Jeff Barker & Matt Barker

A FATHER-AND-SON TEAM WITH A LOT OF HEART

By Jane K. Asher, Ph.D.

Photos by Stylish Detroit

WHEN MATT BARKER DECIDED TO GET HIS REAL ESTATE LICENSE AT THE AGE OF 18, IT WASN’T BECAUSE HE PLANNED ON BUILDING A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE. “ATTHE TIME, I DON’T THINK A CAREER IN RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE EVER CROSSED MY MIND, BUT I FIGURED GETTING THE LICENSE WOULD BE VALUABLE LEARNING.”DURING THE SUMMER OF HIS FRESHMAN YEAR AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, MATT COMPLETED AN INTERNSHIP AT MAXBROOCK REALTORS® IN BIRMINGHAM.

Upon graduation, Matt joined his father Jeff who has been an associate broker at Max Broock for 21 years. They have spent the last eight years building a real estate team founded on ethics and integrity.

Jeff taught Matt from the very beginning that no one deal will ever change his lifestyle. “What is most important to us is maintaining our reputation and always placing our clients’ interests first — we truly enjoy helping people, we’re compassionate with our clients and we’re able to be there for our clients as they encounter major life-changing experiences.”

In addition to the bond and the values they share, the father-and-son duo shares great pride in having sold over 1,200 homes and closing $500 million in sales as a result of their strong work ethic and honesty. “Never worry about the commission,” Jeff said. “If you do a great job and remain honest, the success will follow — we operate from the heart.”

With Jeff’s 20 years of invaluable experience and Matt’s knowledge of cutting-edge technology and innovative ideas, the two make a perfect team. Jeff describes himself as “somewhat old-school” and admits he would be lost without his son’s vast knowledge of the internet.

“I am my dad’s built-in IT guy,” Matt joked. “For as great as technology is and how it has helped our industry, sometimes I think he’d be better off going back to a simple flip phone!”

Jeff’s experience and time-honored approach fused with Matt’s techno-dexterity and new-school techniques makes for a dynamic and productive partnership wherein they both pay close attention to details, remain extremely organized and highly value their reputation among their fellow real estate agents and clients. “Having a 30-year-old as a business partner combines the best of both worlds for our clients,” Jeff said.

Working with his son has also acclimated Jeff to the generational differences that permeate today’s working world. “It’s been interesting for me to get used to the culture of working millennials,” Jeff said. “Last year, Matt got married, which meant there was a destination bachelor party, a mini-moon and then a honeymoon. I’m anxiously awaiting a baby-moon! I guess he has a better grasp of worklife balance than I do.”

On a daily basis, Jeff and Matt don’t just bring “the best of both worlds” to their clients; they also create an ideal working environment for themselves, one filled with fun, friendly competitions and collaboration. “We both do our own market analysis for a listing appointment and then compare,” Jeff said. “It is nice being able to have two perspectives on every situation.”

Jeff and Matt are currently focusing on growing their sphere of influence, referrals and face-to-face networking, as well as building a larger social media presence to complement their business. “While internet marketing/social media has become such a prevalent part of all businesses, the foundation of our industry is very much still ‘old-school’ in that our clients want and need that face-to-face interaction,” Matt said. “You can’t earn someone’s trust and business solely from a Facebook post.”

While Jeff and Matt place great importance on building trust with their clients, they also value the close personal relationships they have developed with their fellow real estate agents. “It is important to have a strong bond with our colleagues; it takes both sides to get to the closing table,” Jeff said.

When Jeff isn’t working alongside his son, he enjoys spending time with Liz, his wife of 33 years. In addition to Matt, Jeff and Liz have two daughters, Brooke and Samantha, both of whom graduated from the University of Michigan. Brooke has a master’s in education and works as a teacher, and Samantha is obtaining her doctorate in clinical psychology.

Jeff is an avid collector of clear Steuben glass — it’s been his passion since he inherited pieces from his grandparents many years ago. He also enjoys collecting watches, one of which he gifted to Matt for his 21st birthday, and cufflinks. Although society is becoming more casual, Jeff and Matt enjoy wearing a suit and tie almost every day. Jeff — a certified spinning instructor who isn’t sure if teaching is in his future — also loves getting in his cardio workouts at spin class. For the past five years, he has fundraised for St. Jude’s by participating in Ride for a Reason, most of the years being the top fundraiser.

Matt and his wife Morgan recently purchased and renovated a home in Birmingham with a fenced yard for their Goldendoodle, Jax. Matt describes himself as a “sports junkie” who loves to golf — he and Morgan especially enjoyed their two-week honeymoon traveling around Italy.

The entire Barker family looks forward to summer getaways in Gaylord at their 1931 authentic log cabin, which has been in their family for five generations. It’s the place where the Barkers have spent their best times together at the pool and lake, biking, canoeing, paddleboarding, enjoying Liz’s delicious meals, mixing up drinks and sitting around the bonfire. “It’s hard for Matt and me to be out of town at the same time,” Jeff said, “but we always spend Father’s Day weekend up north together.”

“Since we became a team, every time someone compliments Matthew and tells me how great he is to work with, I feel like I have succeeded...maybe even succeeded a little too much when they say they would rather work with him over me,” Jeff jokes. “Getting to spend every day with my son is the most rewarding part of my job — we are fortunate that we are father and son, as well as best friends, and I lean on him more than most people realize.”

“Growing up, I always knew my dad had created a great reputation within the industry, but it was not until we started working together, that I fully realized the magnitude of my dad’s reputation,” Matt said. “The extent to which so many fellow agents admire my father makes me and my entire family really proud.”

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