Omid Akale has only been with eXp Realty since May 2024, but he stands out as one of the most successful agents in leveraging the company’s iBuying program, ExpressOffers. Over the past 48 months as part of an outside investment group utilizing ExpressOffers, Omid and his team at Livli Group acquired over 501 units, including over 144,966 square feet of commercial property and 687,265 square feet of residential property. Equally impressive, he maintained a perfect closing rate when under contract. Omid operates as an acquisition manager in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul but is expanding operations to Arizona.
“It’s a niche I’ve tapped into and we’ve been using ExpressOffers for four years,” said Omid. “We have a lot of people who don’t want their property to go on the open market. This happened often during Covid. People didn’t want strangers coming into their homes, so they would sell it to us as a local iBuyer. We offer them cash with no stress on their part, we would pay cash and close on their preferred timelines, buy as-is and they wouldn’t have to deal with the common stressors homeowners deal with in getting their homes market ready.”
From an Engineering Career to Real Estate Dominance
Omid started his career in civil engineering working for the City of Minneapolis. While working full-time and moonlighting as a valet, Omid stumbled upon the world of real estate when a colleague mentioned earning a significant commission as a Realtor®. Intrigued, Omid pursued his real estate license and purchased two properties, setting the stage for a career change from engineer to real estate agent and investor in 2001.
Despite early setbacks, including losing his initial properties, Omid was determined. He navigated the challenges of the market downturns in 2005 and 2006 and kept honing his skills by doing thousands of BPO’s (bank-owned properties) when houses were not selling.
“Through it all, I’m quite blessed because I’m in a place where I absolutely love what I do, and I feel extremely lucky for that,” said Omid. “I’m grateful to do what I love for work.”
Building a Career in Acquisition and Investment
Omid began working closely with investor buyers, identifying and securing value-added deals. His focus shifted toward acquisitions, where he quickly became known for his ability to identify distressed properties with lots of potential.
Take a look at a day in the life of Omid:
In addition to residential properties, Omid has also made significant strides in commercial real estate. His extensive experience and sharp eye for deals have led to the acquisition of nearly 145,000 square feet of commercial space, contributing to his reputation as a leading figure in the industry.
“I travel quite often and have connections across the globe so I am attracted to the massive platform on which eXp operates globally, and the ability to seamlessly connect with other entities around the world under one umbrella,” said Omid. “It simply is the best real estate platform that exists for leveraging and expanding my network and has unmatched resources.”
Thriving With eXp Realty
Through the encouragement of eXp Realty agent Nevin Alexander, Omid joined eXp in May 2024. While initially hesitant due to his focus on acquisitions and investment rather than traditional real estate transactions, Omid eventually embraced eXp’s model.
“Omid has an incredible ability to connect with people, understand their needs, and provide great solutions,” said Nevin. “Once he explored eXp, he became excited about the support and resources available to grow his business, better serve his clients, and help his agent friends increase their production and wealth. We knew that combining Omid’s talents with eXp’s opportunities would positively impact many people’s lives.”
The benefits of eXp’s platform, particularly the potential for leveraged income by helping to grow eXp’s agent base, resonated with Omid. His strategic approach to attracting and networking flourished under eXp’s global reach and community-driven environment. The ability to connect with agents worldwide and the exponential growth opportunities have made Omid a passionate advocate for eXp Realty.
“The constant high-level energy at the events and growth-focused masterminds that exist within the company are paramount in a usually isolated business where one needs to be self-driven,” he said.
All of This for a Guy Who Moved to Minnesota at age 14
Omid’s journey to Minnesota began in Cameroon, where he was born, before his family made the move through France to the United States and settled in Minnesota. As a young boy adapting to a new life in Minnesota, Omid faced the challenges of adjusting to a drastically different climate and culture. Despite the harsh winters, he learned to adapt.
“I’m pretty resilient, and I started doing a couple of winter sports,” Omid recalls. “I ride mountain bikes in the winter. We have these bikes with really fat studded tires, so we can ride on snow and ice. I also snowboard and do a lot of outdoorsy stuff. I can tolerate the cold climate now — it feels like home.”
Through his love for these activities, Omid found a sense of belonging in Minnesota, transforming a once-foreign place into a true home.
