Sandra Miller was hosted by Haute Media Group Cofounder Seth Semilof. Watch their conversation below.

The topics included Miller’s illustrious career with credible experience stemming from her corporate background, joining the highly esteemed Engel & Völkers team, and her eventual ascendancy in the Santa Monica real estate market.

Sandra Miller is the principal broker leading Engel & Völkers’ thriving Santa Monica shop, which was the first Engel & Völkers shop to open in California. With numerous prestigious real estate awards and accolades to her name, Miller is also notably one of only a small number of brokers to achieve a Private Office Advisor designation. She believes that real estate is, ultimately, a personal service, so her clients turn to her as a reliable reference long after their home buying or selling is complete. Miller’s personally selected team follows the same principles, working together with her to bring a level of boutique service to Santa Monica that real estate customers have never before experienced.

Here are some of the questions and answers from the exclusive interview with Miller.

Seth Semilof: What made you make the move to go into real estate?

Sandra Miller: I transitioned from an outside sales representative to inside manager, then I launched in seven different markets for them. When I left, I had 178 indirect distributors under my realm with managers and etc., so a ton of reports all commission only. I knew about five years before I left that when I left that job, I would go into real estate. It was just never a question in my mind. The reason I would go into real estate is because there is no other industry where someone who is good at sales has unlimited income potential like real estate.

SS: How was it pivoting? How was it building your business? Did it take time, or did it start immediately?

SM: It was really an interesting time. It was 2004 when I got my license. What I did was I went around and interviewed different companies, owners, and operators that were running retail storefronts in the U.S. There were not that many in 2004, but I wanted to do retail because that was my specialty. I had thousands of them underneath me in my previous life. I did not know anyone in L.A. because at that point, I was really upper management and traveling between seven different markets. It was really starting from ground zero. What I learned when I went around the country, interviewed people, and set up my business plan, is how to launch. I started marketing about six months before I ever did a deal, needed to do a deal, or wanted to do a deal. I did 20,000 mailers a month for six months before I got my first call.

SS: If you had to give advice to somebody that wants to get into real estate and is scared but has the resources to invest in themselves or to somebody who does not have the resources, what advice would you give?

SM: If they do not have the resources, I advise them to work on a team. Honestly, you need resources in order to be successful. You cannot just wing it. My expertise was launching markets for my old company, so I did the research. I knew exactly what I was getting into. I knew exactly the target market I was going after. I did the mailings, I opened my office, and I had no choice but to be successful. I am not a trust fund baby. I needed to make money. I had a very specific business plan that I executed, and it worked.

SS: How was building, setting up with Engel & Völkers, having a name, having a fancy office, and having to produce?

SM: There was no producing. Santa Monica real estate, west side real estate, really just stopped. They did not have to sell. It is all people with lots of money. There were no short sales in this market. There were no foreclosures in this market. It was just a stalled market, but I survived. I started doing a lot of leasing in those 18 months. Then, the market took off like a rocket. It was eye opening when it happened as a woman business owner that is responsible for other people's livelihoods.

SS: Where do you see your business in the next five to 10 years?

SM: I see continuing to build my team, continuing to make them successful, and doing more of the same. I want to sell until I am 100. I really enjoy the boutique. I do not want to build an empire. I did that and I do not want to do it again. I want to enjoy traveling, which I can do with the Engel & Völkers brand. I can go network with fellow agents and office owners whenever and wherever. I can really enjoy my clients and the homes that I get to sell. It has been a journey.

For more information, please contact Sandra Miller at (310) 616-6213 or sandra.miller@evrealestate.com

To watch more real estate webinars curated by Haute Residence, visit http://dev.hauteresidence.com.

The post Chat With Haute Residence Leaders, Episode 14: Sandra Miller appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

They were hosted by Haute Living's Erik Haase. Watch the full webinar below.

Highlight quotes:

Dan Hechtkopf: "Before the pandemic, I think we were very close to the bottom of the market, and that was the condo market, the housing market, you name it. I saw it eventually going up, but then Covid hit, just dead stop for several months there, and then every house got gobbled up. I mean you can't get anything brand new on the market under the $5 million mark, even $5-10 million it's just ridiculous right now. Then what happened was the condos became such a good deal, and all of a sudden, those are getting gobbled up, especially in areas like South of fifth, Sunset Harbor. There's no inventory in all the good areas. Whether it's a single-family home or condo right now, it's just on fire. I listed something literally a week ago in South of Fifth, and it was under contract in three days. Buyers have to be flexible; they have to understand that there are other areas out there other than Venetian, Palm, and Hibiscus Island."

Anne-Britt Østlund: "Telluride is unique. We're not easy to get to, we are not 15 minutes from anywhere. You feel like you're in the mountains. You've got to want it, and once they're here, most people don't want to leave. It is absolutely iconic... Arizona is huge, for us. We get what I call seasonal residents who come up to escape the heat, and then Florida is another one. All of a sudden, California is probably our biggest source. I would say that my business is shifting a lot from second homeowners to people who are trying to move here full-time... I call myself a lifestyle real estate agent, and one of the things I offer my clients is a very intimate knowledge of what it's like to live here. I can help them understand where they fit in best. Boost on the ground, if you will. I find that more valuable than anything they can find on the Internet."

Daniel Tzinker: "As of months ago, I have people from Boca Raton, Golden Beach, and other communities of homes that are looking for condos because somebody from the Northeast knocked on their door and gave them an offer they couldn't refuse, a ridiculous amount of money, and they forced themselves to downgrade for a condo... The inventory is gone, and if you are a dealmaker, you're not going to be sitting and waiting for a year or two until the inventory replenishes because people want to transact today. You go recreate yourself and bring opportunities from other neighborhoods. You have to create a new script... I think business will shift, especially on the homes in this high-demand market...

Magnus Jennemyr: "Coconut Grove is known to have some of the best schools in the country. On the inventory, we have no single-family homes left... The main inventory we have is off-market. The condo market is Coconut Grove is low density compared to Brickell, Downtown, and Miami Beach... Taxes in New York and California [being what they are], it is a no-brainer that people would come down here. All the buildings that are coming up, they've seen three-quarters of a billion dollars in say sales in the first quarter. It's across every asset class and price point. You have to show your expertise. You have to be a proverbial expert and concierge to the buyer for everything. Where will they put their kids in school? Where do they fit in? What is their profession? You can't just know about real estate. You have to know everything surrounding it."

To watch more real estate webinars curated by Haute Residence, visit dev.hauteresidence.com.

Top: Dan Hechtkopf, Anne-Britt Østlund. Bottom: Daniel Tzinker, Magnus Jennemyr

The post Watch: “Coast To Coast” Real Estate Webinar #12 By Haute Residence appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.