Learn the way this award-winning Kentucky brokerage proprietor obtained his begin, and why he’s specializing in the significance of firm tradition.
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With specialties in residential, farm and land, equine properties and new growth, in addition to multifamily funding and industrial transactions, Christie’s Worldwide Actual Property Bluegrass provides a luxurious expertise to its Kentucky purchasers. “We believe that luxury indicates a quality of service, not a price point,” CEO and proprietor Rusty Underwood stated.
Centered on empowering its brokers to create “custom-tailored customer and agent experiences with an emphasis on staff support services,” Underwood is happy in regards to the firm’s progress regionally. “We have industry-focused agents who believe in giving back to our industry and community,” he stated.
Learn the way this award-winning Kentucky brokerage proprietor obtained his begin, and why he’s specializing in the significance of firm tradition.
Title: Rusty Underwood
Title: Proprietor-CEO
Expertise: 14 years in gross sales
Location: Central Kentucky
Brokerage title: Christie’s Worldwide Actual Property, Bluegrass
Rankings: No. 3 in Kentucky for particular person gross sales and No. 5 in MLS for brokerage
Workforce dimension: 70
Transaction sides: 817 for brokerage in 2024
Gross sales quantity: $339,079,000 for brokerage in 2024
Awards:
- Realtor of The 12 months Award, Bluegrass Realtors (2023)
- Voted Lexington’s Finest Realtor (2024) Enterprise Lexington, Chevy Chaser, Southsider
- High 5 producing Realtor within the state of Kentucky (2023/2024)
- Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors’ Class of 30 Underneath 30 (2016)
- Kentucky Actual Property Fee Good Neighbor Award (2016)
- Bluegrass Realtors Good Neighbor Award (2016)
- High Producers Membership Lifetime Member
Background:
- President, Think about MLS (2023-2025)
- Director, Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors Board of Administrators (2023)
- Finance Committee, Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors (2023)
- President, Bluegrass Realtors (2022)
- Board of Administrators, Commerce Lexington (2022)
- Delegate Physique Consultant, Kentucky Realtor Affiliation (2022)
- President, Realtor Group Housing Basis (2019-2022)
- Treasurer, Bluegrass Realtors (2020)
- Kentucky State Realtor Reduction Basis Board of Administrators (2022)
- Gross sales & Advertising and marketing Council, Constructing Business Affiliation
- Financial Growth Committee, Kentucky Realtor Affiliation (2024)
How did you get your begin in actual property?
My introduction to actual property was via my household. Having builders on each side of my household I started my profession at a younger age collaborating in a wide range of development trades and normal contracting.
I didn’t intend to pursue actual property as a profession and was principally thinking about legislation all through highschool and school. Whereas in school, I obtained my actual property license on the recommendation of a mentor, who grew to become my actual property mentor. This was the very best skilled recommendation I ever obtained, and at present, I’m lucky to nonetheless have the power to work with my mentor, who’s now an agent in our brokerage.
How did you select your brokerage?
My spouse and enterprise associate Rachel thought-about a wide range of affiliations once we had been choosing luxurious manufacturers to convey to our market. Whereas there are lots of nice manufacturers to select from, our alignment with Christie’s Worldwide Actual Property was with out query the fitting path for us.
We had been trying to find the right mix of world attain, outstanding custom and the combination of industry-leading expertise. After a 30-minute cup of espresso in Chicago with Natalie Hambrick and Thad Wong a number of years in the past, which changed into a several-hour assembly, it was clear to us crucial piece for us was an ideal match: the tradition.
What stays the North Star for our firm (tradition) is probably the most precious asset for status, agent and {industry} relationships and the willingness to advertise your companions throughout the desk and throughout the nation.
Inform us a few excessive level in your brokerage profession
The best level in my brokerage’s profession was additionally one of many lowest. Early in 2024, certainly one of our top-producing brokers had a sudden medical emergency and was hospitalized for a number of months. It’s each agent’s largest worry.
In a single day, they grew to become unable to work and, on the recommendation of medical professionals, had been unable to talk with purchasers for a time whereas they healed. With out discover, they had been hospitalized and unable to speak.
Inside a matter of hours, different brokers in our workplace stepped as much as take over their 31 transactions in course of and shepherd them along with her prospects to closing, with out asking for something in return. They only needed to assist their colleague and good friend.
With the ability to assist certainly one of our personal and having the mentality {that a} Christie’s Worldwide Actual Property Bluegrass buyer is the duty of all the firm displays the precise tradition we work on daily basis to advertise.
What’s your prime tip for freshly licensed brokers?
This can be very vital when first entering into the enterprise to prepare your follow and to obtain mentorship from a extremely skilled agent. By the point you construct your enterprise, will probably be extraordinarily painful to return and reinvent your efficiencies and habits. In case you can align with a extremely organized, extremely profitable agent who can present you how you can set up and create accountability for your self, you’ll be forward of the sport.
I’d additionally advocate saying sure to each assembly for the primary 12 months in enterprise and making it your mission to make sure that each individual in your sphere of affect is just not solely conscious of your new career however how critical you might be about it. In case you are aligned with a profitable mentor, auxiliary enterprise companions will need your time (lenders, title corporations, insurance coverage and so forth).
Down the highway, will probably be harder to take all of these conferences, however as a brand new agent, it’s simply as vital to turn into extra intimate with the completely different merchandise out there in your purchasers and operators in your market.
What’s your prime prediction for the long run?
That the common agent geography protection will proceed to develop (that means brokers will probably be prepared and assured to journey additional for enterprise) and that luxurious actual property will outpace conventional markets in appreciation in 2025.
