A sea of real estate professionals cheered, stomped and clapped as baseball hall of famer David Ortiz walked on stage at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
Ortiz, also known as “Big Papi,” was joined by Kevin Sears, president of the National Association of Realtors. The duo was preparing to address some of the 10,000 professionals at the group’s largest annual meeting, NAR NXT, that took place over the weekend.
As the two discussed Ortiz’s former career as a slugger for the Boston Red Sox, which included three World Series championships, Sears managed to sneak in some questions about the former athlete’s real estate endeavors.
“This is a real estate conference,” Sears said. “So let me just ask you about what your thought is on investment in real estate.”
Ortiz’s answer was simple: Real estate is a moneymaker.
“It’s a wonderful business where you see your money grow really well,” he said. Last year, Ortiz sold his custom-built Miami-area mansion for $10.55 million, setting a then-record for the suburb at the time, according to media reports.
He also shared advice with the audience, mentioning what he called “the most important thing” to find success in the field.
“Study the areas where things are growing,” he said, “and you go from there.”