About Us

For the last 21 years, Mike Ficzner has been serving the country as a member of the U.S. Army—first on active duty, now in the U.S. Army Reserve. With plans to retire from the Army this year, he’s found a way to be of service locally in a whole new realm: helping Ohioans become first-time homeowners.

“Our business model is based on turning renters into owners, and it’s based on educational selling,” says Ficzner, who has co-owned Ficzner Group with his wife, Sarah, since 2012. “We educate people on the whole home-buying process—from financing to credit repair to home inspection to title and appraisal.”

He estimates that Ficzner Group does about 80 to 90% of its real estate sales business in Willoughby Western Lake County & Euclid, which could be a game changer for the area, considering that less than half of Euclid’s residents own their homes (with an owner-occupancy rate of 47.9% as of 2017, according to the U.S. Census).

Though the Ficzners reside in Lakeline in Lake County, their four children attend school at Ss. Robert & William in Euclid, and Ficzner is heavily invested in both the parish and surrounding community. His professional interest in this area started when he was getting referrals and business from parishioners, and it solidified when Zillow made Ficzner a premier agent and asked him to pick a geographical focus.

“When I found out about how Zillow was integrating all this cool technology into their platform, I was all in,” says Ficzner. “Now we’ve almost entirely refocused our efforts online with internet leads. It helps me start the conversation with renters [who may not realize they can purchase a home].”

It was via Zillow that Ficzner connected with Rona Jones, a renter who was looking to buy her first home after living in an East Cleveland apartment for 14 years. Ficzner helped her navigate what he calls his “six-month pathway to home ownership” program, and Jones successfully purchased a four-bedroom, one-bathroom home with her daughter on Euclid’s east side in May.

FAMILY FIRST

We believe every family should feel confident when renting, buying or selling a home.

Mike was like a beacon for us,” says Jones, who is a single mother with two jobs. “We looked at close to 30 houses, and he helped us stay the course without getting overwhelmed.”

Ficzner says working with first-time homeowners like Jones is one of the most gratifying parts of his job, and the extra time he spends on the education piece is more than worth it—from creating infographics to giving free consultations. “I’ll get calls after one or two years from people who say, ‘We’re ready to buy—thanks for all the tips you gave us,’” says Ficzner. “It’s the biggest compliment I can get.”

Ficzner doubled down on his area focus this year by opening an office on Third Street in Downtown Willoughby. He operates Ficzner Group out of the historic post office and plans to offer weekly seminars in 2023.

He’s also working hand in hand with the Chamber of Commerce and partnering with local property management companies, title companies, lenders, and loan officers to help offset what he calls “the slumlord mentality that has gone rampant in Northeast Ohio.”

Ultimately, Ficzner is hoping he can move the needle and help reclaim a majority of owner-occupied homes—and enjoy the benefits that would accompany that shift: “Any time when you can give someone the American dream and pride of home ownership, it lifts up the city and lifts up the community.”