Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leslie Lerner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Leslie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Starting Leslie Lerner Properties was a huge risk. I have been in the real estate business since 1993. In 2013 I decided I wanted to start my own brokerage. There were so many established brokerages in the Houston area so I had to figure out a way to be different than the rest. One day, I sat down and wrote a plan on a napkin. My plan was to offer full-service flat fee listings to sellers and rebated commissions to buyers. At the time, there wasn’t anyone offering these type of incentives to consumers. After coming up with my business plan on a napkin, I got to work. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money so I personally chose a name, designed a logo and created a website.

I got up and running within weeks. Soon after, many people asked if other agents/brokers disliked me for what I was doing. I was also told other brokerages were talking about me in office meetings. They predicted I wouldn’t make it. A short time later, I heard one brokerage said I was getting all their listings.

Thankfully, I took a risk and made it. It was one of the best things I ever did. One of my taglines is, “Houston’s First Full Service Flat Fee Realtor.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Many people ask how I originally got into the real estate profession. I started teaching school in 1991. In 1993, I was purchasing my first home. The listing agent was not professional, friendly or helpful. My frustration led me to believe if he could sell homes with a bad attitude, I could definitely be successful with a great attitude. Soon after, I got my license. Until 2000, I taught school and sold real estate. I believe that has given me the ability to work so well with clients. I always say, “I educate people to make good decisions.” I am not someone that wants my clients to buy or sell so I make money. I am not pushy.  I want my clients to have the knowledge to make informed decisions about their investment and feel good about it. A home is one of the largest purchases one makes in their lifetime.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The one thing people need to remember is you can’t depend on your friends and family for providing your income. Furthermore, in the real estate business people aren’t buying or renting a home every day or every year. Marketing yourself is a continuous process. Your name always has to be visible. I have been very lucky with clients. In the beginning, I was very fortunate for stories to be written about my company online and in printed publications. I did not do much paid advertising. Many of my clients came from the internet, referrals from friends or former clients and/or from reading one of the publications. Thankfully, I still get many referrals, repeat clients and others searching online for a reputable brokerage that offers full service flat fee listings and rebated commissions.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I am a native Houstonian. I have been fortunate to meet many people throughout the years. I have always been involved in committees, nonprofit organizations, etc that are great for networking. In business, I am transparent, well-researched, honest and very hands-on. My clients trust me to guide them through the real estate process. They know I have their best interest at heart and will always fiercely negotiate on their behalf. Those characteristics help build a a reputation that in turn produce loyal clients. I like to say, “A good reputation is all you have. Without it, you have nothing.” I truly believe that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://leslielernerproperties.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslielernerre
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeslieLernerProperties
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslielerner
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeslieLernerRE