Babette Bean
Real Estate Agent, eXp Realty®
Babette Bean is a prominent, well respected, very successful real estate agent with a long proven track record in the industry. She has led a life based on family, bettering the lives of others, educating, and continually growing. She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and is a founding member of the Twin Cities Children’s Museum. A current resident of Naples, Florida, Babette Bean has won a number of real estate awards on a local and national level. She is currently an agent for eXp Realty®, an innovative, growing, international real estate brokerage known for its agent-centric approach to real estate.
How did you find yourself in the real estate industry?
As my children got older, I was involved in various social initiatives and activities within our community such as school, the arts, and tennis four times a week. I was ready to do something else. At first, I decided on law and was studying for my LSATS. One day, in the midst of this big career move, I ran into a high-producing and successful realtor who, after a brief conversation, convinced me real estate would be a great fit for my talents, traits, and overall goals. I was convinced, and I made the shift from studying for a law degree to receiving my real estate license.
I rose to prominence shortly after a successful first year when I listed and sold the first home to ever sell over 1 million dollars in the heart of the City Lakes. I consider myself a great negotiator. I learned the skill from my father and while living abroad. Negotiating is essential in markets that get wild and sometimes volatile. My success record in negotiating quality outcomes has proven itself by happy and satisfied clients.
Where does your passion for real estate come from?
I have always been a business-minded person. I love negotiating, and I am innately a people person. Real estate checks all the boxes for me. It’s the perfect combination of people and business requiring collaboration, communication, and knowledge to bring the deal to a close and better people’s lives along the way.
My undergraduate degree from Northwestern University was focused in educational psychology, and it perfectly applies to my client work. As a real estate agent, I’m tasked with educating and counseling my sellers at every step of the journey, always putting their long term interests as top priority.
What problem do you see affecting the real estate industry today?
Real estate is a nuanced, complex practice, rife with competition. Most agents believe that, to get ahead, they must work for themselves instead of the client and become quite obtuse and get in the way of a successful transaction. When you take a step back, it’s clear that working this way gets in the way of the deal. There are so many moments at which an agent’s overzealousness or inward focus can create barriers to completing a transaction.
Collaboration is key—between agents and buyers/sellers, but also from agent to agent. Anything other than a clear, honest relationship creates unnecessary friction and delay within the process. Other agents know me for my honesty, and they respect and want to work with me. I network with key players in the industry. I encourage open, honest communication. This results in customer satisfaction and success.
What are the greatest highlights and achievements of your real estate career?
I have been thankful for the frequency and quality of referrals that come from my past clients, as well as their repeat business. My business has been and continues to be so rewarding. I have been blessed by wonderful clients. I love my job, and I have met so many incredible people that I now call friends.
I consider my entire career in real estate a great achievement. I have made connections, repeatedly exceeded my own performance goals, and found my place as a leader and top performer in the industry. I’ve been recognized for selling some of the most expensive and landmark homes in Minnesota and for many benchmark moments along the way. My community voted me the top agent in one of the Twin Cities top publications. I love my job and building trust with my clients; we all have fun along the way!
Key Takeaways
- Honesty is everything. Without an integrity-driven approach to your work, no one wins.
- When something is not working, move on. It’s important to keep momentum and move the needle forward, for your clients and yourself.
- Real estate is relational. It is about the story, the humanity, and the successful, happy completion.
