Name: Aaron James “AJ” Kerouac
Title: Real Estate Savant, RE/MAX Bell Park Realty
Age: 30
Experience: 11 years
Sixty years after Jack Kerouac’s legendary novel “On the Road” was published, his distant cousin –real estate agent AJ Kerouac – is also on the road, knocking on doors and trying to get elected as selectman in his hometown of Brooklyn. The younger Kerouac got his start in real estate as an assistant in Boston’s pricey Back Bay at the age of 19 while attending Suffolk University. People only ask him about his famous lineage in certain circles, but he generally loves talking with devoted fans about his connection to the father of the beat generation.
Q: How’d you get into real estate so young?
A: It was my parents rule that I had to go to college, but I knew at the age of 14 that I wanted to go into real estate. I was a very opinionated 13-year-old when my parents bought their lake house up in Fayette, Maine. We had an agent named Yvonne who had the patience of a saint. She showed me how everything worked. I do the same thing with kids.
I wanted to work in international real estate, which is something I knew existed, but I had no idea how I’d ever get there. I thought I’d probably be a 60-year-old man flying between Boston and Europe. It would be a pie in the sky someday.
It was just something I saw. My aunt’s father had a commercial real estate brokerage in New Jersey and I saw them quite a bit. He was very open and did well and didn’t discount a kid’s question or opinion.
Q: Was it the money that interested you?
A: The numbers never had me in awe. They were just numbers on a page. It finally sunk in when I connected a couple at the gym I used to go to with the agent I worked for. I got my agent a listing appointment. She sold their property for a crazy amount of money. The couple gave me a Louis Vuitton satchel. It was a $5,000 suitcase. I’m sure they saw my college kid messenger bag and thought it was about time for an upgrade. Two things hit me: one, how much money we’re talking about, and two, some agents get flustered around the bigger numbers and they treat people differently. I knew that wasn’t going to be me. I don’t think everyone is a head of state. They’re just normal people with really good jobs.
Q: Do clients react to your famous last name?
A: What’s been the funniest piece of it is the local response. The first people who picked up on it were my English teachers, especially one I really connected with, Rick Hoskin. I was always up for reading and he definitely had me read a few extra things because of my connection. That was good. In college, some people made the connection. Some of my frat brothers were from Emerson (College) and I had to ask them not to use my name when I was on their campus. Whenever I’m in Hoboken, if I see flannel, I know not to let anyone know my last name.
I hear a lot of summer reading stories. I had fun with it when I moved back from Boston. Everyone likes a puppy, so I got my Dad one and he named him Jack. It’s been really nice lately that no one has really picked up on it. Even with politics – I’ve been on the Planning Commission since 2012 – only two people have picked up on it.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: I’ve been involved in local government for a bit now and I’ve had two different selectman since I’ve been a commissioner. I’ve worked out plans B, C and D to cover the real estate thing. I have a team pending election. My town has always been about party and I take the stance that party doesn’t matter. It matters on the state and national level. I’m a resident of the town and that’s what I’m running as. We all seem to have similar goals and different ideas on how to get there. Although we all share the same goals and shared experiences, the follow-through on how to get to that goal? I’m not seeing it. A lot of people have been in town government for 30 years. I’m involved, but I don’t see myself still doing this when I’m pushing 90.
Q: You’re very vocal about politics. Do you worry that will interfere with your professional life?
A: I actually had that happen on a listing presentation for an estate. It’s like truth in lending. When you’re a real estate agent, you have to be yourself and if you’re not, people will eventually pick up on that. It’s been OK for me. I won a little award for attendance and town meetings – which is hysterical to me because if I didn’t show up to everything, I wouldn’t be committed. You have to bring yourself in a little bit. That’s what I want in my government. Real people, not necessarily a political party.
A great example is the crumbling foundations in northeast Connecticut. People are talking about this, but on a human level, only one house has been found to have it in our town. I want our town to help those people and let the other people let their town help them. As the first selectman in Brooklyn, I can’t advocate for someone in Tolland. It’s about going to the source.
I don’t hold back on what I think to an extent. You can fight for upholding the rules and what you believe but the minute you decide on one of the issues, that issue is done. That’s where I end with it.
Kerouac’s Top Five Places To Close Deals This Season
- A local coffee shop
- The Heirloom Food Co. in Danielson
- Over a beer at Hank’s Restaurant in Brooklyn
- At the Main St. Grille in Niantic
- On the hood of his car at the property
