Leah Azizian always thought that she would be an attorney from a very young age. Growing up, this was the only career choice she had in mind. She was extremely sharp when it came to answering back her parents or siblings, and debating on different topics.
Of course, she joined the debate team in high school and knew headstrong that she would be an attorney when anyone inquired. But suddenly something shifted, and Leah became more open to exploring other ideas. In high school, she decided to intern as an audit analyst at DHS (The Department of Homeless Services) and ultimately as an Administrative intern at a real estate brokerage firm in Queens.
Ever since Leah’s internship in Queens, her interest was piqued. She remembered sitting in the office, watching agents go in and out, exchanging stories about the properties and clients they have just met, and some of the difficulties that they were facing. The barriers to entry seemed relatively easy: 72 hours at a real estate school of your choice, with a school and state exam to follow. She remembers thinking to herself that regardless of whether she would stick with it as a career, it was worth giving a shot.
After meddling with the thought for several months, Leah obtained her license and decided to partner with a firm that had great charisma, and one where she knew that she can make just as much of an impact as she grows within the field. What Leah enjoys about real estate is how intimate and meaningful her relationships with her clients are, and how important one’s representation on their behalf is. Not too far from being an attorney, but different. There is a lighter side to being in real estate. Each day, Leah and her colleagues gets to listen to the stories of their clients: what their clients’ dreams are, why they chose to purchase properties in NYC, and some of the challenges they’re facing.
This is precisely why the real estate field has become so meaningful to Leah, and why this led her to partnering with her colleague in creating a platform called Ambitious New Yorkers, that showcases the voices and stories of others, and most of all the idea that to be a New Yorker is unquestionably a frame of mind.
Leah is a graduate of Queens College and Macaulay Honors College. She holds two degrees: a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Leah puts on many different hats in two of her roles at LG Fairmont.
Leah is currently the Head of Business Development & Project Feasibility at the Developments & Consulting Division, where she is responsible for the growth and engagement of developer relations, as well as the identification of new project opportunities. In supporting the developer community, Leah conducts a comprehensive analysis of project viability and the direction for the development that will maximize success, exposure and profitability.
As a Licensed Real Estate Agent and Advisor, Leah and her team focus on working with buyers, sellers, investors and developers, primarily in Manhattan and Brooklyn. They pride themselves on their creativity and abilities to think outside the box. New York City is a diverse city, one that is continuously evolving, and requires forward thinking. Contact her today to discuss your real estate endeavors! Connect with Leah on LinkedIn.
You may find more information about Leah’s work on her recent transactions, her press kit and her client testimonials here on the LG Fairmont biography page.
Here, Leah illustrates her in depth perspective of her career aspirations in the real estate field.
• How were you able to find a deep motivation in being able to genuinely connect with your clients while you were juggling your life as a full-time college student?
I started my career in the real estate field while being in college, and at first it was a bit difficult to manage a full schedule of classes while working, but I was highly focused and created a very organized system that helped me stay productive. I’ve always been fully committed to whatever I do, and I know that once I join the industry I would find a way to juggle both. It was never difficult for me to stay motivated, rather I knew that it was important to dedicate enough time to both and I leveraged a really hard-working and efficient team to help me manage both, work with more clients and close more deals.
• You recently co-founded Ambitious New Yorkers, congratulations! Can you tell me more about this and how it relates to the work you do?
Ambitious New Yorkers is a platform my partner, Zoé Kellerhals-Madussi (President of Sales & Marketing at LG Fairmont), and I created to share the stories we hear from our clients and friends. We started it in the midst of quarantine, to encourage others to share their voice and connect with fellow New Yorkers. New York City is incredibly diverse, with plenty of dreams, and what connects us all is our unrivaled mindset.
• Time allocation is so crucial for real estate agents. How do you plan/prospect your pipeline of leads?
Yes, time allocation is crucial. I’ll spend every night going through my pipeline and organizing which clients need to be reached out to the next day, on a level of immediate to “not so immediate” based on how far we are in the process and how active they are as a client or their timeline. In building my pipeline, I’ll frequently touch base with past clients and my friends to see who can use a hand with their real estate goals. I’ll also set time during the week with my team to actively prospect by cold calling, sending letters to neighborhoods I’ve closed in before, and putting together creative campaigns to target specific buildings or zip codes.
• What are the pros and cons of going into a real estate career?
I think the pros and cons tend to be of the “same coin”, yet it depends on your perspective. As a real estate agent, you are the CEO of your business. All agents are in complete of control of how they’re going to run their business. I believe that to those who are free-spirited, hungry, strong-minded, and sociable, real estate can and should definitely be one to consider. Of course, your passion for real estate and selling, definitely comes into play. But those are the general characteristics of highly successful agents. If you’re someone who is looking for a 9-5 career, or someone who feels comfortable in an employer-employee relationship, with others dictating your day-to-day work and assignments, then I wouldn’t suggest entering the field as an agent or broker.
• Are there any general tips you’d like to advise for those who are just starting out as a real estate agent?
For those who are starting out, I always advise to take a moment to understand that being a successful real estate agent is a long-term play. Monstrous success doesn’t come with just a few years in the industry. It takes time, and a lot of patience. It also requires methodology and crafting a system to keep you highly efficient and organized. I also always advise to meet many people as possible, and create meaningful relationships. Real estate is a people’s business, and the more people you personally know, the better.
• What is your favorite part of being a real estate agent?
My favorite part of being a real estate agent is meeting all the wonderful people that I do. I love new meeting people, learning more about them, hearing their stories, and helping them achieve their goals.
• What is the most challenging part of being a real estate agent?
One of the most challenging parts of being a real estate agent is setting and meeting your clients’ expectations. With whoever I am working with, I always make it a point to have a consistent, clear line of communication and set realistic expectations as to what can be achieved and how.
• Are there any goals you currently want/need to accomplish as a real estate agent?
My most immediate goal is to actively work with developers in NYC. This is a new endeavor that our team is taking on, and have been building strong traction with so far. Working with developers requires a unique mindset and creating a marketing strategy that tells a story and depicts the lifestyle of the residents for the building. It’s fascinating to work on new projects that make the landscape of New York. Our philosophy is always to smoothly integrate the building into its neighborhood, while creating an everlasting market imprint.
• How does the housing market look right now? How has it changed since COVID-19 hit? What was it like before?
For the past couple years the housing market has been advantageous to buyers, and COVID-19 has helped accentuate this. In the past few months, real estate activity has slowed down globally, due to the lack of showings, but has picked back up in NYC since Phase 2 began in the end of June. I think it’s important for buyers to recognize that now is a time of opportunity and that the real estate market moves in waves. In a “down” market like this, it opens the doors to first time buyers and those building their investment portfolio; depending on your level of courage, the market is your oyster.
If you are in the NY area and interested in going into real estate, make sure to check out Leah’s 3 Entry-Level Tips and a Guide to Joining the Real Estate Industry.
Careers with Michelle 