Cameron Burke

REALTOR® ON THE RISE

STORY BY ZACHARY COHEN | PHOTOS BY SHAWNA MCDUFFIE, PEAK RES

SPRINGBOARDING TOWARD SUCCESS

“I’m super grateful for everything that's happened in my life. Good or bad, it's shaped me and helped me mature early in life. I don't think I'd have the success I have if it weren't for my experiences.”

There aren’t many 21-year-olds selling real estate, but Cameron Burke isn’t your average 21-year-old. He’s had a past littered with challenges, but rather than letting his trials sink him, he’s used them as a springboard for success.

“Truthfully, my mom went to prison when I was 17,” Cameron says humbly. “That was what started it all.”

After his mom went to prison, Cameron moved in with his fiancée, Brooke, and her family. Cameron didn’t feel it was fair for them to pay for his living expenses, so he became driven to build a business that could sustain him financially.

Brooke's dad, Bert, saw Cameron's potential and gifted him a computer that would become his lifeline to success. His first entrepreneurial ventures were in e-commerce. He began buying and selling cars at the local insurance auction and refrigerators from the liquidation auction. 

“I won a $10,000 e-commerce course through a guy named Justin, and I tried to build an e-commerce website, and it was the first failure I felt, or so I thought,” Cameron reflects. 

Cameron eventually achieved some success, but the work was stressful. Then, his grandma gave him a gift that would forever reshape his future.

“My grandma decided to give me a real estate course as a graduation gift. She’d spent the money on it, and I respected that. It wasn't something that super interested me, but I decided to go for it. It was either that or going to college. I was valedictorian, and there were a lot of routes I could have gone. My grandmother had been a REALTOR®, and my brother is in real estate as well, so I knew about the business, but it wasn't really on my radar. But, since it was there in front of me, I decided to go for it.”

Finding His Footing

Cameron began his real estate career in March 2020 alongside his fiancée. At just 18 years old, he set out to join a business where most of his clients and peers were at least twice his age.

I got out thinking it'd be easy to source clients and sell houses, but it wasn't,” Cameron admits. “We were 18, and it wasn't as easy as I thought.”

Cameron sold just one house in his first six months. Everyone kept telling him to leverage his sphere of influence, but most of his connections were also 18-year-olds.

“Gaining respect from people two to three times your age is not easy. I realized I had to do something else,” Cameron continues.

When Cameron connected with Tara and Peter Levinson, things finally began to shift. He joined their team, and they taught him business fundamentals, like how to connect with people, build lasting relationships, and follow through. His business began to pick up slowly. 

Meanwhile, Cameron wanted to buy a house for himself, but the bank wouldn't loan him the funds because he only had tax returns for one year.

“We found out a lot of clients were in our same position and could not qualify traditionally due to credit scores, tax issues, bankruptcies, or divorces,” Cameron explains. 

Cameron discovered a local alternative financing company. He began promoting alternative financing, forming a niche in serving clients needing extra guidance. 

“From April to the end of 2021, we sold just under $9 million in real estate primarily because we started specializing in creative financing options,” Cameron explains. “We were helping people that no other REALTORS® wanted or knew how to work with. It was an untouched niche in the market we were able to target.” 

As Cameron found success, things started to compound. He and Brooke closed just under $13 million and purchased eight investment units in 2022. Looking ahead, one of Cameron’s big goals is to grow his investment portfolio, with the ultimate intention of creating financial independence for himself and others.

A Bright Future

Cameron also began building a team of his own in 2022. He has built his business with care, transparency, and a genuine desire to be of service.

“I’m not in it to sell them the house,” he says. “I don’t sell properties. I explain, I educate, and if it’s not the one, we leave and move on to the next. That creates genuine relationships and helps my clients trust me.”

Cameron’s short-term goal is to sell $20 million in a year, but he has even bigger goals in the longer term. He and Brooke reinvest as much as they can into their real estate business and investment portfolio, setting them up for a future of financial independence. 

Still just 21 years old, the future is bright for Cameron Burke.

“I love what I do, and I want to continue on this path,” Cameron says. “It boils down to being genuine, being yourself, and being consistent and on purpose with your days. I wake up every day and am consistent with what I do. That's the secret sauce.” 

Family Spotlight

Cameron has a 4-year-old brother, Ethan, and a 23-year-old brother, Tanner. In his free time, Cameron is either working on his real estate investments or hanging out with his family.