By Pam Krieter
Chief Executive Officer
Mainstreet Organization of Realtors
“Catching a fly ball is a pleasure, but knowing
what to do with it after you catch it is a business.”
TOMMY HENRICH, FORMER NEW YORK YANKEES PLAYER

Just like baseball, the real estate industry can be unpredictable. Sometimes your team is on top, and sometimes it’s not. Sometimes you enjoy a red-hot market, and other times you experience more challenging downswings. In a profession faced with noticeable highs and lows, why should a new agent wish to enter the field?

The reason is, as Realtors, we serve the important role of helping our clients understand the ever-changing market and help them to make the most well-informed and educated decisions when buying or selling a property.

The Mainstreet Organization of Realtors (MORe) would like to recognize three of its newest members who’ve “knocked it out of the park” during their rookie year. These three agents are at the top of their game and are top producers in their respective fields. They offer some insight as to how others may have a homerun of a first year, too.

Real People Realty agent Jose Tovar enjoyed a banner first year in total sales volume. “I’ve always been in sales, so real estate seemed like a natural progression,” says Tovar. While the current housing market may not seem lucrative to professionals looking to enter the field, Tovar says now is an excellent time. Tovar believes a slower market provides a new agent more time to delve in and learn the ins and outs of the profession. He also believes it is beneficial for an agent to link up with a knowledgeable team that is willing to answer questions. Tovar encourages new agents to “stay aggressive and to not be afraid to ask for the sale.”

You’re either in it or you’re not. This is the motto of Realty Executives Coppergate rookie agent Patricia Spano. Spano deals exclusively with real estate-owned (REO) properties, specifically foreclosed properties. “To be successful in this profession, you really have to be dedicated and work diligently on behalf of your clients,” says Spano, who believes a specific amount of training is essential to handling REO transactions and recommends beginning by seeking investors. “It’s definitely a buyer’s market right now and this is a busy and lucrative field,” she says. “Sometimes it’s as simple as really doing your due diligence on the MLS.”

“Realtors possess an unparalleled knowledge base and they are able to help speed up the transaction process for their clients,” says rookie agent Kevin Kennedy of RE/MAX TEAM 2000. Kennedy deals primarily with foreclosed properties, which represents a busy part of the market today. “Building business relationships and taking the time to steward those relationships has been a crucial component to my success,” Kennedy acknowledges.

Just as we have no way of predicting whether the Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox will make it to the World Series this year, we can’t know what’s to come for the real estate market. We can, however, focus on rebuilding the sense of economic possibility in our communities by welcoming new energetic and talented agents to our team. As Realtors we have the opportunity to connect people and to serve and educate our neighbors.

Let’s play ball!

For nearly a century, MORe has been dedicated to anticipating and serving the needs of more than 14,000 Realtor, affiliates and licensed appraisers in South and West Suburban Chicagoland. MORe is the second largest Realtor member organization in Illinois, and the seventh largest in the nation. For more information, visit succeedwithmore.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 AGENT PUBLISHING LLC