Vitals: Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty
Years in Business: 4
Size: 1 office, 30 agents
Regions Served: Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, Berks, York, Adams, Franklin, Cumberland, Perry and Chester counties
2017 Sales Volume: $128,431,000
2017 Transactions: 419 sides
www.luskandassociates.com/eng
As someone who loves serving others, and also with a deep fondness of homes, Anne M. Lusk knew early on that marrying these two passions would help her succeed in the real estate business.
The owner of Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, Lusk was running a different business in Florida when she came to this realization after helping one of her customers find a home.
“I noticed that I had this gift of putting people’s wants and needs together to find a solution,” says Lusk. “Once an entrepreneur, you’re always an entrepreneur, and that set the stage for my becoming a REALTOR® and starting in the business.”
Today, Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty is one of South Central Pennsylvania’s premier real estate agencies, with a reputation for providing exceptional service.
“It’s not just about finding someone a house, but helping them find their doctors, helping them find a babysitter and involving themselves within organizations in the community,” says Lusk. “You really are more of a concierge, and it’s enjoyable. You’re getting paid to help others.”
Coming off a year in which she herself did 182 transactions and $75 million in sales, Lusk expects to top those numbers this year—and judging by the early stages of 2018, Lusk sees both positives and negatives within her market.
“The negatives center around rates creeping up and buyers’ expectations being skewed by HGTV,” says Lusk. “Buyers walk in and expect brand-new granite, brand-new cabinets and new appliances, but that’s not a reality in many price ranges.”
While land isn’t cheap in Lancaster, Lusk notes that many prospective buyers searching for houses don’t understand the difference between purchasing a new home and buying resale. For example, if someone is buying a $200,000 property that sits on less than half an acre, they’re not going to get a 3,000-square-foot house for $350,000.
“Despite the fact that a lot of people get into real estate thinking that it’s a get-rich-quick business, you need to focus on how excited your customers are, as well as how well they think you did for them,” adds Lusk.
“I seek to add agents that serve their clients well, dress professionally and take personal accountability for what they do,” says Lusk. “I want agents who do their research, work hard and are ready to serve their customers’ needs.”
According to Lusk, agents are attracted to the firm because of the Sotheby’s brand and its comprehensive marketing plan.
“It’s constantly improving the marketing plan, improving materials and always seeking ways to better serve the clientele. I feel that there’s no other brand with such a plan,” says Lusk. “It also has a lot to do with the power of the network. The other agents in the brand want to help one another and they collaborate well. It’s fantastic for me to be able to pick up the phone and help one of my customers buy a property somewhere globally.”
The firm offers one-on-one training to agents at the office, but there’s also group training that Lusk says many take advantage of. The office even has a designated trainer.
“We have agents from all different backgrounds and all over the world in our office, so we try to tailor the training individually to each person,” says Lusk. “For instance, if I have someone that never did sales before but has a great personality and is highly educated, the type of training that person needs is different than someone who worked as a sales manager in a different industry.”
Lusk is also proud of the fact that the firm has a high volume for the number of individuals that work at the office, recording the highest average sales price of any office in the area.
“One of the things I really love about being in real estate is the outreach and the ability to better my community by serving on different boards and even charity events,” says Lusk. “I feel it’s an important responsibility to make our community a better place.”
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