before they were brokers

August2005
before they were brokers
by LaurenPrice
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Realestate has becomeone of the hottestsecondcareersin
the city thesedays.So wheredo all theseagentsand
brokerscomefrom? We conducteda "way-they-were"
searchto find out and to learnjust how easy-or difficultthe transitionwas.Alongthe way, we founddoctorsand
lawyers,award-winningwriters, successfulactors,cover
girls,a past presidentof CalvinKleinJeans-andeven a few
circusclowns.
Corcoran Group's BarbaraClementGouldbecamea Ford
model 1959.Overthe next 20 yearsshe appearedon
famous magazinecovers/got photographedby Richard
Avedonand was a BreckGirl- not once,but twice!-joining
beautifulwomenlike Kim Basinger,CherylTeigs,and Brooke
shampooad campaign."My
Shieldsfor their SO-year
transitionwasn't difficultbecauseas a model I was
accustomedto workingas an independentcontractor
Pat Palermowas a flight
earninga livingfrom commissions."
attendantfor PanAm. Duringthe VietnamWar, she airlifted
the wounded,the dead,and the orphanedinfantsout of
Saigon.She was on the "last flight out" on April24, L975'
just days beforethe capitalfell, and was recentlyhonoredon
the 3Othanniversary.For Pat, the transitionto real estate
felt very natural,mostlybecausepackingwas no longera
job requirement.
Halstead's Nora Ariffinwas a successfulmodel who
appearedon a billboardhigh aboveTimesSquare,and was
once the face of Chanel'sAllure perfume.She found the
transitioninvigorating."As a successfulmodel, I had to be a
or
qood listenerin orderto understanda photographer
( O V E R)
director'sneeds.It's the same for real estate.''SueKim
developedrestaurantconceptsfor Jean-Georges
vongeilchten."1 was lucky enoughto have a closebroker
frien-dwho preparedme for what to expect. I certainlymiss
creatingwith top-notchrestaurateurs,but I absolutelylove
real estate."
was namedone of
Warburg Realty'sCamilleDuvall-Hero
the Century'" "It
of
Athletes
Great
"100
Sportsliiustrate-d's
you're an
when
focus
to
your
attention
of
100o/o
takes
athleticchampion,so the transitionwasn't that tough"'
RichardSteinbergwas a podiatristfor ten years but found
the transitioneffortlessbecausehe been buying,renovating,
and re-sellingpropertiesfor years."Once I turned
'professional'...I
neverlookedback."
Prudentiat Douglas Elliman's JackyTeplitzkyservedas a
sergeantin the liraeli army. As a soldier,she learnedto be
focrlsed,disciplined,and confident."I transitionedfrom a
successfulcareerin marketingand it wasn't easy becauseI
was accustomedto steady paychecks.But using what I
learnedin the army certainlyhelped."A directorand a
Thomasl. Walshoriginatedthe role of
choreographer,
-on
Bobby broadwayin A ChorusLine and is a two-time Tony
and DramaDeskAwardwinner.
Core Group Marketing's Tom PostilioplayedFrankin offBroadway'sOur Sinatraand was lead"crooner"in the Glenn
MillerOrchestra.He still performswith his 10-piece
Oak Roomand the
orchestraat venueslike the Algonquin's
RainbowRoom."On a good friend'srecommendation,I
lovingit
jumped into real estatewhole-heartedly,
executiveVP
and
Osher
Shaun
CEO
immediately."Core's
play with Tom's.
saxophonists,
professional
both
Ganz,
Steve
.Transitioning
was fairlyeasy becauseI continued
orchestra.
and teach at the New Schoolin order
to play professionally
getting
my feet wet," saysGanz'Osher
while
to irave'income
"I'd sell by day, performby
seamless.
was
his
segue
said
night. Of c6uts", the more successfulI becamein real
estate,the harderthat got."
Stribling's Sean MurphyTurner achievedgreat successas
an actreis with Broadway'sLittle Me and Annie and TV's
"Edgeof Night,""One Life to Live" and a few wins on "Star
Sealch."She also appearedin the film Goodfellas'"At first, I
actuallywrote scriptsfor what I neededto say when it came
to negotiationsto make the transitioneasier' With phones
calls,i practicallywrote down every word said to me so I
could better understandthe client'sneeds'" A trained art
historian,ValsOsbournewas a foundingdirectorof
sotheby'sEducationDivision."Realestate seemeda natural
pairlngof my lifelongfascinationfor architectureand love of
space."
Real Estate Group's RebeccaHeibergwas an Arena
Footballdancer,while getting her B.A. "I worrieda lot at
first becausecommissionswere my only sourceof income,
but onceI realizedhow much I loved real estate,I stopped
worrYing."
Citygrace Corp's John Hornickrecentlymoved from
Corcoran,but beforethat trained killer whalesat SeaWorld
and so is
for years."Trainingwhalesis about relationships
real estate,so that really helpedme'"
JC DeNiro & Associates' LaurenWagner performedin a
nationaltour of A ChorusLlne. She said that she adjusted
well becauseof her own experiencepersonallybuyingand
sellingproperties.
Marketing Directors Inc.'s Ed Berry was a harness
racehorsedriverfor 15 yearsfwinningat YonkersRaceway
Involvedwith buyingand sellingof
and the Meadowlands.
horses,real estate seemedsecondnature to him' "Hank
Sophei was a friend, so stading out with an industry leader
"
helPed.
unquestionablY
Brown Harris Stevens'Jane Allner worked as a reporter
for Life. She finds the two careersamazinglysimilar' "It's
about information.Get it' Use it. Keep it' Protectit' But it
was hard givingup a weekly,albeitsmaller,paycheck"'