REALTORS® to Watch Under 40 Class of 2021

The Young Professionals Network (YPN) and RASM is proud to announce the Class of 2021 for the second annual “Realtors® to Watch Under 40” program. Each year, this program recognizes Realtors® who represent excellence in leadership, community involvement, and everything else that makes a well-rounded Young Professional succeed in real estate. These individuals are rising stars in our local real estate community. They have excelled in their educational and professional development pursuits, have shown strength in their production and sales skills, and have passionate goals that will take them further in real estate.

Even through all the unexpected challenges faced over the last year and a half, these professionals managed to go above and beyond, and excel in their field. The selection process for the Class of 2021 was competitive, and we are proud to honor this inspirational young group of go-getters, who share the common bonds of professionalism, dedication, and perseverance.

MEET THE CLASS OF 2021

David Crawford, Broker/Owner, Catalist Realty, LLC

Estimated sales to date: From Jan 2020: Sold 30 sides totally $9.695M; Pending: 4 sides $3.67M.* Obtained Florida real estate license: 2015

David Crawford is the Broker/Owner of Catalist Realty, LLC, a concierge brokerage with a community-driven business model. He is passionate about philanthropic endeavors. The Catalist Realty Brokerage Model gives 15% of all commissions earned back to local non-profits of their clients’ choice. They have recently eclipsed the $100k mark since opening their doors 3 years ago, and the goal is to be able to donate $100k+ annually.

David has served on the RASM Community Outreach Committee (2019), the Public Policy Committee (2019- Present - currently serve as Vice- Chair), the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast Land Protection Committee (2019 – Present), and the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast Board Member (2020 – Present), to name a few. David’s desire is to continue to get more involved in helping support and grow the RASM brand and make more community connections.

David has nearly completed the C2EX training and is on his way to completing the CRB Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager courses.

“Being recognized as a Realtor® under 40 is humbling,” said David, “and it feels good to know that the hard work and dedication we put in every day for our clients is not only being recognized by them, but by our peers, and our mentor group as well.”

David’s future goals include closing $10M+ in personal sales annually. He is also dedicated to supporting his fellow agents at Catalist Realty and growing the brokerage from six agents currently to a goal of ten agents by the end of 2021.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE:

“A lot of young professionals focus on what they don’t have,” said David. “You can’t make yourself have ten years of experience; you can’t make yourself have $5-10 million dollar listings that you’ve closed. So, focus on the process, focus on what you can control. Try to be a little bit better at what you do every day, learn something new every day, and make a commitment to meet someone new every day. That experience will snowball, and you’ll start seeing the benefits.”

Victoria Dominguez, Realtor®, Preferred Shore

Estimated sales to date: From Jan 2020 $9,619,178 closed volume. Pending in August 2021: $1,470,000.* Obtained Florida real estate license: 2017

Victoria Dominguez is a Realtor® with Preferred Shore Realty whose strong work ethic and determination have truly set her apart. She was awarded “Top Closed Sales Volume” (April 2020), was in the “Million Dollar Club” (April 2021), and at the end of the 2020 fiscal year, she was ranked as one of the top agents at her brokerage.

Victoria’s previous career was in the field of education, which has carried over into her real estate career. As a former teacher, she is very organized, sets goals with accountability checks, and always has a “lesson plan” in place for her day, month, and year.

“This award is special to me because it’s simply an acknowledgment of my hard work and dedication to my career,” said Victoria. “Building your career in real estate is challenging and fun. However, during a pandemic, it can be more stressful than usual, but overall, it’s been a fantastic journey. To be recognized for this award is the icing on the cake!” said Victoria.

