Haute Residence continued its "Chat with Haute Residence Leaders" series with a conversation featuring Leslie Modell of The Leslie S. Modell Team. Modell is the exclusive agent representing the Midtown East, New York City real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network.
Leslie Modell was hosted by Haute Media Group Cofounder Seth Semilof. Watch their conversation below.
The topics included Modell’s illustrious career from a native New Yorker beginning with hands-on experience as a real estate rookie to her ascendancy in luxury real estate partnering with Sotheby’s International Realty.
Modell has developed lasting relationships with many of New York’s elite and is an expert in dealing with the world’s most sophisticated high-end clientele. She recently launched the Global Luxury Property Network Group with other top-producing Sotheby’s International Realty brokers, a networking group connecting industry leaders and innovators worldwide. Modell, Senior Global Real Estate Advisor, Associate Broker, and founder of The Leslie S. Modell Team, is a top producing broker in Manhattan who was ranked among the top 10 agents in the Sotheby’s International Realty East Side Manhattan Brokerage for 2019 and 2020 and among the top 1% in sales of Realogy Brokerage Group’s agent network from 2015 to 2018.
Here are some of the questions and answers from the exclusive interview with Modell.
Seth Semilof: After college [studying sociology and psychology], what did you do Leslie?
Leslie Modell: I pursued my music career with various different entrepreneurial businesses in between. Then, somewhere around 2004, I started to get the real estate bug. We were moving around a lot within Long Island to New York, etc., and I said, “looks like a fun job.” I am a people person. I love to talk, and I am a good salesperson. I have always done sales my entire life, so I thought that the connection was very strong for me to branch out into real estate.
SS: When you got into the real estate business, what was your strategy coming in as a rookie?
LM: As a rookie, it is really important to get in at the base. Get your foundation set and that foundation will carry you the rest of your career. When I started, I did some hardcore walking to various buildings, introducing myself to different doormen, understanding floor plans understanding, researching different buildings, and getting educated. That is the most important takeaway of today: being an educated agent is everything. Knowing exactly the questions somebody will ask you about a specific building because typically it is the same question. If you are one step ahead of the game, you are always going to be that much more educated to someone and to give a feeling of trust and security to that seller or that buyer.
SS: You started small to get the singles and doubles and grew. Tell us how you are able to be successful in that.
LM: It is all about networking, getting your voice heard, and getting your brand out there. I actually have a social media company I work with specifically for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. You have to get the word out. You have to keep doing deal after deal after deal. Get seasoned. Get confident because the confidence plays. I was never afraid of the price point because if you can do a one bedroom, you could do a four bedroom. Once you get the confidence to build your business and build the momentum, you go to the next level. That is why I tell people in my team there is no deal too small because that studio buyer four years later, could become that three- or four-bedroom buyer.
SS: Where do you see the city [New York] right now?
LM: The city is definitely bouncing back. Those COVID discounts are in the rearview mirror. There are some discounted and there are some values still out in the fields but not like there was. I have personally been involved in multiple offer situations, so I do see a really good upward trajectory toward getting out of this cycle and moving into the next cycle. My business personally has been phenomenal. I have lots of contracts out. I have lots of my listings either closed or in contracts. We are certainly getting traction in the market.
SS: Where do you see your brand going over the next three to five years? Tell us a little about what you foresee in the future.
LM: I see myself growing constantly. I always know there is another plateau to reach, so right now, I have been building out my team. I have three people on my team and the next step would be growing that team, constantly evolving, constantly growing, and maybe getting into new development in the future. The sky is the limit for everyone in this industry and that is why I love it. Nothing is too far of a reach. You have a goal, you set your goal, and you go for it.
For more information, please contact Leslie Modell at (917) 488-5374 or leslies.modell@sothebyshomes.com.
To watch more real estate webinars curated by Haute Residence, visit http://www.hauteresidence.com.
