At the age of 22, Kris Butler had been saving up since high school, yet he had no real plan in mind for what to do with those savings.
This was back in 2015. “I had a great job and decided to buy a house,” he says.
That search for his first home ended up sparking his interest in real estate.
“After a year of constantly looking, day in and day out, it just became a habit. I never stopped looking at listings, even after I bought the house.”
In 2019 Butler and his wife began searching for an income property. Around that same time, he had enrolled in the REALTOR® courses, though the plan then was really just to use his license to make purchasing other rental properties a little easier in the future. Soon, he began wondering, “Maybe I should actually start working as a REALTOR® and get paid for this weird hobby.”
He met Erica Voisin that year, just as their search for an income property was beginning. The first house he and his wife looked at was one of Erica and George Mochrie’s listings, so the couple called them directly to view it. While that first house didn’t end up being the one, after another year-long search they ended up finding the perfect place, thanks to Erica’s help.
“Erica was the first person I called once I completed my REALTOR® courses, to help figure out my next steps,” says the agent.
Butler is happy he made the move. “For me, it’s starting every day working in a field that truly excites me. I know it’s a bit of a cliché to say, but it’s such a great feeling to be excited and passionate about the work you do every day. My previous career was something that I kind of fell into. I wasn’t passionate about the work and I couldn’t see myself working like that for another 20+ years. As a REALTOR®, I get to do my hobby all day every day,” he says.
He had no idea, though, how busy it would get. Between viewings, marketing, offer days, phone calls and everything else, the days fill up quickly. In this line of work, you’re busiest at the times when your clients aren’t working. Says the agent, “It’s a tough pill to swallow, giving up most evenings and weekends.”
He is noticing a bit of a shift happening. What was once a very strong seller’s market is starting to equalize. While it’s hard to say whether that will continue—even agents don’t have a crystal ball—it’s certainly a good sign for future buyers.
Butler knows a lot about investing in rental properties in Centre Wellington. The most important thing is to make sure the numbers work. “With current house prices, it’s hard to crunch the numbers when you factor in all of the costs,” he says.
His advice?
Use as many resources as you can to start figuring out what things are renting for, such as kijiji and Facebook Marketplace. Many great websites will help with the calculations—all you have to do is plug in a few figures: rent, mortgage payments, house price, etc. They’ll give you all the info you need to determine if a specific property makes sense for you.
“You also want to be prepared for the number of applications you will get,” he warns. “There is no doubt a rental shortage in Centre Wellington and it can be very overwhelming trying to find the right tenant.”
Butler was born and raised in Fergus and has a strong connection to and love for the town. The sense of community enjoyed in Centre Wellington is what he values most. He hopes to raise his own family here, one day.
Whether you are new to the area or a long-time resident, a first-time buyer or looking to downsize, searching for your dream home or a smart investment, he can help.
Learn more about Kris Butler, send him an email or call him at (226) 383-9484.