Victoria’s future goals in real estate include surpassing her personal sales volume year-over-year. She has set a dollar-volume goal of $1 million more sales each year. Her next step is to establish a real estate sales team to better leverage her time, talents, and success. She balances family life with her career, so she is excited about creating a supportive real estate team in order to spend time at home and enjoy a thriving business as well.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE:

“Always surround yourself with people doing better than you,” said Victoria. “It will raise the bar and help motivate you to do better. I’ve met some of the most amazing mentors and work colleagues here in Sarasota / Manatee counties that are willing to sit and help me learn. It never hurts to listen to experienced individuals in the industry, you never know the trade secrets you will learn! I also encourage other young Realtors® to be consistent in their efforts. This job is hard, especially considering you start with nothing and have to build yourself up. Pick up the phone and call everyone you know and tell them you are selling real estate. Phone calls are powerful. Texts and emails can only take you so far. Most of all, go for every opportunity to put yourself out there, even if it doesn’t get you a deal,” said Victoria.

Derek Patti, PLLC, Realtor®, NextHome Excellence

Estimated sales to date: From Jan 2020 $16,287,413 Pending sales: $4,433,035.* Obtained Florida real estate license: 2013

Derek Patti is a Realtor® with NextHome Excellence who currently serves as a director for Florida REALTORS® and on the RASM Board of Directors. He also serves on the 2021 RASM Member Engagement Committee. He is an active member of the YPN, having previously served as the Committee Chair, and has been very involved with the group for over five years. During that time, Derek has participated in multiple charity events hosted by the YPN benefiting various local organizations. He also served on the Member Engagement Committee (previously the Communications Committee), and he has volunteered for several RASM Habitat for Humanity build days.

“I am honored to receive this award from my fellow YPN peers and Realtor® colleagues,” said Derek. “It serves as a reminder that I am doing something right to earn an award based on my community, Association, and industry involvement, as well as my sales production. I have never been the award type, but it’s special to be recognized by your peers for such an award and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to represent the 2021 Class!”

Derek is a firm believer that his involvement at RASM has been a huge part of his personal success.

“Early on in my career, I surrounded myself with other Realtors® who were looking to improve the profession, improve themselves through education, and had the opportunity to get to know colleagues who I will likely cross paths within the future. It’s laid out a foundation for which I run my business, and I am grateful for the experiences I have had to this point.”

Derek’s future goals include continuing to educate himself through designations and certifications, and obtain his broker’s license, so he can become as knowledgeable as possible. He has also considered the idea of starting a real estate team down the road to better serve his current and future customers and help his team members grow their business and reach their own goals.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE:

“My advice to any new agents is to have patience,” said Derek. “It’s a long journey to build a real estate business and building relationships takes time. You have to work hard for several years until you have that foundation of customer relationships, whether it’s by cold calling, open houses (huge fan personally), or networking events. The goal should be to speak to as many people as possible early on. Also, while building relationships with your potential customers, do the same with fellow Realtors®. This is very underrated in my opinion, but it could win you a deal down the road if the cooperating Realtor® knows you and how you work.”

Stephen Smith, Broker Associate, Elite Realty Brokerage

Estimated sales to date: From Jan 2020 $12,051,000.* Pending Sales: $7,919,000 Obtained Florida real estate license: 2016

Stephen Smith is a Broker Associate with Elite Realty Brokerage, who has fought against unbelievable odds to become the successful agent he is today. In August 2019, Stephen was in a nearly fatal car accident where he fractured his cervical and lumbar spine, among a myriad of other injuries, and after which had a very lengthy recovery period. Instead of giving up, Stephen worked harder than ever to fully recover and used that down time to better himself in his profession. He took advantage of the many RASM pandemic online certification offerings and tackled other educational milestones. He completed the C2EX, E-Pro, PSA, OSHA30, his CE, and obtained his Broker’s License during this recovery period. In addition, Stephen plans to start and complete the General Contractors License course and exam.

As progress continued, Stephen relied heavily on virtual technology. He recently took on an apartment development project in Lakeland, where he represented the land purchase for a development client, through the PUD process to increase density, all virtually via video conferencing with the construction company that he and his father co-founded, B.R.I.C.S. Contracting. Stephen’s family has been in the real estate business for three generations, as real estate brokers and in general contracting.

