Title: 
Individual Salesperson
Company: 
Compass
Location: 
Arlington Heights, Ill.

Individual volume: $9.7 million
Individual sides: 29

Putting Buyer Education First

When Emily Kaczmarek, 29, started out in real estate in 2018, she quickly learned that cold calling for leads was not the best use of her time because it didn’t fit her personality.

Kaczmarek has never seen herself as a "salesperson." She’s naturally reserved, but she cares deeply about making an impact on her clients’ lives. "I want them to enjoy the process."

Kaczmarek saw a gap while working with her first few first-time buyer clients. "Everyone had their own preconceived notions about home buying," she said. So, she developed a first-time buyer workshop, which she pivoted to online webinars when the pandemic hit. Kaczmarek invited Bill Pendley of Caliber Home Loans to co-host the "Caffeinated & Home Buyer Educated" workshops. The pair co-wrote the course material and marketed their virtual sessions through ads on Eventbrite and Facebook. They’ve held one workshop a month for nearly two years now, getting between five and 30 attendees each time.

"I find true joy in educating first-time buyers. Nothing makes me happier than handing my clients their closing gift basket and giving them a hug (or, in COVID times, an elbow bump) outside of their soon-to-be new home at their final walkthrough."