616 REALTY’s Agent Cameron Barr: A Combination of Experience, a Love for People, and a Great Heart
While 616 REALTY’s agent Cameron Barr went to school and earned a degree in education, he quickly realized that the profession wasn’t for him. Or maybe it could be said that being a real estate agent held more appeal. He jokes, “I didn’t like being told what to do. My aunt was a realtor. I always thought her career seemed so exciting and free. She loved the people she helped.” So in 1999, at the age of 27, Cameron passed up on the classroom and earned his realtor’s license.
The average age of agents when Cameron started were 51. “At my first open house another agent came up to me and said, ‘You are not old enough, you don’t have any gray hair.’” Cameron proved that while he didn’t have gray hair, he was going to that agent and every other agent that he was right where he was supposed to be. “I worked every single day for a year and a half, no weekends. And, in my second year, I was in the Top 40 out of 430 agents.”
Another shining moment early in his career was when he was able to buy his first house. “I actually bought my first house from myself. I never lived in a house growing up; we always lived in an apartment my whole life. I was so proud. It was one of the biggest dumps, but it was mine!” He laughs. “I fixed it up and sold it two years later.”
How the market has changed
With almost a quarter of a century in one industry, you see a lot of changes. “When I started In 1999, it was a really balanced market. There were tons of houses to look at.” There also wasn’t the Worldwide Web so he had to take clients to every home they were interested in to see the inside.
“In today’s market agents have to be much more knowledgeable. And clients have to be very patient right now with all the competing offers.” Last week, Cameron saw one seller get 70 offers. “The market is really limited by what buyers can afford.”
A lot can happen in 25 Years
In 2010, sadly, Cameron’s wife passed away. Fortunately being an agent allowed him to be a very active single parent. “I was fortunate I could set my own hours and raise my two daughters. I didn’t have to punch a time clock. They went to showings if they were safe. They would go to the office with me and do mailings.” Now, Cameron shares, “I can see one of them going into real estate.”
The Tornado
As one can imagine, real estate agents acquire a lot of stories. Cameron shares one. “While I was out with some new clients I had just met, we got a little lost after leaving a listing. We were driving by a lake house, they asked if we could walk through it. It was not even close to what they were looking for. Being vacant, we were able to get right in. It was their dream house and we wrote an offer on the spot.”
“Just three days before closing, a tornado went through the area and four mature trees crashed into the home. We were told we couldn’t close until the house was repaired which was expected to take six months. The buyers wanted it repaired to their tastes, but that could only happen if they owned the home during the rehab process. We overcame many obstacles with the insurance company and were able to close quickly. After the work was completed, the value was quite a bit higher than when we closed. They just had to be patient and keep renting for six “short” months while waiting for the work to be completed. When it was finished, I was there celebrating with them at their wedding reception.”
Why Cameron is a great agent
It’s already pretty clear why Cameron is a great agent. He cares. “I want them to get the best house. I don’t want to just get a paycheck. I want to see them happy in a house that is the best for them. And it is so rewarding, especially if I have guided them in some way… if I have educated them and it leads them to make a wise choice. That is pretty satisfying.
Cameron shares that he also genuinely loves being around people, and they appear to love being around him. “I connect with people easily. They trust me easily, as they should. I have become friends with many clients. I have gone to their wedding as I mentioned, to their graduations… I spend a lot of time with them.”
His advice to first time home buyers
“Keep an open-mind. They think they know, but it just slowly changes, especially for first time home buyers. Nowadays, there are people who can barely get a house; they have to look in areas they don’t necessarily like.”
“I just had a parent tell their kid not to settle for less than the perfect house. You know, out of town with 40 acres. I took them to a house in a neighborhood. The husband said, ‘I am not buying a house in a neighborhood.’ They walked in. They loved it. We put an offer in right away, and they ended up buying it.” The cherry on top? They love it!
Cameron adds, “The first thing I have home buyers do is make a list of needs and wants. Then I make sure they are pre-approved. And then we start looking.”
His advice to sellers
“They definitely need to talk to an agent and hire someone who is knowledgeable in their area. There is a lot more that goes into selling a house than they realize.”
His advice to new agents
“Work your tail off! How did I get so successful so fast? Nothing but hard work. Look out for clients. You can make a lot more money fast by not looking out for them, but in the long run, the return is much better when you take care of your clients.”
When you are making one of the biggest financial and lifestyle decisions in your life, you want someone with experience and real estate expertise, like 616 REALTY’s Cameron Barr. And it doesn’t hurt that he has a great heart and measures his success by your success. Contact 616 REALTY’s Cameron Barr today with all your real estate needs.