5 minute read
Meet our 30 under 30 honorees
GCAAR is proud to present…
OUR 2021 NAR 30 UNDER 30 HONOREES
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Each year, the National Association of REALTORS® highlights 30 young REALTORS® for their exemplary achievements in the profession, and we are excited to announce that two GCAAR members have been selected as 2021 honorees. We spoke to REALTORS® Molly Branson and Daniel Walcott about their burgeoning careers and what advice they have for young, local real estate agents looking to enter and advance in the field.
Molly Branson
Molly Branson, 28, has been working as a REALTOR® since 2015. A lifelong resident of the DMV, Branson now works with RLAH Real Estate. Early on in her career, she knew the value of having mentors, and that looking to more seasoned REALTORS® for guidance was key to building a successful business. She says her career really took off in late 2016, after her mentor invited her to start a team with him at a boutique brokerage. There, she says, she learned about the development side of the industry. “It was a lot of fun walking construction sites, analyzing floor plans, picking finishes and seeing the finished project,” she says. Now, half of her business comes from developers, while the other half is made up of first-time homebuyers—meaning she sees a balance of the people who are creating the housing inventory, and those who are buy-
“In my experience, ing inventory for the first time. don't go at this alone. “I think having the relationship with both really benefits both,” she exLearn from other people, plains. “When I’m touring properties with my buyers I’m constantly askand don't be afraid ing them what works, what do they like, what don't they like. From askto ask to shadow, ing and gathering info, I’m better able to advise my developers on what people are actually looking for. Then we can adjust floor plans and adjust ask to follow them.” finishes before a property hits the market and have a wider range of buyers who are interested.” Branson’s biggest piece of advice to young REALTORS® is to balance the independent, entrepreneurial mindset that attracts people to the industry with the need to find mentorship and support from teams. “In my experience, don’t go at this alone,” she says. “Learn from other people, and don’t be afraid to ask to shadow, ask to follow them. Use your resources, not just online, but in physical interactions with good agents.” In addition to seeking support from her colleagues, Branson says she has expanded her network with the help of GCAAR’s Young Professionals Network. “This job can be really tiring. It is seven days a week, 365 days a year, and if you don't have a strong support system you will get burnt out,” she says.
Daniel Walcott
Daniel Walcott, 29, is a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Capital Properties. He has lived in the District of Columbia area since 2009, when he moved here to attend Howard University. Post-college, Walcott was working in sales and marketing when he met a REALTOR® who piqued his interest in real estate investments. “I was always interested in it from an investing standpoint, but didn’t know where to start,” he says. Walcott got his license, and soon after he jumped into real estate full time, in 2016. Now, Walcott is focused on helping first-time investors and first-time homebuyers achieve their dreams through real estate. He advises young agents to be patient in their early years, because the learning curve can initially be steep before the job becomes truly rewarding. “Running a real estate business wasn’t what I expected,” he says. “My first year, I only sold one house.” It took finding mentorship from a more experienced colleague to help Walcott gain the momentum he needed. “He took me under his wing and just showed me what I need “I was always to be doing on a daily basis, which is reaching out to my sphere and connecting with as many people as possible and interested in it from focusing on making connections,” Walcott says. “Initially, an investing standpoint, I was caught up in the things that I thought a REALTOR® but didn't know should be doing, which was the website and the market- where to start.” ing materials. But I didn’t have any leads, I didn't have any clients, I didn’t really have a business.” Getting a mentor who helped him focus on building the connections his business needed proved to be a big turning point for Walcott. Besides connecting more to his social network, Walcott says staying active on social media has been key to building his business— particularly through Instagram, which Walcott uses to share information with potential buyers and sellers on property tours and to educate them on property sales.
GCAAR’s past 30 Under 30 winners
2003 - Brandon Green and Jim Roy 2005 - Anthony Bozzi 2006 - Bo Menkiti
2007 - Anslie Stokes
2008 - Koki Adasi
2009 - Rachel Valentino
2010 - Cara Pearlman
2011 - Kira Epstein and Pamela Wye 2013 - Danai Mattison and Barak Sky 2014 - Constance “CJ” Davis and Ron Mangas Jr. 2016 - Brittany Allison, Harrison Beacher and Jessica Evans
2018 - Sammy Dweck and Gigi Luu 2019 - Timothy Savoy 2020 - Sam Medvene and Mary “Christine” Nieva
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