Kim Kantrow, CRS, says working with seniors has enriched her life and business
Previously an interior designer, Kim Kantrow, CRS naturally transitioned into real estate in 2005. Six months after she got her REALTOR® license, Katrina devastated her city, New Orleans, Louisiana. Not only was she just starting out in the business, but she had to learn how to emotionally support her clients.
“I was a marriage counselor, answering insurance questions and all the big questions of life: Should we stay here? Should we rebuild? It shaped how my business has evolved,” says Kantrow. Her nurturing nature has led to her specializing in helping seniors downsize. While not 100% of her business, most of her clients are seniors navigating the next phase of their life.
Servicing seniors
When Kantrow started working with seniors back in 2012, she noticed her clients needed a higher level of service beyond her typical real estate training. Attending conferences and earning specialized designations that focused on serving the senior community helped develop her skillset. One of the most important skills to have while working with seniors is patience. Her clients’ families oftentimes ask how she handles the stress of her role. Her answer is, “They’re not my parents, so we have a different dynamic and that dynamic enables us to go places that can be hard for family members.”
Kantrow tries to be readily available and open to answering all questions. With seniors, it’s often a family affair with relatives offering their input on the transaction. It’s important for Kantrow to put her clients’ needs first. “I am very protective of my senior clients. If they are the owners of the house, I’m happy to include the children,” says Kantrow. “[But] we don’t know family dynamics. Just because a daughter seems super helpful, doesn’t necessarily mean that the client wants them involved, and I want to protect my clients need for autonomy and control over everything else.”
While the question of “Where will I live?” is only one of several predictable dilemmas of getting older, they are all interconnected. “You also have to learn to listen with a third ear to hear things that they’re not saying,” says Kantrow. “Let them do most of the talking and ask lots of targeted by open-ended questions so you can get a good idea of what is really going on and not just what they’re telling you. Finding out what is keeping them up at night goes a long way in helping them progress in their journey.”
What sets Kantrow apart as a REALTOR® are the resources she has curated. She makes it her business to have a network of senior-focused vendors and partners that she knows and trusts. Another important part of the job is simply being there to listen to her clients, hearing their stories and help them see the big picture so that they don’t get bogged down with the overwhelming details. She adds that although it can be difficult for some, there are clients who recognize that the home they are leaving is just four walls and the memories go wherever they go. “Those are the kinds of people who understand that you have a choice in how you look at this situation. Change can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be a fearful time. There can be hope and even happiness involved in transitioning to a new chapter—there are still good things ahead.”
Growing your network
Kantrow joined the Residential Real Estate Council in 2018. Since then, she has served as Louisiana RRC Finance Chair in 2019, President in 2020 and 2021, serving as Vice Chair of RRC Election Guideline Committee in 2022 and its Chair in 2023. “It was really easy to get involved because everyone was super welcoming. I felt like I had met my people,” says Kantrow. “Everyone [at RRC] has a learner’s mindset. That’s why they’re here, to learn from and alongside the best minds in real estate.”
In order to grow your business, Kantrow encourages REALTORS® to get involved with the Council. This means attending Sell-a-bration®, joining networking groups and/or attending in-person courses. When you’re an active member, agents will remember you when the time comes to make a referral. “It makes it so much easier when you can speak to a referral partner on a personal level and be able to tell the client, ‘This is my friend and you are in good hands.’”
Finding that inner spark
After being in the business for over 18 years, working with seniors has added a whole new dimension to Kantrow’s career and enriched her passion for real estate. “It’s so easy to get burned out in real estate. But when I really thought about who were the clients that filled my bucket, it was that demographic hands down,” says Kantrow.
Whether you’re an agent who has been in this industry for decades, or you’re just starting out, Kantrow believes it’s important to find something that motivates you to keep on going. “Find something that fills your soul and really makes what we do feel like a mission and a purpose, not just going through a transaction checklist.”
