Jake Robinson is a seasoned real estate expert and the co-founder of North Texas Acquisitions Group (NTAG), a company dedicated to helping homeowners in distress preserve their equity and avoid foreclosure. With years of experience in the real estate and financial sectors, Jake has become known for his deep knowledge of distressed assets, foreclosure law, and strategic problem-solving. He and his business partner, Beau Gumbert, founded NTAG in 2019 to provide homeowners with a way to navigate the often-overwhelming foreclosure process.
Jake is passionate about empowering homeowners with practical solutions and education, ensuring they have options even in the toughest of situations. His approach is built on a foundation of collaboration, transparency, and customer service. A firm believer in the importance of resilience, Jake combines his professional expertise with a genuine desire to help people overcome financial hardships and move forward with confidence.
Under his leadership, NTAG has grown into a trusted resource for homeowners across Texas, known for its integrity, experience, and commitment to solving problems in innovative ways.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My day starts early, around 5:00 a.m. I find that the quiet morning hours are the best time for me to focus on strategic planning before the day’s chaos begins. I always start by reviewing the status of current deals, checking in with our team, and then tackling any pressing client issues. Productivity comes down to prioritization—knowing which tasks will move the needle and focusing on those. I also believe in delegating effectively. We’ve built a solid team at NTAG, so I trust them to manage their responsibilities, which frees me up to focus on higher-level problem-solving and strategy.
How do you bring ideas to life?
It all starts with identifying the core issue a client or homeowner is facing. Once we understand that, the next step is collaborative brainstorming. At NTAG, we don’t work in silos; we bring together legal experts, real estate pros, and financial advisors to create solutions. I’m a firm believer in listening first, whether it’s our team or our clients. Once we’ve gathered all the perspectives, we focus on testing small pilot solutions before scaling. This ensures we’re confident that an idea works in practice, not just theory.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m excited about the rise of technology in real estate, particularly how data analytics can help us predict market trends and identify homeowners at risk of foreclosure earlier. By leveraging data, we can step in sooner to offer help before a homeowner even realizes they might be in trouble. It’s a game-changer for NTAG because we can proactively address problems instead of being reactive.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Consistency. Every day, no matter how busy or chaotic things get, I dedicate time to reviewing our progress on both current deals and long-term goals. I also try to carve out at least 30 minutes for reading industry news or educating myself on new trends. Being disciplined about this ensures I’m not just caught up in the day-to-day but also growing my knowledge and foresight.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to fail. I used to think that failure meant I wasn’t cut out for this line of work, but I’ve come to realize that failures are essential stepping stones. They teach you resilience and help you refine your approach. I’d tell my younger self to embrace the missteps, learn quickly, and move forward.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I firmly believe that the foreclosure process could be drastically improved with more proactive intervention from banks. Most people think banks don’t care, but I’ve seen firsthand that if approached the right way, many lenders are willing to work with homeowners. It’s not always the combative relationship people think it is.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Take time to reflect and reassess. At least once a week, I’ll sit down and review our company’s strategies and my own personal goals. It’s easy to get caught up in the grind, but stepping back regularly to reflect ensures you’re still aligned with your vision and values.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I take a break and go for a walk. It’s simple, but getting out of the office and into fresh air clears my head and allows me to come back to the problem with a fresh perspective. I also talk through challenges with my business partner, Beau. Having someone to bounce ideas off of helps me regain focus.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Networking. Our business thrives on relationships. Whether it’s building connections with lenders, title companies, or legal professionals, those partnerships are what allow us to help homeowners in meaningful ways. I’ve made it a point to always stay in touch with people, even when I don’t need anything from them at the moment. Those relationships often come back around at the perfect time.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early on in my career, we misjudged a deal, assuming we could flip a foreclosed property quickly. The market conditions shifted, and we were left holding onto the property longer than expected, which drained our resources. I learned the hard way about the importance of market research and being adaptable. We managed to break even on the deal eventually, but the lesson I took away was to never assume the market will behave the way you expect—always plan for the unexpected.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I think there’s a huge untapped market in offering financial education for homeowners on the brink of foreclosure. A lot of people facing foreclosure don’t fully understand their options. A business that provides free resources or workshops on foreclosure prevention could really make an impact while building trust with potential clients.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I’m a huge fan of Trello. It helps us organize our deals, track progress, and manage tasks across the team. Every project gets a card, and as we move through different stages, everyone can see what’s been done and what needs attention. It keeps us all on the same page without a million emails.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I really enjoyed “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber. It highlights the importance of working on your business rather than just in your business. It changed the way I think about scaling NTAG and helped me become more focused on building systems that can run efficiently without my constant input.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I recently watched “The Big Short.” It’s a fascinating look at the financial crisis and how a few people saw it coming when others didn’t. As someone in real estate, it’s a powerful reminder of how critical it is to do your homework and trust your instincts, even when everyone else is saying you’re wrong.
Key learnings
- Jake’s emphasis on collaboration and flexibility is key to bringing ideas to life and solving complex problems.
- He stresses the importance of self-discipline and daily habits in staying productive and overcoming challenges.
- Jake values learning from failures, seeing them as crucial opportunities for growth and adaptation.