The Best of the Best
Each week we will seek out the best of the best in every imaginable business and explore the secret to their success. Prepare to gain insights and perspectives that will help you propel your business and personal growth forward. Hear how these leaders started, the stumbling blocks they overcame, and what’s next in their journey.
The Best of the Best
Real Estate At 18 with CADEN BALLANTINE & Terese Brittingham
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One conversation in high school can change your entire career path, and that’s exactly what happened for Caden from the Hammond Homes team. We talk about what it really looks like to start in real estate at 18, why mentorship matters, and how a simple quote “It’s a marathon, not a race” becomes a serious business plan when you stick with it.
We also get practical about the work: preparing for a listing appointment, showing up with market knowledge, and leaning on training and team support to compete with agents who have been around longer. If you’re a new real estate agent (or thinking about getting licensed), you’ll hear what helps early momentum and what actually builds trust when sellers are comparing options.
Then we zoom out to the bigger money questions for Caden’s generation: renting vs buying, first-time homebuyer strategy, and why home equity and long-term appreciation can be a game-changer even as the market slowly shifts. We wrap with real estate marketing and relationship systems like building a database, consistent follow-up, and why a bricks-and-mortar office can still beat “everything in the cloud” when you want community, coaching, and fast answers.
Subscribe for more real estate advice that’s clear and usable, share this with a friend thinking about buying their first place, and leave a review if it helps. What’s one thing you wish someone told you before you rented or bought your first home?
Welcome And Meet Caden
SPEAKER_01Welcome to Real Estate Real Answers. Today I'm excited to introduce you to Caden. Caden is on the Hammond Homes team and he is amazing. And I just love working with these agents that are getting into the business at early on in their career because they're so eager to learn and they are amazing at the work that they do. The marketing is so forward-thinking because they're into technology more than my age group is. So, Caden, welcome.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for having me. This is amazing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and we love having you here at Kelly Williams. Your energy is fantastic and it's just fun seeing you around the office.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. This the office is definitely great. It's just an amazing experience. It definitely is just so welcoming. Good.
SPEAKER_01So you feel supported here?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Everyone I talk to is just supporting. Everyone's just so welcoming.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. That's great. I'd love to hear that because that's what we want to provide.
A High School Detour Into Real Estate
SPEAKER_01Um, tell me, what made you think about real estate?
SPEAKER_00So, actually, the reason I got into real estate, I was in my junior year of high school. I got into a little bit of trouble. Um, and I actually ended up interviewing a real estate agent, Michael Hammond. It didn't really turn into an interview because if you know Mike, it's 95% of the talking. Yes. So yeah, we kind of just kicked it off from there. We exchanged numbers and then I kind of started working with his cousin Vinny. Okay. And I ended up joining his team.
SPEAKER_01Isn't that a movie, my cousin Vinny?
SPEAKER_00Yes, it is. That's why. Cousin Vinny. And I ended up joining his team when I was like 18. I was still in high school.
SPEAKER_01I love it. Uh, that is, I mean, what other career can you start that is a long lifetime career at 18, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, this is awesome.
SPEAKER_01And and it really does come down to you can make anything you want out of this business. And if you put the time, the energy, the effort into it, you'll have great success. And I'll tell you, you guys do that. Absolutely. You come to the trainings, you you really go out there and hit the streets and you give great service.
Prepping For A Listing Appointment
SPEAKER_01So let's talk a little bit about what you were just telling me. You have a listing appointment coming up.
SPEAKER_00I do have a listing appointment coming up in Plymouth meeting. Hopefully, they'll list with us. We're gonna go over there.
SPEAKER_01They're going to list with you. They're going to list the best.
SPEAKER_00Uh, we're gonna go over there, talk about the market, see what we can do better than our other competitors, and show them that we list every one out of five homes.
SPEAKER_01I love it. I think that's really great. And you're gonna go there very prepared because you've been doing the training and you're educated, you have a great team behind you. Um, but what was it about that conversation with Michael that you said, gosh, I really should be in real estate sales.
