Just about every real estate company, and particularly the new entrants into our market, say they are redefining or doing real estate a different way. But, what exactly do they mean and how do they intend to do it differently?

Given that we don’t sell homes in the price range of the national average but rather many multiples of the national average, I don’t foresee our clients buying homes simply by looking at photos or drone images. While good photos definitely help show off a property, it’s not a new technique. Do big parties at houses for sale actually help sell them? In LA, it’s easy to get people to attend an event if you offer free food or drink. However, buyers of luxury homes are not looking at homes because they get a free glass of champagne.

I suggest that our business remains one of client relationships, whether we are representing a buyer or seller. The quality agent dedicates his/her time and experience to shepherding their client through the home buying or selling process from start to finish. This means that we must match the requirements of the buyer to the available housing inventory, which may happen quickly or take a significant amount of time. The one fact is that each of these clients must ultimately see the house personally to make a final decision. They must see it and feel it.

Unlike Million Dollar Listing, the work really begins after the agreement on price and terms. There are inspections, appraisals, title, and loans that must be approved before contingencies are released, at which point the parties can move towards a closing. It doesn’t seem that a computer algorithm or anything else other than a hands-on relationship with a broker could accomplish this.

At WEA, we have been closing deals successfully for over 17 years and our success speaks for us, not our dialogue. Once again, our average sale in 2016 exceeded $9,000,000 per deal, which can’t be claimed by any other company.