Building Better Communities - Anant Persad

We sat down with Anant Persad, a real estate professional with Sutton Group - Kings Cross Realty. Anant's neighbourhoods of focus include Ajax, Pickering, Oshawa, Whitby, and Toronto, Ontario. Thank you, Anant, for sharing your experience and for being a steward in building better communities.

What does “community” mean to you as a real estate professional? 

Community to me means bringing people of all different backgrounds & cultures, which we are fortunate to have within Canada, together to celebrate what we have in common as human beings. 

Can you describe a moment where your work helped improve life in your neighbourhood, beyond the transaction?

I donate food to the local food bank during the holidays, as I know that they are being used now more than ever. 

How do you approach your role as a connector or advocate in your local area?

Connection through honest, integrity-based interactions, such as when door knocking in my area or saying hello to a new face in the neighbourhood, and also participating/voting in local community council meetings, to keep my neighbourhood safe and enjoyable for all who live within it. 

What’s one local issue that you feel real estate professionals should be paying more attention to? (Affordability? Walkability? Infrastructure? Cultural preservation?)

I believe cultural preservation is important for future generations to understand where we as Canadians, both a combined mixture of generational and immigrational, come from and where they are going. As an international airline pilot, I have visited a number of countries across the world. In Europe, most notably, the preservation/reintroduction of both historical and modern culture within suburban and other areas is quite a remarkable experience.

Have you ever spoken up or taken action about how homes are priced, marketed, or planned in your community? (If yes, tell us what happened. If no, what would you speak up about if given the chance?)

If given the opportunity, I believe future planning to improve the accessibility and affordability of homes within my community is becoming increasingly important based on the current lack of housing and subsequent increased demand within the GTHA.

In your experience, what’s the connection between long-term thinking and good neighbourhood outcomes?

Long-term thinking with regard to proper future community planning and current involvement of community members to voice their opinions/vote on important and relevant issues that will affect the community, to assist in said future community planning, is what results in a community that meets the needs of its members. 

What role do you believe real estate professionals can play in shaping a more equitable, inclusive, or sustainable future?

Maintaining and increasing the integrity and professionalism throughout the process of any transaction is what I believe will assist in shaping a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future. Along those lines, my brokerage identified a real estate need within the   First Responders (such as Police, Fire & EMS) occupations and specializes in assisting these brave individuals with achieving their real estate goals and dreams. My goal is to apply this idea to the pilot group that I fly with (Captains, First Officers & Flight Attendants) and tailor it to their specific needs. 

Tell us about a local partnership or initiative that you’re proud to support.

I am proud to have supported The Caribbean‘s Children’s Foundation through donation, participation and volunteering at their annual golf tournament. TCCF is a Canadian-based charity. Its mandate is to enable poor and critically ill Caribbean children to get the specialized medical care they need, as quickly as possible. Their vision is to remove all barriers, especially financial, between a critically ill Caribbean child and access to proper medical treatment and care. 

What do you think clients often miss about how agents influence the social fabric of a neighbourhood?

Future growth for the neighbourhood and ultimately the social fabric, in various aspects of cultural diversification and demographic change through agent research and strategy. 

What’s one hope you have for the next generation of homeowners or renters in your community? (Finish the sentence: “I want them to feel…” or “I hope they have…”)

I hope the dream of home ownership and affordability is achievable for future generations.

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Thank you Anant for sharing your experience. If you'd like to get in touch with Anant for your real estate needs, you can email him at 

anantpersad@sutton.com.