2021 Women in Building Services: Kristen Fortino, OnePoint Real Estate Group

Name: Kristen Fortino

Title: Founder/CEO

Company Name: OnePoint Real Estate Group

Real estate associations or organizations that you are currently a member of: REBNY

In the past year, what project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of launching my company in January 2021. It was an incredibly overwhelming and exciting process especially coming out of quarantine the year prior, and am really proud of how far I’ve come.

What trends will dominate your industry in the coming months?

COVID had a very big influence on sales in Manhattan over the past year, and now we’re seeing the cost of lumber is skyrocketing so those looking to do construction on their existing assets are seeing an up-tick in prices. The city is slowly but surely coming back and prices are getting back to where they were pre-COVID. It’s a trend that we’ll see for quite some time as we continue to open up the city. The multifamily and townhouse market will be a trend that will be on the up and up for quite some time as well.

How do you contribute to your community or profession?

I’m a big believer in working hard and making a part of your day about giving back. I believe you should be a part of something other than your career and I love being able to be a part of organizations like the Columbus Citizens Foundation and the American Cancer Society to raise money for great causes.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A talk show host!

What led you to your current profession?

My family has been in real estate on the zone/code consulting end of the business, and I always wanted to create something of my own to leverage what they do every day

Who was/is your mentor and how did s/he influence/help you in your career?

My parents and wife were my biggest influencers. Real estate is a very competitive industry and something I was always interested in pursuing. Prior to real estate, I was in pharmaceutical advertising and the support and mentorship they all provided me to get me to this point was huge. I couldn’t have done it without them

What books or social media influencers would you recommend to other women?

I’m big on real estate driven books. I’m sure my wife thinks I’m nuts since I breathe real estate every day–but I love reading books about investments and real estate overall. Gets my mind going!! Personally, I enjoyed the Millionaire Real Estate Investor, and always love to read articles on the Real Deal–so now to get the quick hit info, I follow them on Instagram.