Above, Sarah Hatch
Sarah Hatch
Vice President of Relocation
Lamacchia Realty
Waltham, Massachusetts
www.lamacchiarealty.com/leadership/sarah-hatch/
Region served: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and Florida
Years in real estate: 8
Number of offices: 16
Number of agents: 550
Motto/work philosophy that you live by: If you want it, work for it.
Describe your journey with Lamacchia Realty.
Back in 2016, I joined Lamacchia Realty as a receptionist and administrative assistant supporting the sales team. Soon after I joined, there was a need for a new inside sales agent, and our relocation department was expanding—presenting me with some exciting opportunities. Timing was definitely on my side since that same year, Lamacchia Realty joined Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®’s referral network, and that kickstarted the journey of my career. It didn’t take long for me to realize that relocation was what truly sparked my interest and brought me the most satisfaction.
How has your experience shaped your understanding of effective strategies for nurturing partnerships and driving business growth?
In my line of work, I find myself in various partnerships, sometimes as the customer, and other times as the vendor. One thing I’ve found incredibly beneficial is to reflect on what I appreciate as a customer and then apply those principles when I’m in the vendor role. Personally, I value proactive communication—I love it when updates come in before I even have to ask for them—so I make sure to adopt that same proactive approach with my own “customers.” It’s all about reciprocity and delivering the kind of service I would want to receive myself. In turn, the hope and goal is that they have had such a positive experience that they want to send more business our way.
As someone deeply involved in training agents on relocation sales and procedures, what key principles or techniques do you emphasize to ensure success in this area?
Naturally, the primary focus when dealing with any company-provided lead sources is conversion rate, so that’s the first thing we look at. I also focus on whether there is attention to detail and clear communication. It might sound cliche, but when it comes to our B2B partnerships, communication is the most important factor. The agents I collaborate with understand from the get-go that these deals come with expectations; it’s not just me seeking updates—our partnerships are equally invested.
What influence has your real estate law background had on your approach to managing relocation services and fostering relationships?
Having worked with various attorneys who each had their own quirks or way they like things done, I’ve found that the most important thing is to learn how someone works and then cater to that—asking them how they want something done and anticipating. I take that same approach with fostering my relationships with our relocation partners.
What is the most significant trend positively affecting your business right now?
As we know, there’s been quite a bit of bad publicity in the media lately about the real estate industry. However, at the end of the day, people are always on the move for various reasons—job changes, getting married, growing families, downsizing, etc. Despite all the noise though, it’s a fact that most folks still prefer having a REALTOR® in their corner when it comes to buying or selling—and that’s something that I don’t see changing.
For more information, please visit https://www.lamacchiarealty.com/leadership/sarah-hatch.
