Lucas Hammond kicked off his real estate career in the middle of a global pandemic in a red-hot housing market while training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The 27-year-old Victoria resident made his Olympic Games debut this summer as a member of Canada’s rugby team.
The months leading up to the global sporting event were gruelling ones for the rugby player turned realtor.
“Luckily for me, we had early starts at rugby. Our training centre is located in Langford, which is just on the outskirts of Victoria. We'd be in the gym at 6 am and then on the field by 8 am, so most days I could be back in town at the office by 11 am,” says Hammond. “I was also able to arrange showings in the West Shore to work around those times, so I'd pack a suit and go straight from training to meet clients. It wasn't easy, but I managed to make it work!”
And all of the hours of work -- both on the field and off -- paid off with the unmatched Olympic experience. Hammond recalls walking through the Olympic Village the first night as a highlight. The team made it to the quarter-final but lost to New Zealand 21-10.
“There were so many emotions running through my head as I thought of the endless amount of hours I had put in over the years to get there,” he says. “Under normal circumstances, we arrive at least a week prior to tournaments, but because of COVID, we only arrived in Japan two days prior to competing. We were only in the village for five days, and three of them we were competing, so I really just tried to enjoy every moment and soak it in as much as possible.”
Now, back home from the Games, he’s swapped his cleats with suits indefinitely to focus on a full-time career in real estate. And he hasn’t missed a beat on the real estate front in Victoria’s sizzling housing market.
“The most exciting part (can also be the most frustrating part) is the pace at which the market is currently moving,” says Hammond. “It is an extremely active market that really keeps you on your toes. Properties are selling so fast; you really need to be ready at a moment’s notice to ensure your clients get a chance to walk through the property to decide if it's right for them or not.”
Hammond’s interest in real estate piqued when he purchased his first apartment.
“I have always been drawn to real estate as a way to create and build wealth,” says Hammond. “I enjoyed every aspect about the process of purchasing my first property, from getting out to view properties to writing the contract. It was this initial excitement that I think sparked my interest in getting into the business. Now I love helping people through that same process.”
Now, Hammond is part of a team at luxury real estate company Engel & Völkers and thriving. “I spoke to a few different brokerages and met Alex Carroll, who was at Engel & Völkers, we both come from similar backgrounds, and I have yet to see any other realtor work harder than he does. The brand at Engel & Völkers was also hard not to love, it’s a great company, so definitely made my decision easy,” says Hammond.
Naturally, entering Canada’s current real estate market in its dramatic state has been challenging for Hammond, but that’s why he likes it so much.
“Real Estate is a tough business to get started in a normal year, the pandemic definitely threw some curveballs that made things challenging. It's also made things exciting; you need to learn how to adapt with the ever-changing market,” says Hammond. “I think I have learnt far more in this past year through the pandemic and red-hot market than I would have if I started my career in a normal year.”
No stranger to hard work, Hammond draws on his work ethic and discipline gained through his athletic pursuits. “Nothing has ever come easy to me in life or in sport. I have always had to put in a lot of hard work. I think that the work rate I have developed over the years is what will serve me best in this industry,” he says.
Hammond says he’s pleasantly surprised by the relationships he has developed already in the industry – something he cites as the best part of the job. “I have clients that have turned into friends over such a short period of time and have also been lucky enough to work with some really amazing colleagues,” says Hammond.
In addition to selling real estate, Hammond has plans to purchase more property himself. “I plan on accumulating more properties over the years,” says Hammond. “I think owning a rental helps me be a better realtor to my clients because I am always up to date on market rents and am able to pass that information on to my clients looking for investment properties as well.”
