Beau Blankenship's drive, work ethic, and winning attitude have been the catalyst to his success throughout his entire life. Having always been involved in sports from childhood to college, Blankenship pursued professional football after graduating from college. And to no one's surprise, he ended up signing a contract to play with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  

After being released, Blankenship was desperate to find a new passion that he'd feel fulfilled pursuing. He was looking for something that was just as high-energy and competitive as the professional football world. And Blankenship's search ended with luxury real estate. 

Once he knew that luxury real estate was what he wanted to do, he dove head-first into getting experience. Learning the ropes in his new career in real estate, Blankenship worked hard at a small boutique brokerage. Until one day, when the drive for more took hold. That's when Blankenship realized he wanted more from his career and set his sights on something bigger and better. 

Blankenship found what he was looking for in 2017 when he acquired a Northwest Florida branch of the Engel and Völkers franchise; he also runs his own real estate firm called Blankenship Group. Now, his branch specializes in top-of-the-line real estate properties along the Northwest Florida coast.  

In 2020, Blankenship scaled his team by adding 5 new members. They also had a record-breaking year with $336M in sold and pending volume, Blankenship was named as #70 in the country and #11 in Florida on the Wall Street Journal's list for volume sold. 

Now, Blankenship is sharing 4 steps to choosing the perfect real estate agent. You can choose the right real estate agent for you by following the below tips: 

1. Do your research! 

When choosing a real estate agent, research the local housing market. And don't just do it online. Make sure to check it out yourself, in person. You are the only person who knows exactly what you need and want in real estate, so you must do your research!  

2. Talk to an agent. 

To get a feel for real estate agents, start the conversation by talking to an agent online or in person. Just like you're not going to like every person you ever meet, you're not going to like every real estate agent you meet. So make sure you get a feel for their personality and communication style in your initial conversation. 

3. Clarify your motivation to buy or sell.

For a real estate agent to help you to the best of their ability, you need to clarify your motivation to buy or sell. Always be honest and upfront with your real estate agent. 

4. Discuss strategy and agree on all the important details. 

Before you go out and look at properties, talk to your real estate agent and discuss strategy and agree on all the important details. The buying and selling process can be overwhelming, so to reduce your stress and anxiety, make sure you and your agent come up with a strategy and stick to it.