Kiernan Middleman has been involved in the Boston real estate market for almost 8 years and recently won the prestigious Chairman's Circle Gold Level Award for her success in 2019. This award goes to agents who are in the top 2% of all BHHS agents worldwide - more than 50,000 people. Kiernan works with buyers, sellers, renters, and investors throughout Boston and has a passion for exploring the city's many neighborhoods. "I love the energy that Kiernan brings to the office," says Nick Warren, CEO. "She has a wonderful personality that her clients appreciate and she goes to bat for them in each transaction. This certainly helped her win the prestigious Chairman's Circle Gold Level Award last year."

A few questions with Kiernan:

How long have you been involved in the world of Boston real estate?

After 11 years of assisting buyers and sellers in Western MA, I moved to Boston in 2012 and hit the ground running. So, it’s been about 7.5 years!

What brought you to BHHS Warren Residential?

I was drawn to the brokerage because it offers the feel of a small, boutique firm while also offering some of the best brand recognition and tools in the business. It was also so important to me to work for a hands-on broker I trusted to help guide my career in the right direction and whose vision I believed in. Nick is in the office every day finding ways to grow our business. His door is always open, and his advice is always right-on.

You recently received a prestigious award for 2019: Chairman’s Circle Gold Level which places you in the top 2% of all BHHS agents. What do you attribute this success to?

I was so excited and surprised by that honor. I kept my head down, worked as hard as I could, and then when I finally looked up, that’s what was in front of me! There’s just no substitution for putting in the hours. Last year though, I really concentrated on finding ways to streamline practices and avoid wasting time, and that was key for me. I saved untold hours by organizing contacts, pre-filing paperwork and setting up templates wherever possible. This allowed me to concentrate on what I do best. With these systems in place, I was able to engage my sphere of past clients, which resulted in great referrals. I’m fortunate in that my business is almost 100% referral based these days.

What do you think is the biggest challenge to people looking to buy or sell their home this spring?

The market is still very strong for sellers. As long as expectations are managed, there are no real challenges for them. It’s important to understand though that the market, while still weighted in their favor, is getting back to normal. The expectation can no longer be multiple all-cash, over-ask offers in the first weekend. We are seeing a lot of properties get their asking price, or close to it, after 30-60 days on the market.

For buyers, affordability is still an issue in the areas I serve. Prices are high in Boston, and many of my clients are young professionals purchasing their first home. Generally speaking though, this year is much better than the last few for buyers, interest rates are crazy low and again, we are not seeing as many first-weekend all-cash bidding wars as we have in years past.

Outside of the office, where can one find you?

In the mornings, I take a lap around Castle Island. It’s a great way to start the day. I love to cook and often make casual weekday dinners for friends so we can catch up on our days. On the weekends, I love hitting standup comedy shows and checking out new restaurants. I also totally have the travel bug and make it a point to get out of the country at least once a year.

Favorite neighborhood to explore?

I can usually be found in Back Bay and the South End. Back Bay is just so pretty and the restaurants in the South End are fantastic. On weekends, I often end up in the Seaport.

Current favorite place to grab a bite to eat?

I cannot get enough of Committee. If you haven’t been you must go. Get the shrimp, thank me later.