Tracy Scaro, an agent with ERA Insite Realty Services in White Plains, could be considered somewhat of a “newbie” in the business. She earned her license th

Hitting the Ground Running

Tracey Scaro, an agent with ERA Insite Realty Services in White Plains, could be considered somewhat of a “newbie” in the business. She earned her license three years ago and got started just before COVID.

“It was a very interesting time to start in real estate and I actually got a ton of business in the very first year,” she recalled. “A lot of people wanted to leave New York City and moved up their timelines for buying their first homes. Of course, I was more than happy to help them!”

Scaro relied on her direct circle of friends and their referrals to build her business. “As a result, I’ve decided to specialize in working with first-time home buyers,” she said. “That whole process can be a little intimidating and I think I found my niche here because I can make it more approachable.”

Scaro and her husband became first-time homebuyers themselves just last summer when they purchased a home in Pearl River in Rockland County. “I think a lot of people coming out of the city are just stunned by the beauty of the suburban areas,” she explained. “The Rivertowns are always popular, and people just love all of the extra space and land.”

Prior to real estate, Scaro worked in retail, which she credits for paving the way to her current career. “My favorite part of retail jobs was connecting with the customers so real estate was just a natural next step for me,” she said. Scaro is the first in her family to work in the business. “I guess I always had that in the back of my head. It just felt right, and I’ve always loved houses and architecture,” she said.

In addition to her talent for working with people, Scaro is equally skilled in working with paintbrushes and charcoal. An art major at Drew University in Madison, NJ, she developed a side business of creating charcoal sketches, portraits of people’s pets, and watercolors of homes, which she often gives as gifts to her home-buying clients.

Continuing to hit the ground running, Scaro took advantage of HGAR’s Leadership Accelerator Program (LAP) last year and soon afterward became the co-chair of the association’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) with Nan Palumbo. “The LAP brought me into the community of HGAR and I met some amazing people,” she said. “It wasn’t about just business and leadership skills, but personal life skills as well. I’m always looking for opportunities for professional development and the ability to learn from established agents and brokers.”

It was Vlora Sejdi, the current Secretary of the HGAR Board of Directors, who approached Scaro about joining YPN. “That’s actually something I was gravitating towards, but I wasn’t sure how to get involved,” she added.

Reviving YPN after COVID has been a big project, and the two co-chairs have their work cut out for them. “But we’ve gone from zero to 100 really quickly and we’re continuing to build it to get more people involved,” said Scaro.

While the name suggests one might have to be “young,” to join, Scaro assures that all ages are welcome. The motto for today’s YPN is “Young in age, Young in the business or Young at heart.”

“Our big focus is to break down barriers so that more people will be interested in joining,” she noted. “We want everyone to know we’re in their corner and we want to make the whole HGAR experience more approachable.”

Some of the YPN events in store for the rest of the year include classes and educational opportunities, networking events, and a joint event with HGAR’s Broker-Owner-Manager Committee in early June with a seminar on Artificial Intelligence.

Outside of her business and her YPN involvement, Scaro keeps herself busy volunteering with neighbors who may need help with pet sitting, rides to the doctor, and other small projects. She admits she’s a regular on the “Nextdoor” App. “It’s a great way to get to know more people in the area and integrating yourself into the neighborhood can make you a resource for people,” she said.

As a new homeowner, Scaro is also taking time to learn about home improvement projects, in between hiking and walking her dog.