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Broker Spotlight: Joy Vance
Name: Joy Vance
Title: Managing partner, founder
Experience: Over two decades in the real estate industry.
Location: Bozeman and Big Sky, Montana
Brokerage full name: The Agency Bozeman | Big Sky
Rankings: Top 10 Bozeman Realtors 2022. Consistently in top 20 percent of agent production across the state past five years.
Team size: 21
Transaction sides: Total transactions run from 20-30 per year
Sales volume: Personal sales average $50 million a year
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
I often come across aspiring agents who see the amount of money that can be made in real estate, and they make assumptions that it’s an easy job. They think that we just show houses, take videos of ourselves, and get photoshoots done every day.
This job is not easy.
It requires incredible discipline and grit. I work seven days a week and push over 60 hours a week consistently. Yes, I have had great success, but it has come with sacrifice and a whole heck of a lot of my time. If you aren’t willing to put the work in, you will not have longevity in this business.
Clients are not easy to get. Clients work with whom they know, like and trust. To trust you, you must be an expert in your field. At the beginning of someone’s career, they may have a friend throw them an opportunity, but to sustain a business, you must be diligent at learning your craft and studying the market.
What are 5 things you’d like readers to know about you and your brokerage?
The Agency Bozeman was the first Agency office in Montana, opening in November 2022, followed within the year by The Agency Big Sky, which just opened in September 2023. Our reach also extends to agents in outlying areas to provide comprehensive coverage throughout this vast state.
Montana is one of the most coveted markets in the world, and our brokerage can take you wherever you want to go in this incredible state. Montana is not just a place to live and work, but a lifestyle choice to achieve one of the best work-life balance in the U.S.
Our brokerage is exclusively representing The Henry and the newest downtown development coming soon, The Hotel Bozeman & Residences, a Marriott Autograph Collection. These are two dynamic developments here in Downtown Bozeman with well-known and award-winning HomeBase Partners. Hotel Bozeman & Residences is set to occupy a prime site in the heart of downtown becoming the first Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel in the state of Montana.
Our Montana team is one of the most diverse in the state and knows the regions they represent inside and out, from ultra-private retreats to close-to-everything homes and new resort-style estates. We represent a wide clientele base, from first-time homebuyers to high-net-worth individuals, and this real estate market holds perfect synergy with The Agency’s global brand and vast network.
We do things differently at The Agency Bozeman | Big Sky. Passion for what we do and commitment to who we serve are two of the characteristics that define us as a boutique brokerage. Our strength of character and rebellious spirit are what makes us unique, while our heart makes us genuine.
Tell us about a high point in your brokerage career
This is an easy one. Landing the Hotel Bozeman & Residences exclusive listing this past year. I think this stands out so much to me because it was the first time I was facing a large-scale, new-development infill project, and more importantly, it stays with me because of the people I need to thank for helping me to achieve it.
I had been working on smaller-scale infill developments downtown for the past several years, but this project was new territory for me. This is why I bring up the power of this brand. I had three days to pitch this project to the largest downtown developer in Bozeman.
I reached out to my partners who had experience in these types of developments, and over the next three days of my preparation, I was able to spend at least an hour on the phone with each of them as they guided me to a plan of action. I guess it goes back to my earlier comments: collaboration and teamwork are so valuable. I would not have been able to land that project if it were not for the larger team I have surrounding me.
What’s your top prediction for 2024?
I expect the real estate market in 2024 to be another challenging one. I expect interest rates to remain high, which will require buyers to acclimate to the new normal. I believe we will continue to see prices slightly level, and in turn, we will see a similar transaction count as this past year.
Fewer transactions will also mean less pie to go around for Realtors. I think for those agents within their first three years of operating their business, this year will be a year that will require grit.
What makes a good leader?
Vision. It’s the essence of leadership. Providing the inspiration, the dream, the roadmap of where you want to go and what you want to achieve as a team is the hallmark of a great leader. Leadership without vision or direction is tantamount to embarking on a journey without a destination.
The pinnacle of success is never an individual endeavor, but a team collaboration once a leader can inspire those around them in belief of the vision desired.
Know someone who should be featured in an upcoming Broker Spotlight? Nominations, please, to brokeredge@inman.com.