Real Estate Agent Magazine publisher Judith Dickson recently spoke with Denise Ash, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Prestige Properties, about her career and the drive that pushes her forward.
REAM: Why did you decide to follow a career in real estate?
DA: I love making people happy. Customer service has always been my strongest skill. I feel like I will be making peoples dreams come true whether finding them a home or helping them sell one to move on to something better.
REAM: What does your experience in a previous career bring to your real estate business? How does that benefit clients?
DA: My background is in digital marketing and many tools we used to help our clients then are what are being adopted now in real estate marketing. Younger agents are already tech savvy which gives them a leg up when it comes to the right approach needed to service today’s clients. I am not so young, but I have the advantage of teaming the “new” way of doing things so for that I am blessed.
REAM: Who are your real estate mentors? How do you seek to emulate them?
DA: I have multiple mentors both in my office and afar. I’d definitely want to soak up everything they are teaching me and always take their advice which is very valuable, and put into practice what I learn regularly.
REAM: What drew you to your current real estate team? What were you looking for?
DA: I ran into another agent trying to procure a rental for my tenant client and he asked to meet for coffee at Starbucks. He shared with me the advantages of switching over to his broker and it was great timing because I needed a change. I am so glad I did because it is everything I needed along the lines of training, support and very high-tech applications.
REAM: How would you describe your business? Are you focused on sellers or buyers? A specific niche?
DA: I do focus on buyers mostly, but for sellers I offer staging advice as I also have an interior design background from many moons ago. I would say, I am a real estate agent, designer, financial advisor and psychiatrist.
REAM: What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day job?
DA: Helping people. If I end my day and have made at least one person feel better, I have accomplished my daily mission.
REAM: Do you have goals to start your own team?
DA: No, I do not. However, I am open to joining a team if the right one comes along.
REAM: Tell us about your first sale.
DA: My first was a young professional man who needed to find a reasonable rental in Stamford, I genuinely like him a lot! Unfortunately, I lost contact with him suddenly around the time of the COVID-19 shut down and cannot find him anywhere. I know he is from China and his parents were still living there. I haven’t given up yet.
REAM: What are some of your hobbies outside of the office?
DA: I write songs, do lots of video editing and design themes around my vector robot. Yes, I am a bit of a nerd. LOL.
