Top Realtor Discusses “Secret of Success”
It’s one thing to enjoy the privilege of being among the 45,000 real estate professionals associated with the firm recently named the leading residential real estate brokerage in the U.S., Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. It’s quite another to have earned a coveted spot as one of the company’s top 10 agents nationwide, and to have accomplished that your first year with the firm. Cristal Clarke, a Realtor in Montecito, California, an affluent community adjacent to Santa Barbara, cites three things responsible for her seemingly meteoric rise in the upper echelon of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices professionals. “I set my goals high, persevere until I reach or surpass them, then reset them higher,” says Clarke in her trademark calm yet strong and self-assured manner.
She knows setting goals and actually reaching them are complementary yet sometimes elusive endeavors. “I view personal service as a critical element in my success,” Clarke says, quickly adding, “Not just basic attention. ‘White glove’ personal service. The closing of escrow is not the end of the relationship, nor is it the end of my responsibilities.”
That “white glove” philosophy and attention Clarke refers to is especially important considering the affluent clients and luxury homes that are her specialty. Her website shows she currently has listings with a combined asking price topping $170 million. She had $40 million in property sales in December 2018 alone.
In addition to her dedication to superior service – or, perhaps, as a result of it – Clarke credits her roster of highly-qualified potential buyers as another reason for her success. In addition, it seems she might be a bit of a rebel in this digital age. “Many people today communicate via email and text,” she says. “Although that’s certainly convenient in many ways, there’s nothing like picking up the phone, making that personal connection and talking one-on-one.”
While her tenure at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has been brief, and her place within the top .00024% of the firm’s agents is officially little more than a week old, Clarke is no newcomer to the real estate profession, nor to awards and accolades. For example, prior to joining Berkshire Hathaway, she enjoyed over three decades in the top 1% of agents nationwide with prestigious Sotheby’s International Realty.
“I’m certainly honored by this recognition by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices,” Clarke says. “The past year was one of hardship and recovery for Montecito [subsequent to a disastrous wildfire and deadly mudslide], and I’m delighted my sales record demonstrates, in a small way at least, the resilience of the community and entire Santa Barbara area. I’ll strive to continue serving my clients and the community, just as I have since I made Montecito home more than 30 years ago.”
