It’s rather common that professional athletes choose to pursue other avenues of employment in their post-playing days, and presently, real estate seems to be one path that’s catching the attention of many who are looking to continue utilizing their competitive edge—especially retired players who may have had shorter professional careers than those of the likes of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
Former six-year National Football League (NFL) veteran Gregory Senat hails from Elmont, Long Island, and is now an agent for Corcoran Infinity Properties in Bergen County, New Jersey. Senat was a basketball star on scholarship at Wagner College, who hadn’t played football since the junior varsity level at Elmont Memorial High School—a relatively late start for one who may dream of competing at the highest level for professional football. He joined the football team his senior year, and his size alone showed immediate promise—and his skill, too—in a short period of time.
After just two seasons of college football, his natural talent ultimately earned him a spot in the NFL as a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft, and later, a Super Bowl championship with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Senat noted that his transition into real estate has been “educational” thus far, and he’s been constantly learning about the (new) playing field, but it’s been something that he has consistently prepared for.
“I would describe my transition from pro sports as very educational. I’ve been learning a lot about this field from my brokerage, meeting clients and studying on my own,” Senat explained to RISMedia. “With anything new you do there are growing pains, but being an athlete, I know that it is all part of the process and I’ll be better for going through it.”
While nearing the end of his championship winning career, Senat was aware that he needed to map out life’s next chapter, and he made a plan to invest in himself and his future outside of football.
“As athletes, I think we all know when that time of transition is coming in our career whether we want to admit it or not, and I’ve always been the kind of person that likes to have a plan. That is why while I was playing, I made it a point to invest in myself by going to seminars, interning and shadowing all types of people in different professions.”
Senat completed the Harvard Business School MBA Crossover to Business program and the Pro Athlete Community Business Combine in conjunction with the Herbert Business School University of Miami. Both of these programs helped develop his love for real estate.
Why real estate?
“I chose real estate because of the flexibility it can provide and the front-facing people aspect of it,” Senat said. “I’m a people person; I always have been. I love talking to new and interesting people and building relationships as well as helping people solve problems. For most people, buying a home is the biggest financial expense they will ever make, and I love being the person they can rely on to guide them in the right direction. I cherish that responsibility.”
Senat also mentions that he thrives in competitive spaces, as he once did as a fierce lineman in the NFL, where his objective was protecting the quarterback, explaining that “with the real estate space being a very competitive (environment), it allows me to tap into that competitor that made me so successful in the professional sports world—this time I’m using it to help my clients.”
An agent for all
Senat is in the Sports & Entertainment Division of Corcoran, primarily associated with finding homes for athletes, although his clientele includes many backgrounds and professions. He feels that all buyers in need of a home deserve respectable service as if they are professional athletes, too.
“My clientele varies with all types of people,” he stated. “I know I may be viewed as the ‘athlete’s agent,’ which I am, and I take pride in that. But other people need and deserve the best service as well.”
The fame, wealth and glory of being a professional athlete may be desired by millions across the globe, but once at the top, it’s a struggle that few can understand. Senat aims to give athletes a safe space when looking for their next home, building a genuine relationship to assist in any and all real estate needs.
“I hope to work with as many athletes as possible, former and current. It doesn’t matter to me. I aim to be an asset to them in all their real estate needs. I know everyone is pulling them in every direction trying to get a piece of them, and that’s not me. With me, they have a safe space and someone who understands what they go through.”
Athlete to athlete, Senat understands the hardships that come with finding a home, such as living close to team facilities, waking up to getting cut or traded and then needing to search for another new home within a 24-hour span.
“I think having been a professional athlete gives me a very unique insight into what other pros are looking for in a home. Athletes are very particular. They want to be comfortable, they want to be a certain distance from their practice facilities, and they value their privacy. I know all these things on an innate level. Also, in pro sports, your life can get uprooted at the drop of a hat; it’s not like any other profession. You can be on one side of the country and on the other side tomorrow. This can be super stressful and disorienting. Trust me, I know from experience. Finding a new place for you and your family to live while having your family uprooted can only add to the stress, so that’s where I come in to take all of the guesswork out of it.”
