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Happy Pride, Keller Williams! In honor of Stonewall, the tipping point of the Gay Liberation Movement in the U.S. in 1969, June is officially recognized as Pride Month within the United States. It is also celebrated across the globe with the help of parades, picnics, parties, and other events.
Join us in celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and amplifying the proud voices of three Keller Williams movers and shakers.
Celebrate With Us
Pride Month is the perfect time to revisit your commitment to inclusivity and allyship. ”In any type of community activism, you can be a toe dipper, a swimmer, or a diver,” explains featured agent Pepper Pepe. “A toe dipper makes sure they educate themselves about what’s going on. A swimmer is someone who’s willing to get active in the community when they see an opportunity to support, this could be a local event, or taking action against injustices. The divers are the leaders, educating others and organizing events. There’s always a way to get involved.”
Here are some action items to consider throughout the month of June and beyond:
- Become familiar and support the events and committees of the KW Rainbow Network, an independent, membership-based association of LGBTQ+ Realtors and professionals associated with Keller Williams. Seek out Rainbow Network members in your market center, letting them know that you are an ally.
- Enroll in KW’s inaugural Diversity Certification, which teaches agents the education, resources, and tools needed to successfully tailor business models to appeal to a wider customer base and develops their understanding of diversity to better address consumers’ needs and avoid discriminatory housing practices.
- If available, join your ALC’s equity committee.
- Become familiar with PFLAG, the largest organization for LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families, and allies.
Three Agents Share Their Pride
Christopher Broughton, KW Capital District
Now working alongside a showing partner, Christopher Broughton caught the real estate bug 15 years ago when he started investing in real estate in Atlanta, Georgia. After moving to Albany to be with his now-husband, Broughton went through real estate school, and, as luck would have it, joined Keller Williams as one of the first hires of KW Capital District – the first office to open in its area. Since entering the industry, Broughton’s accomplishments have been plentiful, but a particularly noteworthy one is his co-founding the KW Rainbow Network.
Outfront: How do you envision the future of real estate and how are you contributing to bring that vision to life?
Christopher Broughton: It all originates around passion. When I understand my client’s passion and what they’re trying to achieve in their life, then it threads its way not only through the relationship, but the entire transaction. When I’m invested in what their needs are, I’m really tapped in with their goals and want to help set and achieve those goals. This is one of the ways we set ourselves apart as associates with KW. I pride myself on giving white-glove service. It starts with the passion piece, and understanding what the client is looking for: Is it an investment? A first purchase? A relocation? Their passion inspires my passion to help them. My tagline is ‘Making great things happen.’
Outfront: What was the proudest moment of your real estate career thus far?
Christopher Broughton: I’ve had multiple clients that have invited me to their wedding. That is a deep pride – that my relationships have crossed over in this very transactional type of business. I’ve formed some really deep and lasting friendships. Also, I am an early founding member of the KW Rainbow Network. When I joined KW and went to my first Family Reunion, I was a brand-new agent. I attended the conference, and I didn’t really think that networking at a global real estate brand at the time would offer the opportunity that I needed in terms of being able to network with like-minded people. But I went to the conference and there were a couple of agents that were promoting themselves using the rainbow symbol. I connected with those agents, and we moved from throwing business cards into a fish bowl at a mixer, to somebody creating a list, to a Yahoo! Group, to a Facebook group, to what is now the KW Rainbow Network website. Something we speak about within the Rainbow Network is a commitment to building diversity worth celebrating. I think diversity worth celebrating is really an amazing thing!
Pepper Pepe, KW Realty Nevada County
A member of her ALC and part of the top 20% agents in her regions, Pepper Pepe got into real estate four years ago. An eclectic mix of roles throughout the years have created the perfect backdrop for Pepe’s current career. In managing a performance art center, doing social work within homeless camps and prison systems, and managing operations for Merrill Lynch, she learned to be with people in stressful situations. As a travel agent, she learned to truly listen to the needs and desires of those around her. “I have far exceeded any goals I had for this industry,” the solo agent, who works alongside a transaction coordinator, said.
Outfront: How do you envision the future of real estate and how are you contributing to bring that vision to life?
Pepper Pepe: Back when I was a travel agent, I sold upscale travel. When the internet came along, people didn’t think they needed personal assistants anymore, because they could do it all online. As they were trying to get a hold of people at those websites while they were stuck abroad, or their plane didn’t show up, they found out there is nothing like having someone you can trust that has your back. Quickly, people started moving back to having travel agents.
I think the same thing will happen in real estate. We’re going to see that people really want someone to have their back and to have their best interests at heart. I think that the one-on-one real estate agent is the missing piece of the puzzle that helps people manage the stress of it all. The more technology steps in to do the job of humans, the more the novelty wears off quickly when people realize they’re missing the integral part of someone caring about them.
Outfront: What was the proudest moment of your real estate career thus far?
Pepper Pepe: We have over 700 agents in Nevada County, and it’s a very small community. People are choosing to work with me, not because of my experience in the industry, necessarily, but because they want to work with someone who they know has their back. That’s something I’m very proud of. I did a 1031 exchange this week on both sides, for a client who is well known in the community. I know they know all the big agents. And yet, they chose me because they trusted me to have integrity with them.
I also closed a deal for a family of first-time homebuyers using a down payment assistance program, which was like running a marathon with the tracks on fire because of all the hurdles. But, we were able to help get them into a first-time home with this down payment assistance program, and I’m feeling pretty good about that.
Buddy Fleming, KW Bermuda
Buddy Fleming’s career has always revolved around luxury. At first as a property manager, Fleming pivoted to real estate 11 years ago, when the owners of his previous workplace were looking to sell property. He joined KW Bermuda in the middle of the pandemic, getting straight to work as the luxury director of KW Bermuda. “We don’t have years behind us, but what we are doing is launching very slowly and in the most elegant and high-end way we possibly can,” he says of the effort. “The last two and a half years were one of the most exciting times in real estate. The energy for real estate and purchasing and selling is global, and Bermuda is no exception to that. And Keller Williams has one of the greatest platforms and greatest business models for agents supporting agents.”
Outfront: How do you envision the future of real estate and how are you contributing to bring that vision to life?
Buddy Fleming: I think that if you marry your skill set and your passion together, then you have a winning recipe that is going to explode in the best possible way. My skill set is real estate, and my passion is giving back. One of my personal goals is to be able to make enough money to give most of it away. When I’m not with clients or in the office, I’m finding some way to give back to the community in Bermuda.
I’m trying my best to incorporate our brand for KW Luxury into this scenario of being able to give back to the community. I want people to know us for being a wonderful group of people who are built on integrity, honesty, and trust, and that we support the community as a whole and aren’t just people in our offices selling real estate.
Outfront: What was the proudest moment of your real estate career thus far?
Buddy Fleming: My greatest moment in my career so far has been affirming that Keller Williams globally is as inclusive and supportive internationally as it is in my hometown. When I joined Keller Williams, I was very giddy about KW Bermuda, the team here, and how they were supporting each other. But the things I learned and the people I met at Family Reunion just solidified the fact that I made the right decision. One of the biggest experiences for me was Inspirational Morning. It serves a purpose outside of real estate, which is giving back to the community and supporting those that need help. I cried that morning.
Another proud moment was the first gay pride parade in Bermuda’s history a few years ago on Front Street. Out of all the things that I could have seen in my life, seeing that just takes my breath away, still. The amount of families and people that came out to support us was unbelievable. We’re doing it again in August.
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