Event Coverage
Spring Broker/Manager Lunch Meeting Features Panel Discussion, "The Millennial Mindset and What Brokers Need to Know"
Pictured L-R are panelists: E.J. Pulpan, Eric McCafferty, Brett Caviness, Lily Billings, Meaghan Anderson; and moderator Brian Chancellor
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, SILVAR held its Spring Broker/Manager Lunch Meeting at the Los Altos Golf and Country Club. This invitation-only event was for SILVAR brokers and managers, as well as the board of directors. It featured the panel, "The Millennial Mindset and What Brokers Need to Know," and an update by Robert Bailey on MLSListings and the Clear Cooperation Policy.
Brian Chancellor, vice president of experience at Christie's International Real Estate Sereno, moderated the panel, which included Meaghan Anderson (Coldwell Banker Realty), Lily Billings and Brett Caviness (both from Compass), Eric McCafferty (Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty), and E.J. Pulpan (Christie's International Real Estate Sereno).
The panel highlighted the dramatic changes in the real estate industry, including how to attract new talent and the importance of integrating technology into daily business practices.
Having a background in the tech industry, Billings explained that she found the traditional workflow processes in real estate to operate at a slower pace when she first started her career. "Time is everything you have at your fingertips," she said. "To travel from one end of one transaction to the other in one screen is a very current way of doing things."
A significant portion of the discussion focused on the difficulties new agents encounter. Pulpan used the analogy of being "on a bike ride with a friend and you don't know where you're going and when you'll get there" to describe the challenge of balancing consistency and business development early in his career.
Similarly, Caviness emphasized the significant financial barrier that millennial and Gen Z REALTORS® often face, stating, "Young people can't afford to do this business, so it seems to be a business of people who've got the financial backing. You need 12 to 18 months before you get a commission." He described his own early struggles as "tough and dark" and emphasized the importance of finding community at home or in the office.
The panelists discussed the need for robust support from brokerages, particularly in terms of marketing, training, and mentorship for newer agents. Anderson highlighted the support offered by Coldwell Banker, which allows her to be a "mobile agent" with the ability to "call my broker any time of day and get the support I need."
McCafferty found significant benefit in joining his mother's brokerage and said he became "her right hand" when he joined. He emphasized the importance of "practice and experience...through mentorship opportunities with legacy agents."
Most of the panelists stated that on average, they come into the office nearly every day, with Caviness stating, "It's not where you are but what you do with it. You can come to the office and not get anything out of it."
Anderson explained that as a working mother, she goes into the office weekly and credited Coldwell Banker for fostering community through frequent social events. "The office isn't the only place to create success," she said.
McCafferty emphasized the need for brokerages to value "clear communication and embracing change" to attract and retain new talent.
Despite technological advancements in real estate, Billings emphasized that the core practices remain the same because as REALTORS®, "we'll still be advocating for clients' best interests and negotiating fundamentals."
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.