Is real estate success based on knowledge of homes and inventory, pricing trends and hot neighborhoods? Sure. In the highly competitive and high net worth-luring locales of Silicon Valley’s Menlo Park and Atherton, however, it takes something extra to impress clients.

For top agent Billy McNair, an associate broker affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Menlo Park-El Camino and leader of the McNair Group, that something extra is a commitment to “a higher level of expertise and of service — two things that really differentiate us,” he says. That commitment led to an immediate impact on prospective clients, with McNair making 20 sales as a rookie.

“I was fortunate to be pretty successful right out of the gate,” says McNair, a near-40 year resident of Menlo Park and Atherton. “Like many others, my business has grown every year that I have been in the industry.”

Key to that success has been McNair’s unique background as both an MBA and a licensed attorney, which gives him a unique set of tools for negotiating and closing even the most challenging and multilayered deals. And then there is his technology experience, which brings expert-level online marketing, including microtargeting and extensive domestic and global marketing resources, to his clients.

“I previously started two technology companies, and online marketing is the linchpin of what I’ve been doing for years,” he says. “Additionally, my background and career path have been very similar to those of my clients. Most of them of are tech executives or in venture capital or private equity, and they were my peers and colleagues before I got into real estate. There’s a synergy in that; many of the clients I represent I have known and been working and interacting with for over 20 years of my career. That made for a relatively easy segue into real estate.”

The success of McNair’s entry into real estate seeped into year two, aided by the global reach and brand awareness of Coldwell Banker®, and it hasn’t ebbed yet. The year 2017 has been his best yet, ending it as the leading agent in Silicon Valley, with 50 transactions.

“I remember the first time I had 12 properties in escrow at the same time, probably five years ago,” he says. “That was the tipping point, when I recognized the trajectory of my business had gone to a new level. A couple of years ago, it was 20 transactions, and that meant there were 20 individuals and families out there in the marketplace raving about our service. The next year, it was 30, and now it’s 50. It’s been a snowball effect, with each year building upon itself. To know that the business is based almost entirely on referrals and that clients are returning because of the exceptionally high level of service is a great source of pride.”

Billy McNair (CalRE# 01343603) is affiliated with the Menlo Park office and can be reached at 650.862.3266 or billy@mcnairgroup.com.