In this weekly column, real estate agents across the nation share stories of the lessons they’ve learned during their time in the industry.
Jamie Safier
As a top luxury agent for Douglas Elliman in New York City, Jamie Safier puts a lifetime of experience to work creating optimal outcomes for his high-powered clients.
Whether shattering price records for his listings or marketing some of the most iconic properties in the city, he has learned that in order to achieve great things in the city that never sleeps, you have to be ready to hustle 24/7.
How long have you been in the business, and how did you get started?
Technically, I’ve been in real estate for about twenty years now, since right after college, and in a few different states including Florida, New Jersey, and of course, New York, where I have spent the bulk of my career. However, I grew up in and around the real estate industry.
My grandfather and father were both very successful in commercial real estate in the Baltimore region and I learned a tremendous amount from both of them. I would accompany them to buildings and sections of the cities they were thinking of making purchases, or watch the trends.
Kids are like sponges in terms of the information they absorb, and I really consider myself lucky to have gained exposure and experience at such an early age in the industry I work in today.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
It’s always hard to predict the future and like many other industries, the real estate industry has changed tremendously in the last five years alone. There’s a Sarah Blakely quote though that I like where she says, “Having a mental snapshot of where you are, where you are going, and what you are moving toward is incredibly powerful.”
There’s a lot of truth to this, and while I can’t say with 100% certainty where I or anything in the world will be in five years from now, I do know that I want to continue the upward trajectory that I’ve worked so hard to build my career upon.
Life is about growing, evolving and adapting with everything around you, and some things, like the value of personalization, expertise and relationships, are always going to be important, needed and valued — especially in real estate.
What’s one big lesson you’ve learned in real estate, and how did you learn it?
Well, I’ve learned a lot of life lessons in life and real estate over the years, but above all else, you can never give up or overlook any potential opportunity, no matter what.
There was one night, years ago, where clients of mine called me up and asked me to show their apartment very late — the potential buyer wanted to see the city views at night and they were at a sporting event. So, I got back into my suit, went to the apartment and…the people ended up buying it. A $5,000,000 sale at 10 p.m. at night.
What advice would you give to new agents?
There is a lot of advice I could give, but I think above all else, stay persistent. Like any industry or career, there will be ups and downs. But those who are tenacious, focused and don’t ever give up are the ones who will rise to the top.
Real estate is a hustle and hard work, and if you want to survive in this landscape, you have to be willing to put that work in. Never stop increasing your knowledge of the space, keep building your network of contacts and above all else — believe in yourself.
Do you want to be featured on an upcoming “Lesson Learned” column? Reach out to us here!
Christy Murdock Edgar is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant with Writing Real Estate. She is also a Florida Realtors faculty member. Follow Writing Real Estate on Facebook, Twitter, Instagr
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