It can be hard to decide what Vancouver is known for: its ever-popular and high-demand real estate market, or its reputation as the “Hollywood of the North.”
For Canadians looking to break into the film and television industry, Metro Vancouver seems like the logical place to be if you want to pursue an acting career but aren't interested in going south of the border. The region and its competitive market offer plenty of opportunities for motivated real estate agents.
Actor turned real estate agent
Tyler Burrows, who currently works as a real estate agent with Oakwynn Real Estate, didn't originally move from Kamloops to Vancouver to pursue real estate — inspired by stars like Christopher Reeves and Jim Carrey, Burrows realized early in life that he wanted to be an actor.
“I took some drama and acting classes in high school and really got interested in theater,” he says, “so I decided that's what I wanted to pursue.”
Lucas McCann, another real estate agent with Oakwynn Real Estate, also moved to Vancouver to pursue acting.
“I spent six months at university not really knowing what I wanted to do, then I realised it wasn't for me,” McCann says.
A friend invited him to a workshop in his hometown of Victoria, where his interest in acting was sparked, and two years later, after completing the acting program, he took the plunge and moved to Vancouver.
So how did Burrows and McCann get to where they are today as real estate agents in Canada's most booming real estate market?
A deep curiosity about the real estate process and a desire to “control my own destiny”
For Burrows, it was a case of life imitating art. He and his dancing partner bought their first home in Vancouver in 2018. As they're both self-employed creative professionals, the process was a bit complicated. The learning curve they experienced during this time inspired them to get more involved in the real estate industry.
“I didn't know any of this stuff at the time, and I wondered what else I didn't know about the industry,” Burrows confesses. “And I've never been out of the business since.”
For McCann, after years of hard work, auditions and long days on set, she felt motivated to try a different career path.
“I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, and I needed to be in a profession where no matter how hard I worked, it actually paid off,” he added. “As an actor, I felt like it didn't matter how good I was. I could be the best in the room, but at the end of the day, it just wasn't.”
Passion rekindled
Meanwhile, Sean Gartland, a real estate agent with Angell Hasman & Associates, is currently pursuing his passion as an actor. Growing up in Vancouver, he participated in a theater program in high school and appeared in several productions. But he decided to pursue a more conventional career path in business and ultimately real estate.
“Society sometimes crushes those dreams,” Gartland recalls.
A chance meeting with Burrows at an open house one day rekindled Gartland's interest in acting, and although he still runs a healthy, steady business in real estate, he's now working with a coach and taking classes to explore acting.
“I enjoy real estate as a career, but it doesn't really help me creatively,” he says.
They have more in common than meets the eye
What Burrows, McCann and Gartland have in common is a belief that being an actor and being a real estate agent have more in common than meets the eye.
One look at Burrows’ social media channels, especially his increasingly popular “Touring With Tyler” video tours, shows how his years of film and television experience translates to his current real estate marketing.
“For social media, I might shoot 10 locations in one day, or I might shoot different locations over two or three days,” Burrows explains, “and then I edit it overnight and do the narration all in one night. I've combined my film career with my real estate career.”
If McCann were approached by an actor who wanted to be a real estate agent, the first question he'd ask would be, “Have you ever worked in the restaurant industry?”
“If you've ever served someone as a bartender or talked to people in a normal conversation, that helps — it's about building relationships with your customers,” he says.
Gartland agrees, though from the opposite perspective.
“If you don't make an effort to really connect with people on the ground, the scene will fail. And if you can't connect with people in real estate, they won't trust you.”
Whether you're getting ready to see the next blockbuster movie or keeping a close eye on Vancouver's real estate market, grab your popcorn and get ready to go this summer.