Marathon Mindset And First Homes
SPEAKER_00So the conversation with Michael, um, you know, he was talking a lot, but the one thing he stuck with me was a quote he said, It's a marathon, not a race. That's right. So, you know, the I guess people my age, you know, everyone wants that instant gratification. Yeah, I don't really want that, you know, want to do slow, steady work. So when he said that, kind of just clicked, and then I bought the MREA book and read it from there, and I was just like, I want to do this, I want to do this full-time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that MRA book as is sitting right here. Thanks for thanks for mentioning it. Um, is such a great blueprint for building a really good solid business over years. Absolutely. And, you know, that's what's interesting about this business is you start out young like yourself. I started out young as well. Um, and I actually was a part-time realtor when I first started and then got into it full-time. And I just knew it was what I was meant to do. But what's nice about it is as you build these relationships, and you know, people your age are going to be buying their first homes. So you can really advise them. Uh, a lot of them are leaning towards renting right now. Yeah. And there's there's no benefit to a renter to rent unless there's a weird situation with credit or or something along those lines, and then they probably have issues as well. So building that equity and being able to send that message out to people your age, I think is so special because you can be really helping them start off in life with a step ahead of most people.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So have you done any seminars? Are you thinking about doing one?
SPEAKER_00Um, I'm definitely thinking about doing a seminar. I think they're really cool. And to bring up back the friends, I do have a lot of friends actually reaching out to me who want to get into whether it's the investing side or the rental side. Okay. And this one specific, he was looking to rent, but he has a lot of money saved up because he's been working for a while. And then I just told him keep working for a couple years and save it for a down payment.
SPEAKER_01See, I love that. So you're not worried about the sale.
SPEAKER_00No, that's right.
SPEAKER_01You're worried about doing what's right for the person.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely right.
SPEAKER_01Um, there's a great book you could recommend to them. It's called the MREI. So it's the Millionaire Real Estate Investor Book.
SPEAKER_00I have read that. Isn't that a great book?
SPEAKER_01And then Flip is really great as well. But if you can start educating people your age that the American dream is home ownership and owning properties, uh, there's such opportunity coming for them because we've been in a weird market. The market has been very seller-friendly for a long time, probably as long longer than you've been in the business, actually. And it's starting to slowly shift across the country, which means it'll get here eventually.
SPEAKER_00Eventually, right?
SPEAKER_01But the market will change and prices will come down a little bit, not a lot, but a little bit. The nice thing about home prices is they always do tend to go up over time. Absolutely so it's a really safe investment. And if you bought a home eight, 10 years ago, the value of that home has gone up anywhere between 30 and 50 percent. There is nowhere that you can create that kind of wealth and live in the piece of property, so you're improving your quality of life as well. So I think that is really awesome. And I if I were you, that's the kind of message I would be putting out there is just reaching out to everybody your age that's thinking about what is it I want to do. And real estate is just
Building A Sphere That Pays Later
SPEAKER_01it's it.
SPEAKER_00That's it, right? And I send them a bunch of videos, you know, once by a week. I even text their momes, I send them a quick happy birthday video to their moms just in case they want to sell in the future when their younger siblings move out.
SPEAKER_01Smart. So you have a really good database setup?
SPEAKER_00I do. Um, with when it comes to sphere, yeah, I think it's stronger. It probably won't see anything to like a couple more years, but it's just harvesting the seeds and growing them.
SPEAKER_01It's a very smart thing to say because it does take time to build business, you know, and not getting frustrated is really important with it. Um, tell me what what kind of hobbies do you have outside of real estate?
SPEAKER_00So I'm actually a quite I'm a very boring person. All right. I'm not hanging out with my girlfriend. I'm usually I love script training, like just practicing, getting good on the phone. So I'm doing a lot of that and I love to read. Um, Amy Alphaundi just recommended this book. It's called The Untethered Soul. Oh, yeah. Really into that right now. I'm just binge reading it. So I don't really have many hobbies outside of just reading.
SPEAKER_01So I would say you're not boring, you're committed.
SPEAKER_00I'm committed, yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I love that about you. Uh, tell us what else you've done before real estate.
SPEAKER_00So before real estate, I served actually at a retirement home, and I believe that's really where I got most of my patience and working under pressure because not only is a lot of people, it's older people. So, I mean, you know, they have a little less patience with you, so you do have to be a little expertise. And then I worked at McDonald's for a little bit, and that's another fast place, restaurants.
SPEAKER_01You just gotta So you learned a lot of really good skills. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Talking to people for sure was probably the biggest thing I got out of those jobs.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've always fought found it rewarding helping, you know, our older population because they need lots of advice and this is their future. Um, and I too believe they love younger people. Absolutely. So it gives you a huge edge. So, you know, if you're talking to anybody out there, uh it's it's really nice to work with someone who's a little bit younger and starting out in life because they can share their stories, but they relate to you. And part of our business really is who do you relate to? You know, when you walk in that door, I don't even know that it matters all that much what your listing presentation looks like uh or what marketing you're gonna do because a lot of people do the same types of things. It's that connection with the person. You know, and I think you'll always do really, really well with that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's that's what I'm working on towards just getting better each day.
SPEAKER_01Awesome, awesome. So, what would you say yours is your favorite thing so far about the real estate business?
SPEAKER_00My favorite thing about the real estate business is just meeting new people, you guys, of course, and then just meeting and connecting with new people is just awesome. Uh, it's not something that I'm used to. Obviously, I'm just got out of high school. So just being in this field and experiences is great.
SPEAKER_01Awesome, awesome. What would you say to anybody out there who's thinking maybe your age group, um maybe getting ready to graduate even high school if they're 18, why would they think about getting into real estate? Like tell them, tell them why should they get into it?
SPEAKER_00I believe everyone should be in real estate. Not only as we were saying, the investment-wise, you can get familiar with the investment properties, just knowing what the house is worth, I think that is a significant increase of like just anything. Like just the knowing that I think you're just miles ahead of a lot of people. And just knowing about homes and ownership, I think you're just setting yourself ahead.
SPEAKER_01I love it.
Why Office Culture Still Matters
SPEAKER_01I love no love that. Um, tell me a little bit about why Keller Williams.
SPEAKER_00Keller Williams, why Keller Williams? So this is my only brokerage, but I have seen a bunch of other brokerages. My aunt's in the business. She was at Amax.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00She was telling me about Amax and comparing it to Keller Williams. This place is insane. It's so friendly, it's super amazing. Everyone's here to help. And then of course the bonus, there's always a lot of food.
SPEAKER_01There is always a lot of food. We do feed you well here. Um, you know, it's funny because I think there's a lot of brokerages out there trying to go towards that cloud-based opportunity where you don't have physical office space. So that's kind of the battle in the industry right now. And, you know, I'm old-fashioned, so I do believe in the bricks and the mortar because of the connection. And I think, you know, you can do classes online, that's great. You can do everything here online as well. But I feel like there's so much more synergy when you're sitting in that room with the person or able to walk into the office and ask a question, or sitting next to the person that you're having a class with and ask them about a real life situation. What are your thoughts on that? Because you your younger generation is very used to technology.
SPEAKER_00We are very used to technology. Um, I don't, you know, I try to tell people, even like people my age who try and get into real estate, just get your license, do it. I'm trying to actually recruit people to come here. I just think this office is an amazing space. I just tell people just do it. Just chase what you love.
SPEAKER_01I love it. Okay, good. So so you think being the bricks and mortar is important?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, yes.
SPEAKER_01That's awesome.
How To Contact Caden
SPEAKER_01All right, so how does everybody get in touch with you when they want to buy or sell a house with you?
SPEAKER_00You can just text me at 610-822-2868, and I'll be sure to respond within minutes.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. I'll tell you what, you should reach out to Caden. He's amazing. He's supported by an amazing team with lots of talent who will back him up on anything that he does. There is no deal too big for him, and there's no deal too small. If you're thinking about buying your first investment property, you should definitely give him a call. He's got a lot of really great education around that. And if you're wondering, like, gosh, how do I get started? I would love it if you wouldn't go rent a property before you talk to him. So give him a call, hear what he has to say. You will not be disappointed. So that is the end of our episode. Caden, thanks so much. Really appreciate it.