Meet Toni Longo | Business Owner and Real Estate Agent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Toni Longo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Toni, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
After receiving my Real Estate License in 2022, I was struggling to find the niche that would separate me from the thousands of licensed agents in Colorado. Many agents are locals and have deep rooted referral systems of friends and family, which make it easier for obtaining business. As a transplant, I did not have the same systems – my circle is small. Fast forward a year, I had my daughter, and wanted to really put focus into igniting my career. I was brainstorming with my husband the same question: what is my niche? Prior to having my children, I had a successful career in Property Management. How could I use my expertise from that side of the real estate industry over to sales? That sparked the idea of marketing to single family landlords for management services. I started putting feelers out and quickly gained clients. The growth validated the decision. With my husband having the same industry experience, it was a no brainer. The niche that I was searching for was not on the sales side; I was looking at it all wrong. That is when Summit Property Management was born.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
You can’t f*ke being genuine. I genuinely love what I do! Are there challenges that bring moments of doubt and self-questioning? Absolutely. It would be unrealistic to say otherwise. The most important thing is in those moments, remembering the why. Having been in this industry as long as I have, I have heard horror stories from renters and owners about their experience with rentals. I want to break that trend and provide genuine, knowledgable support for both sides. It is exciting when a client comes to me looking to expand their rental portfolio because they have enjoyed the easiness of our management services. It is humbling to have a renter come to me and thank me for making them feel truly at home. Unsolicited words of kindness, that is what keeps me going. That is the simplest way of overcoming challenges. We cannot make everyone happy, we cannot appease all. But those who are impacted in a positive way, that is such a rewarding feeling.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a great question and clearly shows I may need to explore more myself. My heart is in the mountains. This is where I find tranquility, and this is what I would share with my best friend. The city has great things to offer: architecture, history, entertainment. However, being from New Jersey, the one thing you do not experience is the sound of silence. A hike in Colorado is the first place I experienced this. So my suggestion would be to take the beautiful drive to Telluride. Where you can not only enjoy the great food, but the silence and simplicity that Colorado has to offer.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shout out to my husband, Charlie, who continues to love, guide, support and encourage me. He is the other half of Summit and why we can proudly say we are a family owned and operated company. My friends, for their support and love. Starting a business takes time and energy away from putting attention to relationships, and having friends who do not take that personal is valuable.