• Having an office is lovely (and costly), but for me it was also pointless.
  • I care only about what my clients think and want, not other agents' impressions of me.
  • By the time I set an appointment to meet at an office, my buyers' dream home could be gone.

I recently got some major attitude from another agent about not having office space. “But where do you go when your clients want to meet?” she exclaimed.

“I go to them, wherever they are,” I responded.

I might as well have told this lady I didn’t have a real estate license.

The thing is, I have had offices in the past. In fact, I’ve spent thousands, month after month, on fancy office space on the most exclusive and expensive street in my hometown of Fort Lauderdale — Las Olas Boulevard. And it was lovely, but for me, it was also pointless.

My clients, who buy and sell million dollar homes, don’t want to meet me in my office — or any office, for that matter. They are comfortable and fully adapted to the very millennial-esque meet-them-where-they-are culture, where major business deals go down over sushi, in shared workplaces, Starbucks and other third spaces that are not quite home not quite office.

My clients, who think of my team and me more like personal luxury real estate concierges, demand this type of service. Others might bring an attitude about it, but I care only about what my clients think and want, not other agents impressions of me.

I’ve written up contracts at midnight, in my home, over takeout, at the end of a very long day. I’ve negotiated huge deals and important details over text.

Let’s face it friends, we live in a 24-7 world, enabled by modern wonders of technology such as Netflix, online MLS and virtual document signing apps. In this fast-paced new reality, by the time I can set an appointment to meet up with a buyer at an office, their dream property could be out of reach.

Working without an office allows me to reinvest more money in my business, be productive and connect more closely to provide better service to my clients. The trend I’m seeing is high-net-worth individuals expecting personalized service that doesn’t include office space.

This might be an urban, “South Florida” thing, and maybe your community and clients expect to meet you in an office. I respect that – and what’s important is that you understand what your clients want and need, and take care of them on their terms — no matter what the haters might say.

Sam DeBianchi is Estate Agent and founder of DeBianchi Real Estate. Follow @SamDeBianchi on Twitter and Instagram or on Facebook.

Email Sam DeBianchi

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×