We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Makya Swanagan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Makya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
As a realtor, there is a certain demographic of people that make up the majority in this industry — upper-class, white males. That same demographic are the ones who had first dibs at becoming homeowners. As time has progressed, that data has slowly broadened to include other races, genders, and socio-economic statuses. Though it’s expanding, I believe with an inside look into our industry, I can help include more of the underserved. I wholeheartedly believe that everyone deserves a place at the “homeowner’s table”; and I aim to be the gateway to that seat. Though my biggest goal is to guide generational renters to generational wealth through homeownership and real estate investing, I have also unintentionally influenced some of my peers and elders to become agents as well.
Makya, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do, and one thing you’re most proud of?
I am Makya Swanagan. A 25-year-old, black woman, born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. I am a Missouri-licensed realtor, who serves the greater St. Louis and surrounding areas. Since around 17 years old, my father, who is a general contractor, had urged me to get my real estate license as soon as I turned 18. Like most teenagers, I had my own plans and didn’t take that advice until about 6 years later. In 2020, I took the necessary courses, and federal and state tests, and became a real estate agent. For those that aren’t familiar with my profession, I assist people in buying, selling, and rent-to-owning homes in our area. I take away the stress of searching for homes online, visiting open houses every weekend unguided, and even searching for the right place to get a home loan from my clients. Every client is different, so I serve them all in a way that is tailored to their individual wants and needs.
As a realtor, I am most proud of staying true to myself. It’s sometimes difficult being surrounded by people who have been in the industry longer than I’ve been born, who, while teaching me best practices also think their ideals are the only ones that should be followed. For example, I love fashion, but society has standards for the way a professional should dress. I know that being professional is something that is in you, not on you, so I can wear bright colors, long hair, and bedazzled nails, not cover my tattoos, and still be the professional that I am. I don’t think anyone should ever alter how they display their personality, because the distinctiveness of our personalities is what makes being human so interesting. I encounter many different types of clients, and I serve them equally. The client that wears jogging pants instead of a suit is no less deserving, and vice-versa; my neon two-piece set does not make me less professional or knowledgeable than when I am wearing a black pants suit. Staying true to myself and serving my clients with equality as they stay true to themselves is essential to me professionally and in my everyday life!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I grew up a bit of a “know it all”, and carried that with me through adulthood. One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn as a realtor was that I will, in fact, never know it all. During my first few interactions as a realtor, I would just agree to any question I was asked, instead of saying I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t until talking to a few of the bigger agents in my office, that I was reassured that it is okay to not have the answer, but to always follow up with “I’ll find out for you”. That was a game changer for me because it made interactions more comfortable and smooth. I’m human not a robot, and clients are more at ease when they know you’re human too. Now, if a client asks me a question about a property that I’m unsure of, I’m eager to let them know I’ll find the answer for them. What I assumed made me look uneducated, instead makes me seem resourceful. Whether it’s a question I just need to double-check my property details for or contact my broker, I always have a way to get a question answered.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
I try to be super active on social media to keep in touch with my clients. We are in a world of technology these days, so I definitely spend a lot of time catering to users through Instagram and Facebook. In the same breath, everyone is not tech-savvy, so I still pick up the phone and make calls. As I stated previously, every client is different. In my initial contact with them, I ask how they like to be contacted — and their answer is how I contact them throughout the process. It’s important for me not to assume everyone is on social media or wants to text, just because I’m a younger agent. Though those means of communication are preferred by me, my goal is to make the home-buying or selling process easier, so I take the small step of keeping in touch in a way that is suitable to my client.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.makyaswanagan.
cbphomes.com - Instagram: @ClosingWithKya
- Facebook: @
MakyaSwanaganRealtor - Linkedin: Makya Swanagan
Image Credits
Canva, Makya Swanagan