Broker Spotlight: Katia and Steve Bailey, The Agency

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Broker Spotlight: Katia and Steve Bailey, The Agency

Name: Katia and Steve Bailey

Title: Brokers and managing partners

Brokerage name: The Agency Waterloo Region, Oakville, Muskoka, Brantford, Toronto West & York Region

Experience: Nearly two decades

Location: Started The Agency Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, and most recently expanded our latest office, The Agency Toronto West

Team size: Our Agency offices have more than 80 agents combined

Sales volume: In 2022, our team closed over $250,000,000 in real estate

Awards: RE/MAX Diamond Award, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award, RE/MAX Circle of Legends, RE/MAX Hall of Fame and now The Agency Chairman’s Awards

What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate? 

KB: It’s not glamorous. The stuff we want to show on TV, you can’t – so all that is left to “share” publicly is the pretty homes and the flexible lifestyle. But it is definitely a lot more than that.

SB: It’s not for the faint of heart. It isn’t a hobby. You have to treat it as a career even though you don’t have a boss telling you what to do. There is no such thing as easy money.

What’s something you know now that you wish you knew when you started?

KB: If there is a problem, address it quickly. Don’t let things fester. Handle every issue head-on and then move on.

SB: Make sure you are associated with people who can give you good advice and don’t let the losses drive your story. Real estate is filled with peaks and valleys and those who are successful don’t let the valleys define them.

Tell us about a high point in your brokerage career.

KB: I remember Steve and I attending our first awards ceremony and we were really just there as observers. I remember seeing names and faces that I had looked up to and seeing them get so much recognition and praise – it felt like: Wow, how did they do that?

Fast forward a few years and Steve became the person getting the awards. It was surreal to have been on the sidelines and to then have worked so hard that we earned a place alongside them.

SB: Early on in my career, I was able to double and triple my sales from one year to the next. And you can only scale like that by hiring and surrounding yourself with the right people. Know what you are good at and hire people to do the rest.

What makes a good leader?

KB: Someone who actually cares. Not because of a paycheck but because they have passion. I think that’s why we have come this far. Real estate isn’t “work” for me. It’s my hobby and my favorite pastime. So when it doesn’t feel like work and when you genuinely and authentically love what you are doing, it shows. I like to lead by example. I like to lead with people alongside me and not behind me.

SB: Someone who is a good listener and who is empathetic. But on the flip side, someone who can motivate and navigate tough times.

Tell us about some people you admire.

SB: My father. He taught me a lot of life skills ie. fixing a car, building a deck. His knowledge of how to build and fix anything is limitless and I admire that beyond measure.

Tom Brady. I know this one might be controversial but his dedication to the game and what he was able to achieve is extraordinary. His resilience in the face of adversity and his ability to keep his head in the game is commendable. His legacy – regardless of the noise – is undeniable.

Know someone who should be featured in an upcoming Broker Spotlight? Nominations, please, to brokeredge@inman.com.