Christie’s International Real Estate Group is growing a strong bench in the New York City metro with a team of top agents.
The private company represents the Christie’s brand in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. The firm is continuing to ramp up its New York team following the opening of its flagship office in Manhattan last year, and more recently, a new office in East Hampton. The Real Deal recently sat down with Sherri Balassone, Esq. Vice President and Corporate Broker of Record for Christie’s International Real Estate Group in New York City and The Hamptons – and two of the firm’s recent additions – to hear more about the value proposition Christie’s International Real Estate Group offers agents to grow their business.
“There are several different reasons why I chose to work with Christie’s, first and foremost, right off the bat is the brand. It’s such a venerable brand,” says Sean Sutherland, an 18-year veteran of the Manhattan real estate market.
Christie’s International Real Estate Group is truly a global brand with a 250-year legacy and agents in 50 countries that conduct $100 billion worth of real estate transactions annually. “You can’t duplicate the legacy of that brand, and I know that it can achieve things for my clients that no other brand can,” says Sutherland. Another unique aspect of the brand is its association with Christie’s Auction House.
“It’s a gateway to the rest of the globe as far as real estate and other opportunities that just don’t exist with other companies,” he adds.
Christie’s International Real Estate Group is a full-service brokerage that supports its agents by providing them with training, information technology, marketing and administrative support. “Most importantly, we have a very robust lead generation program,” notes Balassone. “We have a multitude of sources for these leads and referrals which come from the Christie’s International Real Estate Group global network, Christie’s Auction House, relocation services and more,” she says. Agents also can take advantage of the synergy that exists with Christie’s International Real Estate Group tri-state presence, which includes more than 30 offices and 1,000 agents.
“I knew that if I took the prestigious global brand of Christie’s International, and I infused it with my own brand, I was heading towards a new frontier of more opportunities. And that’s exciting, not just for me, but for my clients as well,” says Gina Sabio, an agent with 20 years experience working in the New York City real estate market.
As a private company, Christie’s International Real Estate Group has a leadership team that is accessible, and its agents can pick up the phone and call their broker of record or company president and have a genuine conversation. “Probably the biggest reason that I chose to go with Christie’s is when I first sat down with Sherri and Company President Ilija (Pavlovic), that’s when I saw how passionate they are about what they do and how authentic they are. I believe vision comes from the top down,” says Sutherland. “I feel like the future here is incredibly dynamic, and I’m excited to be with Christie’s.”