Broker Agent Magazine Article
Sarah Patrick - Real Estate Expert
By Kathleen O’Brien
“I love learning about different aspects and types of real estate, and especially enjoy where each path takes me,” says agent Sarah Patrick of Prudential Town and Country Real Estate. An agent since January of 2002, Sarah’s knowledge of the industry sores above agents who have been in the business for decades. Though Sarah excels in all facets of real estate including residential resale, her specialty is high-end new construction.
Sarah has been working exclusively with one builder for the past few years and she believes that experience has only added to her knowledge. “I work directly with the vendors for him and help with both interior & exterior design. This not only makes his job easier, but also allows me to learn so much that I really become a resource for my clients. I have relationships with local vendors so I can give them a name and number for almost anything they need. I also have had great design experience and product knowledge. When I walk into a house I can instantly see quality, or lack of, and can advise my clients exactly what I think of the home. I think that my extensive knowledge of construction benefits my clients tremendously both in new construction and resale.”
Growing up in a contracting and sales environment also contributed to Sarah’s desire to search out a real estate career. “My father was in sales and later entered into commercial contracting. I think both influenced my choice of career.” Sarah, who originally started out in college majoring in English with the intention of becoming a book acquisitions editor, switched gears and decided to pursue a career in Dentistry. She began as an orthodontic assistant, while pursuing her degree in dental hygiene and then dentistry. Then when she was searching for her own home and trying to decide if she should invest, build, buy a resale ... she began researching the different avenues of real estate and was intrigued by it. “I had done a lot of research in real estate and was just drawn to it. My Realtor® at the time seemed to love it and I thought it was a career I would enjoy. I have always been an entrepreneur and liked the idea of working for myself and having flexible hours. I left my other professions behind and got into real estate.”
Although Sarah had not had any previous formal sales training, she immediately liked her new profession. She had worked in sales focused jobs in high school and it definitely helped her with people management and skills as well as sales performance—even then she was top sales person.
In order to increase her knowledge of the industry quickly, Sarah began training classes to be an agent even before she was licensed. After obtaining her license, she initially chose an education based national company and remained there for three years while she built her business base. “My first company was very training based. If it was not for the education and training I received there I don’t know where I would be. My previous manager, Carl Nardone, is definitely my mentor. He was extremely knowledgeable and encouraging. I learned so much about the business from him. He taught me to be a great leader and gave me the confidence to succeed in an industry run by a much older generation.”
Sarah loved her new profession, especially the independence it gave her. “And, the fact that there were no limitations on my success was motivation in itself. The sky truly is the limit.” Determined to be successful she received her first listing in the first three months after obtaining her license. “I was still working part time at a dentist office so I only did about $1.2M my first year. My second year really took off and I did $6M in sales and rose to #5 in that company out of 132 agents. It was quite an accomplishment.”
A strong desire to specialize in new construction in the Wellesley market prompted her to make a move to Prudential Town and Country Real Estate in Wellesley. “I joined my current company to learn about the Wellesley market. Wellesley is a very tight knit community and it was the only way I could learn about its inner workings. The people at Prudential Town and Country drew me as well. They are so great; it’s like one big family.”
In keeping with Sarah’s passion for learning and to broaden her education about the real estate industry, she is pursuing her contractors’ license. A goal she hopes to attain. “Any education and knowledge I can bring to myself, ultimately goes toward helping my clients make informed decisions.” Another way Sarah focuses on her clients is that she works as a fiduciary agent. Listening is one of her strengths and is important in her fiduciary obligations. She listens intently to exactly what her clients are looking for, then strives to find them exactly that. Because of her keen ability to listen, she typically only shows four to six homes to a client before they buy. Her honesty, as well as putting her clients needs first, ensures her clients trust. Sarah doesn't just go after the sale. “I want these people to be in my life for years to come so I treat them like family. Sometimes I’m too honest, but I don’t want my clients to buy something that in the end is not in their best interests. I will actually listen to what they want. I don’t like to waste my time so I certainly won’t waste theirs. I provide full service to my clients. I refer them to the best vendors, attorney’s, decorators, etc. I only work with the best to assure my clients get the best service. I handle every thing for them to ensure a smooth transaction.”
Sarah is not afraid to ‘dig in’ and help her clients when a job needs to be accomplished. “When I first started in my second year of real estate I got a listing from a guy who was moving to New York. I put the house on the same week he moved. Well, that year we had a huge snow storm and I was stuck shoveling & plowing myself! Then after the house went under contract, the heat shut down during one of the coldest weeks of the year, and I had no idea. Well, the new buyers, who had not yet signed the P&S, wanted to show their family the house. I agreed to take them over to the house and it was freezing inside. I went into the utility room and pushed a button on the furnace. The pipe burst and water started pouring out everywhere in front of the new buyers and their whole family. I thought I was going to die. I called the oil company and they came to service the tank and replace the pipes. When they did that they tracked mud all over the new carpets! I couldn’t believe it. There I was the entire week scrubbing mud out o the carpets. It was a nightmare, but my in the end my clients were so grateful.”
As a result of her expertise in new construction and the luxury home market, she has done well—but not one to rest on past accomplishments—she would like to attain a greater level of success. “I work hard to exceed the needs of my clients and it shows at the end of the year. My sales volume this year is about $7.5M with an average list price of about $800K and an average sales price of $1.3M. A large part of my success has been due to builders who look to me for my knowledge and creativity. One of the benefits I provide to my builder is that I am completely hands on and deal directly with the vendors. More specifically, I pick out and order cabinetry, fixtures, hardware, paint, appliances, etc. for spec homes so the builder does not have to. It alleviates time for the builder to focus on other projects. This is a great service that no other Realtor® provides.”
Since Sarah’s time is so precious and much of her time is dedicated to her profession, two years ago she hired her sister to be her assistant and be in charge of Sarah’s monthly marketing. “I couldn’t have done it without her. She was there to keep on top of things for me.”
Sarah was a member of the Platinum Club in her previous company for sales volume and is currently pursuing her GRI designation. She has been so successful as an agent that she was asked to open a real estate franchise and would have been one of the youngest owners. She declined because it would have taken her away from her first love—selling houses!
To contact Sarah:
Prudential Town & Country
Pesident's Circle
239 Washington St.
Wellesley, Ma
Office: 781-237-8787 x420
Mobile: 508-922-9259
E-Mail: sarah@prudentialtnc.com
Web Site: www.sellwithsarah.com
