Vivian Lesny shares her mother’s love of real estate
Vivian Lesny grew up in Culver City listening to her licensed agent mother share colorful stories about her job. They inspired a young Lesny to make her career choice.
Fast forward 30 years and Lesny is the No. 1-selling agent for condominium sales in Silicon Beach for Keller Williams Realty, for whom she gets the same thrill as her mother.
“I enjoy working with and meeting different people every day, week or month,” Lesny says. “Most people view my profession as a ‘salesperson.’ I see myself more as a consultant. I advise people and guide them through one of the largest purchases or sales of their life. I enjoy getting to know my clients and their families. It’s fun getting a phone call five to six years later after they’ve multiplied and need more space. What’s weird is getting the call after an additional 10 years goes by when their children are ready to buy. That makes me feel old, but seriously, how special is that?”
Lesny has a knack for picking up on little hints to gauge what buyers are looking for in their future homes.
“Most buyers won’t admit to this, but after almost 20 years’ experience,” she says, “they say one thing, but they really want something different and they don’t realize it. It’s awesome to watch the process unfold and I am grateful to be a part of it.”
Lesny is “beyond tuned in,” she says. Even if a client says he or she doesn’t want to buy in Playa Vista because of the “fees/cost,” Lesny will visit a home or two there anyway, just in case.
“I say, ‘Bear with me,’” she explains. “Let’s run over to this condo/house. As we pull into Playa Vista and they light up, I know I am on to something and our search immediately shifts. That’s when I tell them, ‘I live in Playa Vista and let me tell you about my family’s experience here.’ I show them the convenience of the school, parks, Resort, Center Pointe Club and explain how unique, special and friendly Playa Vista is.”
Lesny still—after two decades—gets pure joy helping a family move into their new home. “When you get to hand someone the keys and they open the door for the first time, it’s very special,” she says with a smile.
Lesny is the dominant player in the condo market for Silicon Beach and Culver City.
“I’ve sold more condos than anyone in LA,” she says. “It’s a nice niche I thrive in and am proud of. People ask me, ‘Why do you focus on condos when you could make more money on single family homes?‘ The price point doesn’t matter. What matters is putting people in their dream homes.”
Leave a Reply