Glens Falls Business Journal
By Ann Donnelly
In an industry that often clings to older, traditional methods, REALIZE Brokers co-founders Nic Ketter and Spencer Bray are rewriting the rules of real estate in the Glens Falls region. By integrating advanced technology and prioritizing a highly customized, client-centric model, the duo is shifting how local properties and businesses are bought and sold.
Bray, a Glens Falls native with a background in aviation, and Ketter, a Queensbury native who previously worked on emerging technology at General Electric, did not take the standard path into real estate. After meeting at a local cigar bar and bonding over a common interest in cryptocurrency, the two launched a side business flipping computers and electronics. That entrepreneurial drive led them to launch REALIZE Brokers five and a half years ago.
While they embrace digital innovation, their foundation rests heavily on traditional relationship-building. They continue to grow their network organically through face-to-face interactions, from local lunches to networking on the golf course.
“If someone interacts with you and they have a good experience, then the next time you see them, they’re gonna be friendly,” Ketter said.
Their primary disruption strategy stems from rejecting the standard approach to property listings. While many traditional agents simply upload a property to the Multiple Listing Service and allow it to syndicate automatically to third-party platforms, REALIZE Brokers goes further.
“We custom-build our own property page,” Ketter said. “Then, you can incorporate other details that you can’t fit into the template of the MLS.”
By leveraging premium visual marketing and virtual 3D modeling, they ensure potential buyers understand a property’s layout before setting foot inside. Ketter said failing to use new technology puts traditional professionals and their clients at a disadvantage. Providing buyers with easily digestible information during a highly emotional financial decision improves the purchasing experience and prevents them from becoming overwhelmed.
This customized approach extends to their fee and service structures. Rather than strictly following industry-standard rates and packages, REALIZE Brokers uses a flexible “value map” to tailor its services to each client’s specific needs and desired privacy.
“We have a very, very white-glove premium service that’s client-centric,” Ketter said. “I would say that’s the biggest differentiator.”
This approach has made the brokerage a growing force in regional commercial real estate and business brokering. When the owners of The Peppermill, a local staple, wanted to retire after more than 30 years, they required discretion to avoid panic among staff and customers. Bray and Ketter drafted a business valuation, used nondisclosure agreements and privately connected the sellers with a qualified buyer, completing the transaction without disrupting the business.
They also brokered the sale of the Green Harbor Mansion, a 3.3-acre historic property on Lake George that sold for $6.5 million and is now slated to become a high-end event venue.
Operating during a period of market fluctuation has further proven their model. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an influx of out-of-town buyers and low interest rates caused the regional housing market to boom. Today, the market is constrained by low inventory, as many homeowners are reluctant to sell and lose their low mortgage rates. Despite this lull in residential turnover, the firm’s diverse portfolio spanning vacant land, residential and commercial properties, and apartment leasing keeps it agile.
Internally, the firm is also disrupting the traditional real estate employment model. REALIZE Brokers avoids the conventional “eat what you kill” agency environment, which often leaves new agents fending for themselves. Instead, Bray and Ketter maintain a small, tight-knit team, including agents Matt Rafferty and Megan Durkin, who oversee specific revenue verticals such as new-construction builds and apartment leasing.
“One of the things we’re very, very conscious of is that anybody who’s going to come and work for us, we want them to be making money,” Ketter said.
By using software tools to automate back-end operations, the founders feed leads and support to their agents, ensuring sustainable success.
“We’ve been very methodical about doing that, because we’ve had a ton of different people reach out to us,” Bray said.
Going forward, the co-founders plan to expand their business brokering services while remaining rooted in the Glens Falls community.
“I’m just very bullish on the general area,” Bray said. “We’re kind of seeing this boom in Glens Falls… so I’m very optimistic about overall growth here.”