Actors, realtors share more than you thought

It’s sometimes hard to decide what Vancouver is better known for: its ever-prevalent and in-demand real estate market, or its well-earned reputation as Hollywood North.

For Canadians looking to break into the film and television industry, Metro Vancouver would seem the logical place to be if you want to pursue a career in acting but aren’t interested in heading south of the border. The region, with its competitive markets, offers plenty of opportunities to motivated realtors.

Actors become realtors

Tyler Burrows, now a realtor with Oakwyn Realty, didn’t originally move to Vancouver from Kamloops to pursue a life in real estate. He was inspired by Jim Carrey and Christopher Reeves from an early age. 

“In high school, I got into theatre and acting class there and really developed a love for it,”He shares. “So I decided that was what I was going to pursue.”

Lucas McCann is another Oakwyn Realty realtor who moved to Vancouver in pursuit of acting. 

“I had no clue what I wanted to do and spent six months in college. I realized it was just not for me”McCann:

A friend of his invited him to a workshop in Victoria, where he’s originally from, where his interest in acting first developed. After completing a two-year acting program, he decided to move to Vancouver. 

How did Burrows McCann get to where they are now, as realtors on arguably the most active real estate market in Canada.

A deep interest in the real estate market; a desire for knowledge ‘control my own fate’

Burrows’ life imitated his art. In 2018, he and his dancer partner bought their first home in Vancouver. Due to the fact that they were both creative professionals working for themselves, the process was slightly more complex. The learning curve he went through during this period inspired him to dive deeper into real estate.

“I didn’t know these nuances back then … I was thinking, like, what else do I not know about this industry?”Burrows confesses. “I never got off the real estate track after that.”

In McCann’s case, he found himself motivated to try a different career path after years of grinding it out at auditions and long days on set:

“I wanted to be able to control my own fate. I need to be in a profession that I could put however much hard work I put into it, I’m actually getting out of it,”He adds. “As an actor, I felt like it didn’t matter how good you were. You may be the best in the room. But it didn’t come down to that.”

A passion reignited

On the flip side, Sean Gartland, a realtor with Angell Hasman & Associates, finds himself now pursuing his passion as an actor. He was a part of the theatre department at Vancouver High School and performed in several productions. He decided to pursue a conventional career path, which led him into business and then real estate.

“Society can sometimes squash those dreams,”Gartland reflects on the situation.

Coincidentally, it was through meeting Burrows one day at an open house that reignited Gartland’s interest in acting. He still has a thriving real estate business, but he is also exploring acting by working with a professional coach and taking classes.

“I do enjoy real estate professionally, but it doesn’t do anything for me creatively,”He says.

More than meets the eye

Burrows McCann Gartland all share the belief that acting and being a real estate agent have more in-common than they think.

It just takes one look at Burrows’ social media channels, particularly his video tours, “Touring With Tyler”See how his experience in film, television and marketing has translated well to his current real estate marketing game.

“For my social media, I’ll go out in one day and shoot 10 different places, or two or three days and shoot a bunch of different places,”Burrows explains. “Then I’ll edit them all in one night and do all the voiceovers in one night. I took my film career and blended it into my real estate career.”

McCann’s first question to any actor who was interested in becoming a real estate agent would be: “Have you ever worked in the restaurant industry?”

“If you ever served somebody as a bartender, or just talked to people in a common conversation, that’ll help … It’s about building a relationship with your clients,”He shares.

Gartland also echoes the sentiment, though from an opposite perspective. 

“If you don’t put in the work to truly connect with people during a scene, it’s going to fall flat. And if you don’t connect with people in real estate, they’re not going to trust you.”

Whether you’re getting ready to watch the next blockbuster or you’re carefully watching the real estate market activity in Vancouver, be sure to get the popcorn out this summer.