My name is Lucie Holt and I was born and raised in London, England.

Before moving to New York in the name of love, I worked as a mortgage broker in London. Once arriving in the U.S., I decided that a career in television would be the path to go down, but I (ultimately) decided to pursue a small stint in real estate to make some extra cash before school began. I started out at a firm by the name of J.I. Sopher in the winter of 1996, where I found out very quickly that American real estate does not even have a base salary or any benefits. I was told that I would be collecting my commission from a prospective renter – a concept that was completely foreign to me. For me to believe that someone would pay 15% of the annual rent to get an apartment seemed ludicrous.

In those days, there were no cell phones, computers, or Blackberrys, so I hit the streets with trepidation and fear. I thought, “Will I last a month?” Several fee agreements and happy customers later, I made my first commission, only to find out my company only paid you about every six weeks. “How does one survive?” I thought, but soldiered on and before I could say, ‘St. Johns University’ I had rented several more apartments and made many friendly clients, who in turn would become my friends. This seemed to spur me along and when I got that big, fat check about two months later, I was in heaven. By the end of that year, I had made $45,000 in a 6 month period; I thought I had hit the jackpot. No school for me — this career was addictive and so much fun.

My advice and secret for agents: Be honest, listen to your clients and don’t rush them. If you do this, they will not only return, but they will also tell their friends how professional you are. I always give a closing gift, regardless of a rental or sale, something to wish them well in their new home. Spread yourself out– don’t just stick to uptown or downtown, learn the entire city, walk the streets and try to discover new buildings, restaurants, stores, etc. It will add to your knowledge and make you a more interesting realtor. I know agents who don’t try new territories and give away business. Why? You can navigate those areas yourself. Why let someone else get the commission?