Young Ones to Watch: Michael Valente, Co-Founder of Renovation Sells

Michael Valente has spent his career as a general contractor and licensed realtor, completing more than 500 client construction projects, working with luxury designers and buying and selling his own properties. 

In 2018 Valente and his wife, Amanda, started Renovation Sells* as a way to offer professional renovation services for the residential, pre-sale market. Since then the team has renovated over 170 homes (and counting) with an average price of $20,000 per project. Renovation Sells provides a pivotal service for real estate agents and sellers in Chicago and is now looking to expand in markets across the country through franchising. 

1851: How did you get into franchising?

Michael Valente: After coming up with the concept of Renovation Sells, we knew we had a strong business model overall and franchising was the natural progression for growth goals. We recognized that the brand doesn’t just work in Chicago, it can work anywhere and everywhere. While franchising wasn’t something we originally aimed to get into, it quickly became apparent that it was the right direction for our business. 

1851: What do you love about the industry? 

Valente: From our perspective, the opportunity to expand on a national basis in a shorter amount of time is hugely attractive. I am an entrepreneur myself, and the idea of being able to help other entrepreneurs achieve their dream of working for themselves is also very enticing.

1851: What makes someone a good fit for the franchise industry? Are there traits that are shared by the most successful franchise professionals you know?

Valente: For Renovation Sells, the most successful partners tend to be highly motivated individuals who come from a background in construction, design and real estate. In general, franchising is a good fit for those people who really want to go out and make their own way. With Renovation Sells, the sky's the limit, and a lot of homes need a lot of updating before being listed for sale. We are always looking for hungry, motivated people who are interested in tapping into that demand. 

1851: How do you feel about the industry's response to the coronavirus crisis so far? Are there challenges or opportunities that the industry still needs to address?

Valente: In our industry, the pandemic has pushed a lot of potential home buyers online, which means fewer people are attending in-person tours. Instead, people are browsing online before making a purchase, and some are even making purchases before stepping into the home. Now, the most important step in getting a house ready for sale is giving prospective buyers the look they need online. We are in a swipe-left, swipe-right world, and buyers can swipe past the listing in a second if the picture doesn’t appeal to them. Our service is more important than ever, as sellers really need to renovate their pre-sale homes in order to create the strongest online listing. 

1851: What advice do you have for other young, up-and-coming professionals in the space?

Valente: Success in business ownership is something that takes a lot of work and time, but it is very gratifying in the end to know that you are working for yourself and creating your own destiny. If you have been thinking about entering the franchise industry for a while, now is the time to do it.