Get to know our members who share their expertise to help shape the future of our association and industry!
We chatted with our 2020-2021
Young Professionals Network Chair
Quentin Green, Downtown Realty Company, to find out more about his career path, why he volunteers and more.
How long have you been in the industry?
4 years
Why were you interested in getting into real estate?
I am a third-generation REALTOR® in Chicago, and real estate has always been the lifeblood of my family. I would work on my dad’s investment properties at a young age, but my curiosity for real estate began at the dinner table. My plans were to go to law school after college and take a gap year. I got my license maybe a couple of weeks after graduating from college when I moved back to Chicago. My plan was to passively use my license just like the other 10,000 part-time agents in Chicago, but I quickly learned that this could be so much more than a part-time gig. I saw some serious potential as a long-term career when I was closing in on my first year and decided to push off law school yet again.
What’s your biggest achievement in your career to date?
The majority of my business is rentals. In my opinion, it’s the best way to build your book when you are fresh in the industry and are not part of a top-producing sales team. I had originally joined a team when I started working with DAC, but our team lead ended up leaving the company in the winter of that same year. Thankfully, I had learned a lot in a short time, but I have been completely on my own ever since and now have a team of four agents. Since I have been in the industry, I have personally done about 300 transactions (sales and rentals), which was an important milestone for me. Additionally, I was promoted to director of development at my company back in February of this year. That was a big deal for me, as well, because I know I am probably one of the youngest professionals in my field to have a director position at a well-respected company.
What has helped you most to get where you are today?
Sports were my life growing up. I think the things you learn from playing sports can be incredibly impactful for your work ethic. I always did well in school and developed a good work ethic from my schoolwork, but I contribute my real estate work ethic almost entirely to the work ethic I got from sports. There is a certain meritocracy/incentive structure in real estate brokerage that parallels sports in so many ways. It’s all about preparation and what you put in. Real estate doesn’t always have to be about smashing the competition, but you absolutely need to have a competitive edge in this industry, otherwise, you will never be successful.
What do you enjoy most about your career?
The people/connections you make. I sometimes feel like I am slowly becoming an encyclopedia, just because when you’re meeting so many new people every day and getting to know them, you are inevitably going to learn a ton of useful – and sometimes not so useful – things. I also get a ton of energy through social interaction, which is hugely beneficial in this industry. Even when you’re not working, you are probably working. For example, I was golfing the other weekend with a friend who is also a REALTOR®, and we got paired up with a guy who was solo. We ended up getting along really well, and by the end of the round of golf, we had a listing appointment in the books. It just goes to show the more connections you make, the more business you will get.
What advice would you give others who are looking to take their career to the next level?
Stick to it. You will have bad days, and you will have moments where you think this career is not for you. Maybe it isn’t, but you need to look inward to figure that out. It’s really easy to take that salaried position, and there is nothing wrong with that. But you have to understand that success will not happen overnight. You will be making far less than your friends/colleagues in your first couple of years and maybe even longer. If you have the vision and are willing to work at it, then I promise at some point down the line, you will be thanking yourself for sticking it out.
What does volunteering mean to you?
I am a big believer in giving back. I think I could donate my time more than I do now, and that is something that has been top of mind going into 2020. The reality is that everyone in this business is here to make money, but I also think that most people out there genuinely want to help other people in any way possible, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s important to take a second and think about all the people who went out of their way to help you with your career and to understand you have a responsibility to pay it forward.
What has been most valuable to you/your business since you got involved in our industry?
The right mentors. Ben and Ericka, who are the owners of the company I work for, have been integral to my development in this industry. If you don’t have mentors in your immediate circle, go out and find them. There are tons of agents, brokers and companies out there looking for young talent that they can help mold. Seeking out and finding the right mentors will set you ahead of the pack.
