We invited the twittersphere to tweet questions to Ryan Serhant using #AskRyanSerhant, and this is what emerged — with Ryan’s advice added.
@JosephERealtor asks: Who does your real estate coaching?
First, I think it would be amazing if your last name were Realtor. How great would that be?
I don’t have a real estate coach, but I have a business coach who helps me think about my business on a macro level.
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the grind of the day — the next thing you know, a whole year has gone by.
It’s important to have someone — even your spouse — to keep you focused on the bigger picture so that you can set attainable goals for yourself.
Some agents will say they don’t need a coach. To those agents I say, “So you don’t need a coach, but LeBron James does?
“LeBron, who might be the greatest basketball player who has ever lived, still works with many coaches on constantly tweaking and perfecting his profession.
“But I guess you’re saying you’re even better than the LeBron James of real estate.”
@AdeMaleissye asks: How did you break into the luxury real estate market? Any other tips for greenhorns?
When I first started, I was doing small rental deals like every other new agent in Manhattan. From those small rentals, I’d get referred other small rental clients, who would in turn refer me even more small rental clients.
This was great because I had a steady deal flow, but it was frustrating to be stuck in the “low end” of the market.
An agent in my office told me that you have to make up your mind: Do you want to be a small rental broker a million-dollar broker?
Get one big deal, and then start farming out all of your low-end deals to people you work with (or hire agents to work under you — leverage is key in this business).
Now focus all of your time, money, blood, sweat and tears on promoting that one big deal. You will then get another, and then you will be referred to another — and so on. Focus on your goal, and it will happen. It has to.
@citychik_ asks: I wanna know: What was your very first day in NYC like before broker — before #MDLNY? Remember it?
July 1, 2006, the summer after I graduated college. I pulled up to 354 East 66th with my older brother in my car full of my stuff and met my two roommates.
I remember the day like it was yesterday because it was so humid, and I was drenched in sweat after moving in that day — by ourselves up three very big flights of stairs. I then went to Chase (bank) and got my first credit card.
@friends95677: Have you ever done a deal you regretted?
Like — with the devil? No, not yet. And every deal is a good deal if you make money — even $1.
Ryan Serhant is a licensed associate real estate broker at Nest Seekers International. You can follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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