Local realtors named top dealers in Canada

J.D. POTIÉ
Pontiac Feb. 5, 2020
Last week, a local real estate agent’s team was recognized as the country’s most proficient collective of property sellers for Century 21 in 2019.
Sébastien Bonnerot, co-owner of Century 21 Elite and co- founder of real estate team JE M’EN OCCUPE was thrilled to learn that he shared the top spot in the sales unit category.
Every year, Century 21 complies sales statistics and unveils its top 21 best units in two categories – number of units sold and number of dollars sold.
Bonnerot explained that his team made both lists. But finishing in first on one of them wasn’t exactly expected.
“I was super surprised,” he said.
Going into the year with four less partners on his team than last year, Bonnerot admitted that he had to double-check the results to see if they were factual.
For Bonnerot, winning the sales unit category was huge because it demonstrated just how much work he and his colleagues have put in over the last year and how it signifies that they’ve served more individuals than any other team.
Looking back at last year’s success, he explained that everything that could’ve went right for his team did.
“All the partners on the team had big years,” he said. “The stars were aligned and we worked non-stop from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. Sometimes you have low periods, but it didn’t stop all year. Everyone had the chance to function at their maximum. We had 12 busy months in all three sectors. I’ve never had that before.”
Consisting of six realtors from different parts of the province, Bonnerot’s team covers the entirety of Temiscamingue, the Outaouais and Pontiac.
Bonnerot started his career as real estate agent in 2010, on a part-time basis. Two years later, he made it his full-time endeavor and established his own team of partners.
When he first started, his goal was to make it to the top of the rank within five years.
While the achievement took twice as long as he initially envisioned, it didn’t make the honour any less rewarding. Rather, it made the countless of hours of dedicated effort all the more worth it.
“I’m really happy with the result this year,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we worked harder this year than in others. It goes up and down. You have good years and bad ones. Sometimes you work really hard with no results. Other times you don’t work as hard but everything works.”
Grateful for the support he’s received throughout the ups and downs of the last decade, Bonnerot celebrated his achievement by thanking his wife Mélanie Graveline for her unbelievable patience as well as personally thanking some of his most loyal clients for always supporting him.
“Family is number one for me,” he said. “It takes the edge off the low moments and keeps you humble when things are going great. Family is what gives you the energy to continue.”
Nationally recognized for he and his partner’s work, Bonnerot feels great knowing that the achievement will likely pay dividends for promoting his team’s services.
“It will bring visibility to the team,” he said. “It’s been a number of years where we’ve been near the top 21 in the country. It’s been three-four years where we’ve been top in Quebec. But we had never gotten to the first spot.”
“It augments the level of confidence people will have in our services,” he added.
However, with the most recent transaction always the most important one, he knows not to rest on his laurels and treat 2020 like a brand-new year with plenty of work to be done.
“In real estate there are a lot of variables,” he said. “The one thing that has to be constant is customer service. We can’t get carried away by this. We’re not winning additional money. We’re just being recognized by our peers and the public.”
“We’re back at it,” he added. “That’s the way it goes. It’s a great platform but it’s not something you sit on for very long.”