Welcome to our new ranch broker question and answer series. Each month, we’ll feature one of Mirr Ranch Group’s knowledgeable and experienced brokers.
This month, we’re showcasing one of our Senior Vice Presidents, Tommy Latousek. Involved with Mirr Ranch Group since the beginning, Tommy is well known in our crew as the smartest guy in the room. With a deep driven interest and background in conservation, he also enjoys consulting on start-up landscape and ranching technology.
Read on to find out more about Tommy, his path as a ranch broker, and the challenges he sees in today’s ranch market.
All About Ranch Real Estate Pro: Tommy Latousek
Q: When did you know that ranch real estate was your calling?
A: The notion of brokering beautiful western landscapes came to me somewhat late in life, after a successful stint as a non-profit land trust manager in western Colorado, where I closed numerous conservation easement transactions with farmers and ranchers. In that job, I learned a lot about large acreage, rural land, water rights, ranch appraisals, and ag issues, all of which are really the focus of what ranch brokers do. Along with a personal love for the West and the lifestyle, I knew I had a foundation for what it took to succeed at the craft. Developing that expertise over time, learning the ranch market and values, and combining all that with my prior real estate marketing background and MBA provided me with a unique background that ultimately made me a compelling talent to ranch brokerage firms where the fit was right. All that, and, oh, having gotten married too, meant it was time to leave the non-profit arena to go make some money!
Q: Why did you choose Mirr Ranch Group?
A: I was one of the first ranch brokers at what was then Ken Mirr’s new ranch brokerage firm. I liked the idea of being part of a startup where I could help from the nimble, professional, and independent personality of this boutique ranch firm from the beginning. Of course, brokerage firms are very principal-oriented, so one needs to mesh well with the firm’s leader. I think that since Ken and I are both hard-working, practical Midwesterners with a love for the West and a passion for conservation and the ranch lifestyle, we connected well. My other colleagues were also very fun and sharp and helpful, too. The fit was right. That was 2005, so pretty quickly after that, the firm was off and running!
Q: How has Mirr Ranch Group upped your real estate game?
A. At Mirr Ranch Group, we work on some of the best, most complex ranch properties around the Rocky Mountain region, often with a very discerning and demanding high net worth clientele, so we always have to be improving ourselves professionally in order to be at the top of our game. The firm then furnishes us with the industry’s top digital marketing tools and has our backs where office support is concerned. Combining our personal expertise with great marketing and sales resources means we are always well-positioned to succeed and help our clientele meet their goals. That success has built on itself over time, to where we now, over fifteen years later, have quite a portfolio of accomplishments. Clients find that impressive and know that we all have the experience to anticipate issues and close successfully.
Q: What’s your biggest challenge as a broker?
A: Things are changing so fast in this world. Keeping your finger on all that change and its implications to the ranch market and our clientele is always a challenge. At this time, after a crazy year of Covid refugees heading West that kept us ranch brokers busy, it appears that the ranch market might have flipped to where there’s currently very little inventory. But having a really smart, professional team at MRG helps us be prepared for anything. For instance, MRG furnishes its brokers with the best CRM programs so that we possess the data to quickly pivot and now work on buyers as much as we do sellers.
Q: Where can we find you when you’re not working?
A: Hiking, skiing, fishing, playing all around Colorado and the West with family and friends, out supporting those non-profits that protect and preserve the things I care about, and, more locally, coaching baseball and other sports with my athletic little 8 year old son, Leo.