Tuesday, April 14th, 2020
Ever wondered what being a luxury leasing agent is like? Here’s what you need to know!
Although some luxury leasing consultants work with both MLS listings and high rises, some just work with high rise buildings. These high rises are seldom listed on MLS. Through years of mutual relationship building, Downtown Apartment Company (DAC) has gotten the privilege of non-exclusively representing over 200 high rises in downtown Chicago. High rises appreciate working with DAC because we bring them qualified clients, that is– client’s whose wants, needs, price ranges, and preferences match what the building has to offer.
Most high rise apartment buildings have dedicated on-site leasing teams. On-site team members have extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of their particular building. DAC’s luxury leasing consultants work to have extensive knowledge of the overall market as a whole, strong familiarity with each building, and get a deep understanding of the client’s wants and needs. DAC’s leasing consultants and on-site building teams have strong relationships and stay in regular communication so both parties can give the client all the information they need and find them the best suited options. This allows DAC leasing consultants to act as matchmakers between clients and on-site teams.
If there’s a great deal or rare unit on special, on-site team members will be the first to alert DAC’s leasing consultants. Similarly, when a client reaches out with specific search criteria, a DAC luxury leasing consultant will use their market knowledge to narrow the options from over 200 downtown high rises to a selection of 5-8 buildings. Then, the DAC leasing consultant will get in touch with the on-site experts to see which layouts in the building will be best for accommodating the client’s move date, price range, view and lighting preferences, and furniture quantity.
The chief responsibilities of a leasing consultant at DAC are to (1) know all there is to know about your client’s wants and needs, (2) know all there is to know about the market, an (3) know all there is to know about your inventory, all so you can serve your clients’ best interests. The market, pricing, and availability can change on a day-to-day, or even moment-to-moment basis, so staying on top of current information takes ongoing initiative. It takes a village to know the city!
DAC works primarily with luxury high rise buildings in downtown Chicago
At DAC we value character above all else. There’s a misconception that you need to be “tough” or “cut-throat” to succeed in real estate. That could not be further from the truth. The people who are most likely to succeed at Downtown Apartment Company embody professionalism, kindness, great listening skills, patience, and integrity for two reasons: (1) it just feels good to be a good person, and (2) being a good person is good for business. You only do a high quality job when you’re looking out for your client’s best interests. When you find your client a great deal that is exactly what they’re looking for, they will naturally refer you to their friends. Your clients want to help their friends, not expose them to a “cut-throat” agent who doesn’t really listen.
The Chicago real estate industry also feels pretty small. Over time, you’re bound to run into the same agents again and again. Being kind and professional with other agents is a must. Each interaction is an opportunity to plant the seed for another positive interaction in the future. No deal is ever worth jeopardizing a relationship.
If you’re someone with integrity, professionalism, a desire to learn, a good attitude, and an interest in being part of a tight-knit team, we’d love to talk with you, regardless of whether you have any real estate experience! If you’re interested in learning more about leasing and real estate careers contact us at careers@downtownloop.com or click here to learn more.
