April 30, 2017
Winning in Real Estate: How One Woman Has Found Multimillion-Dollar Success
Jane Bond reached a recent landmark in her career: She represented the owners of a Naples, Florida, residential property that traded in eight days for a record-breaking $14.75 million.
Bond, who began her career in New York’s and Los Angeles’ entertainment and interior design industries and transitioned into real estate, has made her mark in the Florida market. Now the principle of The Bond Group, she has sold more than $50 million in real estate since 2010 and achieved top-performing sales in Naples, a city that’s been counted as one of the wealthiest (in terms of resident income) in the country.
On the heels of her recent success, BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Bond to talk vital steps in closing high-end deals:
Look to your network and use your own networking mojo for lucrative leads. Bond says she met the owners of the now record-breaking $14.75 million property through a friend who is an interior designer. “He knows me and my love for interior design,” Bond says. “He informed me that he was working with someone who had a great property that I just had to see, and it all went forward from there.”
Before her recent career win, Bond had also gained experience in navigating the networks of high earners in her time as an international flight attendant, opportunities to design the home interiors of NFL players, and a career in entertainment managing music artists including the Brand New Heavies.
Use relevant knowledge in interior design, finance, travel or the arts to relate to prospective clients. Bond, a graduate of Pace University (with a degree in finance) and Parsons School of Design (interior design), says when dealing with luxury properties and interacting with the people who own them–or seek to own them–it’s great to be able to communicate about various design styles, innovative ideas, and other inspirations for beautiful and top-of-the-line structures and interiors. “I’ve been able to travel, study, and see beautiful places, homes, and structures around the world, and I enjoy it,” she says. “It’s often great conversation when you are knowledgeable about diverse aspects of luxury living, international travel, and the trends that are popular in various markets.”
Gain knowledge and build up experiences that give you a point of reference that is authentic, relatable, and relevant to high-net-worth clientele, who, too, have traveled globally, been exposed to fine dining and luxury living, and enjoy informed conversations on current events, history, fine arts, and architectural trends.
Build a reputation of pristine professionalism and a track record of get-it-done success. “High net-worth clients are often highly ambitious and expect excellence in all that they do and the people they associate with,” Bond says. “I’d built a track record, even in my days working in entertainment, with celebrities, where I did what I said I would do,” she adds. “You have to be a person who comes through on your promises, is diligent in the way you do business, and is known for offering the best of the best.”
Bond also recommends never guaranteeing a client anything that you cannot follow through on and being strategic in building your reputation and brand image in real estate sales. Do your research on top opportunities, properties and brands you can align yourself with to eventually attract high-earning clientele. Learn the ropes with those who are already working with or catering to the best in the real estate industry as well as successful professionals in other industries in your market. And above all, present yourself confidently and authoritatively in the excellent skills you offer to cater to your clients.