“Coming from a family that is in the real estate business, really helped me to embrace the teamwork approach,” said Stephen. “I truly love to work with like-minded individuals and I’m very grateful to have the support of those around me.”

Stephen’s future goals include starting a boutique Residential & Commercial team that specializes in the new tech wave of real estate. Specifically, how to properly showcase properties online, and demonstrating a better understanding how SEO, PPC, ad redirecting, and other tools, can help benefit clients.

These tech advantages also help teach new agents on the team to be more time-efficient with the use of CRM’s, A.I. implementation, advertising, and other new tech efficiencies.

“Real estate, like anything else, is evolving and the pandemic was a catalyst for the adoption of tech in real estate and its efficiencies. It is time to take our industry to the next level.”

“It’s an honor to be recognized as an Under 40 Realtor® to Watch,” said Stephen. “It means I’m on the right path, surrounded by the right people. I always make it a goal to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am at the things I don’t like to do. At times, you wonder if you’re doing the right thing, and this award helps me realize that I am, and that I’m on the right path.”

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE:

“I always suggest to new agents to jump in feet first. A lot of people want to try the business only part-time at first, but I think it’s best to go full-time and put all your effort into it at the start. You have to be able to accept and even embrace failure in this business because it’s the only way towards real, positive growth. You’re not going to succeed at first; you’re going to fail many times. And if you embrace those hard times as learning experiences, success will follow,” said Stephen.

Madison Wells, Realtor®, PLLC, Leslie Wells Realty

Estimated sales to date: From Jan 2020 - Closed over 23,000,000 (55 transactions) and have 2.3 million currently pending in transactions.* Obtained Florida real estate license: 2012

Madison Wells is a successful Realtor® with Leslie Wells Realty who truly loves working in real estate and is dedicated to giving her clients the best customer service.

“My primary goal is to continue to strengthen my skills, obtain more designations, market knowledge, and relationship-building skills,” said Madison. “As a young Realtor®, I am always looking for ways to grow. I am extremely grateful to be in a position where my mom is the Owner and Broker of her own company, Leslie Wells Realty, which she has operated for over 20 years, with 44 total years in the real estate business. I always had someone who had my best interests in mind. It’s been a great experience for me to learn from someone who had that kind of longevity in a career that can have a quick turnover, and I’m very proud of that legacy.”

For Madison, relationships are her top priority. Her goals are focused on personal growth, serving her community, providing the best service to her clients, and communicating as effectively as possible. Much of her current business consists of repeat clients and referrals, proving that her genuine nature has had a positive impact on her business. Within the last few years, Madison has focused on her social media presence and challenged herself to make new contacts by revealing her genuine and authentic self.

“By focusing on social media, I have widened my reach and made some incredible connections, especially with the female business owner community,” said Madison. “I have dedicated myself to being transparent and genuine with my following, allowing the masses to see that I, like many, am learning to navigate the work-life balance. I believe that relatability and authenticity have been a major part of my success!”

Madison won the Rising Star Award through RASM (formerly MAR) in 2014. She has also been the recipient of the Top Agent Award for Leslie Wells Realty from 2017 – 2020.

“It’s a huge honor to be recognized by my peers for the Under 40 Realtor® to Watch award,” added Madison. “I’m very grateful.”

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE:

“Be very clear about what success means to you personally,” said Madison. “In this industry, it’s very easy to compare yourself. The more authentic you are, the more success will follow. And you need to have thick skin, confidence, and passion. Some days you’re working on contracts, and the next you’re trying to figure out marketing funnels and tackling social media. Every day brings something new, and you need to have the confidence to tackle it. Learn to take your ego out of every situation and always, always do the right thing.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2021 Realtors® to Watch Under 40. Your achievements inspire many in the real estate profession and beyond, and RASM is proud to honor and recognize your success.

The YPN is proud to help young real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement to become involved in the local Realtor® association. To learn more about the YPN and apply for membership, visit www.myrasm. com/specialty-groups/ypn.