Take a read through some testimonials from satisfied clients and you quickly understand that Harcourts’ agents Jake Morgan and Jen Singleton have got the recipe for success just right. They seem to have the sales skills, but also a genuine empathy with their vendors.
“Bringing buyer and seller together, it is really rewarding to be a part of the process and to be able to help people realise their property goals, ” Jen says.
“In this market it often means being creative in how we structure the deal, so seeing it all come together is just magic.”
It’s the human side of the deal that Jake loves. “I love that it is a people business, I struggle that we become so close to our clients for a short period of time where we are a trusted advisor and genuine empathy develops, but suddenly we are sold and everyone moves on. I have so many invitations to catch up for coffee that I need to make good on.”
How it started
Jen was born into a real estate family. Her first experience was as a child working on reception on a Saturday morning. She started officially as a personal assistant, then became an office manager, before moving into sales. She says she has always loved real estate and property, in particular the transactional part of the process.
“When I first started in real estate my kids were 6 and 8 years old, so evening and weekend hours worked well for me and my family, ” she says. “The hours are long, but I love it so it doesn’t really feel like work. I started working with Jake in 2018, when we became ‘Jake & Jen’. We were thrilled when Cooper & Co asked us to join the team – their values of people first and doing the right thing perfectly align with our own values, and we couldn’t be happier.”
Jake started in real estate sales in 2016 following five years as a real estate photographer.
“Through the photography and personal experience of buying and selling homes I met several agents who I felt didn’t give their clients the best service. With more than 20 years of hospitality and customer service experience in a diverse number of international roles behind me, I felt I could do a better job than some, and one of my main real estate clients encouraged me to do my papers, ” he says.
He’s certainly had an interesting work history. “I have a diverse hospitality background, which has been customer focused, I have dealt with elephants wandering into the dining room, tourist boats getting stuck on sand banks in Northern Myanmar, the West Indian owner of hotel deciding to “pop in” for dinner with the President of the country and 14 guests on 2000 New Years Eve and being shot at and malaria, so a bit of a challenge in the role does not phase me.”
How it’s going
Jen says a big correction in the market can be hard for sellers to adjust to. “We are here to help our clients on their property journey, and we want everyone to be happy with the transaction. Making sure our clients are making informed decisions is vital in this market.”
Jake thinks the dramatic shift in the market makes it even more important for the team to maintain their integrity and develop their role as trusted advisors.
“It is a highly competitive business, but you need to stay true to your core values and understand that while we are absolutely working for the vendor, we have a very real duty of care to the buyer, to make sure they are informed and expectations are realistic, ” he adds.
What to look for
Picking the right agent can be tricky but Jen and Jake both have sound advice.
Jen: “Look for an experienced full-time real estate professional with a proven selling record in selling similar homes in your area. Choose one who has enough listings to show that they are credible, but not so many that they’ll be too stretched to dedicate adequate time to your sale.”
Jake: “Empathy, an ability to listen, someone who is willing to mow the lawns, clean the gutters, put the ironing away for an unexpected viewing… I’m half joking, but someone who you believe has your best interests at heart and will go the extra mile if necessary.”
Advice for sellers:
“Talk to people with experience in buying and selling in your market. Interview more than one agent, and don’t choose an agent based on fee or the highest appraisal price. Often the cheapest agent will cost you the most money. It’s the process, not the promise of a price, that will get you the best result. Choose an agent with experience, who specialises in your area, this is really important, ” Jen says.
Advice for buyers
“Get good advice, find an agent who specialises in helping buyers, and when you are ready to buy do everything you can to make your offer as clean as possible. LIM clause, building inspection, can you get this done in five days instead of the prescribed 15? In a buyer’s market, clean offers often buy for less than higher, more conditional offers, ” Jake says.
Life away from work
Jen: “There isn’t much spare time, but what time I do have is spent with my family – my partner and two kids, Harry is 11 and Mia is 13. The kids play tennis, so we are often at the club. We enjoy music, movies, and going out for dinner.
Jake: “Spare time? Work life balance is a permanent challenge, it is a seven day a week business, and there are no clear boundaries, it is not uncommon to get phone calls or texts late into the night, or even in the early hours of the morning. I enjoy living in Orewa with my family, walking distance to the kid’s school where I am privileged to be on the board of trustees, and also near the beach, where we are trying to teach our rescue puppy not to jump up on people. Escaping for a paddle near the estuary if there are some waves is an early morning treat.”
Jen Singleton & Jake Morgan
Harcourts Millwater/ Silverdale
Phone: Jen 021 820 373 or Jake 021 447 534
Email: jen.singleton@harcourts.co.nz or jake.morgan@harcourts.co.nz
Source: Stuff.
