Today we’d like to introduce you to Anton Smirnov
Hi Anton, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was a professional tennis player who tried making a living playing on the tour. I was fortunate enough to make the realization that it wasn’t going to happen and pursued the route of coming to the US on a tennis scholarship. While studying and working as a tennis coach I knew I had to make a career switch and made a goal to make a change by 30. At 29 that is exactly what I did. I got into real estate over seven years ago now, pivoting from a completely different industry and took the leap in this direction as I was trying to find a field with endless possibilities that brought not just a solid income but also helped others in some way. At the beginning of the transition I was fortunate to successfully capture clients from my previous profession and convert them and represent them on transactions and that gave me a great boost and a strong start. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to surround myself around the right people who have helped me grow not just as a person but also as a business. Fast forward to today, AGENTinLA has continued to grow year over year and we’re at a point where the team is recognized as a brand and considered a major player in the sandbox of real estate in Los Angeles.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think there’s such thing as a smooth road. Any path you take in life or career there’s going to bumps along the way that you have to absorb and ride over. Its important not to hit the large potholes though that really change your course or potentially take you completely out.
Some of my biggest struggles in career change and growth had to with having to start fresh in a place where I didn’t grow up or have close relationships from a young age. All trusted friendships I built were done organically but at a later stage in life and there were challenges fitting in with certain groups and building close bonds with people who already had trusted spheres. I had to break barriers in order to become the go to friend or professional that someone would refer or send business to and that was challenging to do.
The other struggle that I have faced and will continue to face is competition. Like in any high reward industry there’s a lot of competition that you’re having to outperform on a day to day basis. The first couple years when I was building the business and my network the losses were hard to take as every deal counted and it took a toll on me. Over time I have learned to bounce back and move on. There’s plenty of business for everyone if you do things genuinely and have a good reputation. I realize now that I cannot bond and click with every buyer and seller based on personality and that there will be certain potential clients that don’t like me and I’m finally okay with that!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My team and I are passionate about what we do. We specialize in helping home buyers find that needle in a haystack property, whether it is on the market or completely off market. We meet weekly with the top agents in Los Angeles to talk real estate and share wants and needs. We are members of T.A.N. (Top Agent Network) and are known for doing a large portion of our deals completely off market.
When helping sellers sell their home, we are marketing machines and dedicate a large budget towards marketing properties not just locally but also globally. We cast a very wide net to maximize on the exposure so that a seller’s property is not missed by a potential buyer who is located across the globe.
AGENTinLA has gained traction in the Los Angeles market because of our unique marketing and our constant grind to getting our clients what they desire at the level of service that they deserve.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I grew up playing tennis at a high level and had the privilege of competing on the pro circuit for a short time. I am very competitive by nature and always had a drive and determination to succeed. These exact qualities come out in my professional career when I am working on helping a client. It could be the determination and persistence to find the property that doesn’t exist (or so they think). It could be the competitive nature to go the extra mile to help a buyer win in a multiple offer situation. My business growth is built on referrals and word of mouth. If i don’t win for my clients I know that my business cannot continue to grow and that is why I put every ounce of focus into every transaction and opportunity I get.
Pricing:
- $985,000 – median selling price in Los Angeles
- $630 – median price per square foot in Los Angeles
- 47 – average number of days it takes for a home to sell in Los Angeles
- $210 million – highest home sale price in Los Angeles in 2024
- $19M – highest home sale AGENTinLA has represented recently
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AGENTinLA.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anton_smirnov/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smirnov88
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@antonsmirnov3146
