Interaction, variety keep the job interesting
Named one of Quebec’s top real estate brokers in 2013
Most people spend years trying to find their passion in life, and the hard truth is that many simply don’t. But a lucky few are able to fill their days actively building a career in a field they love.
Amy Assaad considers herself one of those fortunate people. Assaad became a licensed real estate broker and joined a small independent brokerage firm in 2002, at the age of 21.
“At that time, the idea of brokering large transactions seemed very challenging,” she said. “I was intimidated by selling properties that I could only dream of owning myself.”
Brokerage is indeed a difficult business, and many of the brokers who acquire their licences end up choosing other career paths that offer more stability or consistency.
“But knowing how well I work with others and my strong desire to excel, I persevered because this profession offered me a way to use my talents to help people fulfil their real estate dreams,” Assaad said.
After a handful of fruitful formative years, Assaad joined the Westmount office of Royal LePage as a chartered broker in 2006. Her specialty is listing and selling residential homes, condos, new constructions and resale, multi-unit residential buildings ranging from two to 50 units, and residential land.
“Most of my business comes from the downtown, Sud-Ouest borough, Westmount, Town of Mount Royal, Outremont and Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce areas,” Assaad said. “I grew up on the South Shore, so I find myself doing a lot of transactions there as well.”
Like many brokers, Assaad’s days vary hugely, ranging widely in variety but not in pace.
“Every client has different needs. In a day, I could sell an empty-nesters’ home in TMR and find them a pied-à-terre in Westmount, or sell a $3-million investment property downtown to international buyers,” she said. “This requires financial analysis, drafting of legal contracts, extensive marketing and staying on top of economic trends.”
The majority of Assaad’s clients are either repeat customers or referrals from people she worked with in the past.
“Like any business, the more satisfied the clients are, the less time you spend looking for new ones,” she said. “That being said, I am always thrilled to work with new people; I get the most satisfaction when a new client hires me because there’s no greater compliment than when a client has confidence in me to handle what is, or what will be, one of their most valuable assets.”
Regardless of who she’s working with, Assaad says the level of interaction her profession allows for is her favourite aspect of the industry.
“The most interesting part of my work is understanding how to deal with the person in front of me,” she said. “Real estate is a people business and you need to immediately grasp who you’re dealing with and what their needs are. With this insight, it’s much easier to fulfil your client’s expectations and understand how to successfully work together.”
The real challenge, and the most stimulating part of the work, is the negotiation and dealing with all the complexities that arise during the due-diligence period, she added.
“By nature, a negotiation is adversarial, but my expertise is to find a common ground to turn the conflict into a win-win for all,” Assaad said. “We are the mediators, and our key role is also to keep the transaction alive; having the experience to rise above the setbacks of the due-diligence period while keeping the parties involved proactive.”
Another challenge facing just about all brokers today is the industry norm of being available 24/7.
“Transactions are being negotiated and closed at 10 p.m. on a Saturday evening, and the phone will be ringing at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning,” Assaad said. “It’s simply the nature of the business; you have to sympathize with clients’ needs and try to put yourself in their position.”
With 90 transactions closed in 2013, it appears Assaad’s efforts have paid off. Last year, she was named one of the Top 5 brokers in Quebec. She also ranked in the top 10 per cent of Royal LePage brokers nationwide in 2007, top five per cent in 2008, and top three per cent from 2009 to 2013.
The magnitude of these achievements isn’t lost upon Assaad.
“This took a long time to build,” she said. “When I first started as a young woman with little experience, my greatest challenge was to be respected and to be credible. Even today, when meeting clients for the first time, it’s important to exemplify leadership and confidence so that they know they’re working with a pro.”
Continuing to power forward, Assaad has high hopes for her future in real estate.
“In five years, I envision owning my own brokerage firm, either a Royal LePage franchise or an independent office operating with a team of agents,” she said.
Either way, there’s no question that she intends to continue growing in the industry.
“There’s no greater reward to me than seeing my clients happy and being able to be a part of this life-changing experience.”