Elizabeth D. Nunan
President and CEO, Houlihan Lawrence, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
Rye Brook, New York
www.houlihanlawrence.com
Region served: Markets North of New York City, as well as Fairfield County, Connecticut
Years in real estate: 30
Number of offices: 30
Number of agents: 1,335
Lesley Grand: Why is the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) network a good fit for Houlihan Lawrence?
Elizabeth D. Nunan: We’ve been members of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® a network of 550 firms that span over 70 countries—since the beginning. While the network is invitation only, members must follow a stringent set of criteria. For sellers, our membership in LeadingRE means that they get a steady stream of homebuyers interested in being with the brokerage. We’re also members of Luxury Portfolio International, the luxury marketing division of LeadingRE. While we handle all price points and homes that range from a one-bedroom co-op or condo to an entire estate located in the back country of Greenwich, Connecticut, it’s important to note that each exclusive property deserves the highest level of service. No matter who is buying or selling, our LeadingRE membership means that we’re able to give the ultimate in all aspects of service.
LG: Please describe your management style.
EN: My role is to serve the agents and employees of our company, not the other way around. That being said, everything I do is guided by our core values: integrity, building, excellence, passion and community. I took on the role as president and CEO just as COVID hit, but my management style has been consistent throughout my career. I’d also like to add that authenticity is a guiding principle of mine. I do not ask anything of anyone that I wouldn’t do myself, and I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the work. I also like to focus on the positive and practice daily gratitude. This isn’t something I’ve always done, but it makes life easier for both me and those I work with.
LG: How do you attract the best agents?
EN: While our company and office culture provide unrivaled support to all of our agents, we also have very experienced office leaders who are the best in the business. In addition, our reputation and integrity are second to none. For us, being a market leader means never standing still, so we’re constantly working to make sure we give the best tools to our agents so that they can give the best service to their buyers and sellers. Chief among them is an excellent tech suite. When I first became CEO, we went from being reliant on one vendor for all of our tech services to creating a best-in-class suite of tools.
LG: What are your best strategies for agent retention?
EN: I work very hard at listening and being accessible. In fact, my agents know they can call, text or otherwise get a hold of me at all times. I want to hear from our agents and know how we can help them, so we invite them to weigh in during our monthly brain trust. Our agents inspire me every day, so the least I can do is be there for them.
LG: What is the one thing you hope agents say about you?
EN: That I care. I want to make sure we are providing our agents the best tools to grow their business. When the shutdown occurred, I worried about our agents making a living because they are commission-based. As it turns out, many of our agents had their best year ever in 2020.
For more information, please visit www.leadingre.com.
Lesley Grand is a contributing editor to RISMedia.
