For many high school seniors, the summer before college is a time to relax and unwind before turning the proverbial page in their educational journeys. But for one Newman student, it was the perfect moment to take on a challenge: earning his real estate license.
And now, in his sophomore year at Newman, Nathaniel Flanagan sold his first house.
Flanagan’s interest in real estate began from one of his friends who was successfully selling homes in Ohio.
“He has sold around 80 homes,” Flanagan said. “It was inspiring to me and I decided to get my foot in the door.”
In 2023, Flanagan did just that — he bought a 60-hour real estate training course during his last semester of high school. Flanagan completed the course in August, the same month he officially started his first year as a Newman Jet. After attempting to work independently, Flanagan transferred to The Roy Group, a Wichita-based real estate agency.
Age is just a number
Flanagan is the youngest agent at The Roy Group, where the average age of his coworkers is a decade or more his senior.
“The Roy Group gave me very good training and threw me bones,” Flanagan said. “They see me as the kid there. I found success in some of the clients and leads they gave me.”
Flanagan recently closed the deal on a house with one of those clients, a goal he has been striving to meet for some time.
“It felt great,” Flanagan said. “It was a feeling I can’t describe, but it was awesome. The first sale is always the hardest.”
It was a feeling I can’t describe, but it was awesome. The first sale is always the hardest.
Flanagan on selling first home
Seller of houses finds a home at Newman
Flanagan has found success at Newman as well. He is a data analytics major and works as the digital media assistant for the School of Business and Technology (SCOBUS), while also juggling being a member of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization.
“Everyone in the SCOBUS are such great people,” Flanagan said. “Sometimes, I ask Dr. (Brian) Epperson and Dr. Larry Straub questions about real estate and anything in the business world.”
When choosing what university Flanagan wanted to attend, he was attracted to Newman because of the ability to get to know his professors.
“I applied to bigger universities, like Wichita State University, but I just felt like a fly on the wall,” Flanagan said. “I have had a stellar experience just getting to know each staff member and professor at Newman.”
While Flanagan hopes to continue to network around the Newman community and beyond, he plans to keep selling houses but isn’t afraid if he needs to make a career shift later.
“I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket and only focus on real estate,” Flanagan said. “The goal is to end up in real estate development but I will always have data analytics to fall back on.”
His advice for other young people who want to break into industries like real estate or tech is simple: Don’t let age be a barrier.
“I know being young is a huge factor, but if you present yourself well and work hard, people will take you seriously,” Nathaniel says. “Don’t let age hold you back from doing something you’re passionate about.”
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