The luxury real estate market in Southern California is among the most competitive in the world. Just ask Jordan Cohen of RE/MAX One, who has spent three decades rising through the ranks and becoming the go-to real estate agent for professional athletes and celebrities alike.
Cohen started his career selling modest homes in the early 1990s. Now the No. 1 RE/MAX agent in the world – a title he’s held for six straight years – he’s become the trusted agent for remarkable estates in communities like Westlake Village, Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, and more. An industry trailblazer, Cohen is a solo agent who closed over $300M in sales in 2022 alone. His entrepreneurial spirit is a mainstay within the RE/MAX network.
Jordan Cohen
In his upcoming book, published by HarperCollins Leadership and featuring a foreword by actor Sylvester Stallone, The Agent’s Edge: Secret Strategies to Win Listings and Make Your Fortune Selling Real Estate, Cohen reveals how he conducts a winning listing presentation, ensures repeat and referral business, and fosters lasting relationships.
Here are two of Cohen’s many tips:
1. Perfect the business basics
For Cohen, the listing presentation is the cornerstone of landing business. Whether it’s a sprawling mansion, historic ranch or new build, the core elements of his strong and surefire listing presentation hold true.
“Here’s the thing: My game plan has not changed. Everything I do builds on the foundation of my listing presentation,” he shares in the book. “The presentation itself has evolved over the years, but the heart of it remains the same.”
Cohen’s listing presentations revolve around service for the prospective client – not his own track record of success. It’s advice he says is applicable to all real estate agents.
“Our knowledge and experience and past sales and awards and accolades assure the seller that we know what we’re doing. But what they really care about is what we are going to do for them,” he says.
Winning the business, however, is just the beginning, Cohen notes. The real key is following up with services, strategies, and actions that help the clients get the results they’re looking for.
2. Take chances on yourself
Instrumental moves don’t happen without self-confidence. Cohen recalls his first million-dollar listing in 1993 – a chance that arose when a friend approached him about helping sell another friend’s home – and how daunting it was to contemplate whether he was ready to venture into the realm of luxury real estate.
Cohen summoned his confidence and dove in, closing what became his first of many luxury home sales.
“People ask me every day how they can break into the luxury market. This is the first step. You have to be willing to stretch yourself. When an opportunity presents itself, take it,” he says.
This confidence still applies to Cohen’s business every day, especially as listings are his primary form of business.
“At the end of the day, we must have confidence that we’re giving the seller the best chance to sell their home for the most amount of money and the very best terms,” he says. “Once you believe you bring a unique set of skills as a marketer and salesperson into every listing interview, you can deliver your presentation with confidence and enthusiasm. And enthusiasm is contagious.”