The $85-Million Woman

In 1986, Susan Glasgall was driving an Oldsmobile 442—a muscle car—when she landed her first real estate job. Her manager at the time Audrey Rapaport suggested she “lose the teenager car,” Glasgall, a realtor at the Rye office for Houlihan Lawrence for the past 21 years. recalls. “She warned clients wouldn’t take me seriously.”

Clients certainly take Glasgall seriously now. . . to the tune of a little more than $85 million.

The Rye Brook mother of two won the Houlihan Lawrence Realtor of Year award for 2007, competing against 34 Houlihan offices and approximately 1,000 agents. She has total sales volume of all realtors in the county. Glasgall has been the Top Producer (most sales volume) for Houlihan in 10 of her 21 years. The towns she covers include Rye, Harrison, Purchase, Port Chester, Rye Brook, and Rye Neck.

So what does Westchester’s top-selling realtor attribute her sales success to?

“Before I was in real estate I taught,” she says. “Teachers have good listening skills, which helps when trying to hear what people want in a home.” Glasgall has two master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania (counseling and education) plus a BA from
Boston University in psychology. “Psychology helps with understanding people’s needs.”

According to Glasgall, among the most common mistakes realtors make is “when showing a house they’ll just say, ‘This is this living room’ and ‘This is the kitchen.’ That’s lazy. You really need to emphasize the positives of a space.”

Still, she’s had her share of tough sells. “One of the toughest houses I’ve ever sold was a contemporary Colonial in Harrison. It was a stunning house but right on 287. The seller wanted almost two million but no one was biting. We finally sold it six months later for one-point-six million.”

And her first sale? An $81,000 coop on Westchester Avenue in Port Chester. “My client was my manicurist. My husband, Neil, took me out to a restaurant after the closing to celebrate.”

Glasgall has a few tips for those starting out in real estate. “Think about whom you’re working for. Show caring patience with buyers. You want your clients to be excited about the purchase and you don’t want them to settle. And if you’re selling a property, always find something positive to say about it.”

And of course, drive an appropriate car, one that says “successful professional.”
“I currently have a BMW SUV. It’s my mobile office. If you have a little sporty convertible or the like, think seriously about trading it in.”