and has changed so much over the years and there are so many ways that people can have success and generate returns just by owning real estate.”
When he finally opted to leave the Atlanta firm, Goodman moved to Dallas, Texas, where he worked with a national multifamily management company before ultimately branching out once again into the startup world, where he (and the PropTech company he led as COO) flourished together until HomeVestors brought him on in October 2022 as chief operating officer (COO). Upon the retirement of former HomeVestors CEO David Hicks in August of this year, Goodman assumed the role and has been hard at work applying his more-than-three-dozen years of diverse work in real estate to one of the most famous companies in the industry, the “We Buy Ugly Houses people.”
An Intriguing Growth Opportunity Paired with “Incredible Culture”
If it is not already apparent from his storied work history, Goodman will tell you in no uncertain terms that growth and opportunity are non-negotiable when it comes to where he wants to work. HomeVestors, which bills itself as “America’s #1 home buyer,” has been an industry leader since 1996 and has been ranked in the Franchise 500’s top 100 companies since 2015.
For someone who values the opportunity to be a part of huge growth, moving into a position, however prestigious, with a national company with more than 1,100 existing franchises throughout the continental United States might seem like moving into a peak position rather than a growth-oriented one.
Not so, said Goodman. In fact, if you believe that HomeVestors is approaching or has reached its peak, Goodman suggests you take a second look.
“What intrigued me so much about working with HomeVestors was that it is a sophisticated, mature company that has retained many of the elements that make startups so exciting,” he explained. “That there is still great opportunity in a mature company and that I can be a part of that growth is really, really interesting because I really love to grow. I cannot be stagnant.” Goodman added, “At HomeVestors, it is really exciting to me that I will get to be a part of the next phase of change and growth in the company.”
Goodman said his focus as CEO will be on enhancement of HomeVestors resources, culture, and value because the company already has a firmly established foundation upon which to build.
“We are really excited about enhancing the entire structure,” he said. “For instance,” he added, “we will enhance training, technology, deliverables, and all the related services that we offer to help potential applicants and franchisees succeed.”
Goodman is already planning substantial growth in advertising and marketing strategies in the coming year to support both new and existing franchisees.
“This will really level us up because we are partnering with a very sophisticated marketing agency focused on franchise sales,” Goodman said. He added, “We are also going to dramatically increase our content volume and trainings so we have a better repository for our franchisees than we have ever had before.”
Completing the Mission By Staying on Message
Goodman recalled that when he was working with the startup just before joining HomeVestors, the company was very focused on delivering a clear, strong message to its potential customers and clients. He explained that when a company is young, keeping things consistent throughout the entire infrastructure as well as with customers is imperative to growth and success. Because of this experience, he said, he headed up an update of the mission, vision, and core values at HomeVestors.
“Everything is focused on our mission and must fit our values as a company,” he explained. “That is such an important piece of the foundation of a company and brings consistency, accountability, and transparency to everyone involved from corporate to franchisees and outward. There are more than 1,100 franchisees that are independently owned and operated, so when we provide them with the tools, we also need to provide them with the processes. We only succeed if our franchisees succeed.”
SIDEBAR 1
HomeVestors of America Mission, Vision & Core Values
The HVA Mission Statement
To help others through innovative processes and real estate solutions that positively impact neighborhoods one home at a time.
The HVA Vision Statement
Improving lives through exceptional experiences.
HVA Core Values
Service // We respect others and commit to the highest levels of professionalism and consistency
Innovation // We continually find new and creative ways to improve
Trust // We act with honesty and integrity in all we do through transparency and accountability
Learn more about HomeVestors of America at HomeVestors.com.
SIDEBAR
The More Things Change, the More Real Estate Stays the Same
When Larry Goodman, CEO of HomeVestors of America, started out as a real estate appraiser in the 1990s, some elements of real estate investing and business were very similar to what they are today. “Historically, real estate has been one of the best ways to experience success and generate returns,” Goodman said, noting HomeVestors was built around the concept that “innovative real estate solutions” would improve the lives of both residents (be they owners or tenants) and real estate investors.
Today, however, Goodman notes that one thing stands out in stark contrast in the modern real estate world when compared to the industry in the past. “Where real estate has really changed in a key, positive way is when it comes to data,” he said. “The amount of data out there is so much greater and access to it so that an investor can make better decisions is so much greater that it is astounding,” he elaborated. “Whether you are making an appraisal decision, an acquisition decision, a disposition decision, or asset management decisions, there is a data provider who can help you get that data and make that decision.”
Goodman said that he believes more access to better data is an unequivocable positive evolution in the industry. “It has provided the ability to people to make more money, experience greater success, and create higher returns just by owning real estate,” he explained. “Furthermore, it is probably the most interesting aspect of this space that has changed in the last 35 years I have been in real estate.”
