After spending time in the entertainment industry as a singer and pianist, Liza DiMarco decided that she needed to switch gears professionally to support her children as a single mother. She began her real estate career in 1998 on the North Shore of Long Island, New York, and quickly became a top producer in her market. Subsequently, she moved to the West Coast and continued her career in the California markets of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
Finally settling in Savannah, Georgia, DiMarco differentiates her client relationship management through exceptional marketing, technology and negotiations. Find out how this Georgia Realtor’s experience in multiple markets gives her an “overwhelming” advantage when it comes to helping clients relocate.
Name: Liza DiMarco
Title: Principal at Historic Savannah
Experience: 27 years across four markets: Long Island, New York; Santa Barbara, California; Los Angeles; Savannah, Georgia
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Brokerage name: Compass Georgia
Rankings: No. 65 in Georgia on Real Trends
Transaction sides: 30
Sales volume: $30,000,000-plus
What’s one big lesson you’ve learned in real estate?
Never get emotionally entangled, and always take time in responding to anything, especially big issues.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be in the arts and especially the musical arts. Now, I use my artistic talents to create marketing and media, including video content.
What’s the most important thing you learned in school or in your prelicensing classes?
More education is always needed. No education is ever all-encompassing and complete.
What’s the best advice you ever got from a mentor or colleague?
When faced with an extreme obstacle that was rocking my world, the advice was that you have options: Play the victim, run away, or put your big girl panties on and show them what you are made of! (I picked the latter.)
What would you tell a new agent before they start out in the business?
This is a very hard and ever-changing business that you will be a part of. The stakes are very high for the clients you will represent. Become an assistant to a great agent to form a really good foundation, and then go out on your own.
What do clients need to know before they begin a real estate transaction?
Transactions, even simple ones, require patience.
What do too few agents know that would make their lives easier?
They don’t know what they don’t know, and they really need to be in coaching and going to seminars and getting into groups to understand the market and how to perform at a higher level.
What book, movie, TV show, podcast or other media has taught you the most?
Not media, but playing poker taught me how to become a great negotiator.
Tell us a story about your most memorable transaction
I had a buyer client moving to Savannah from Atlanta. We worked on the right area for her. When we identified that community, we started looking. We were looking up to $800,000. The homes we were finding needed work and were bigger than my single, retired client needed.
I searched for a much lower price point — half! I took her to a home which was in the $400,000 range. I knew she had some available cash for renovations. She bought that home and had the renovations done to her specifications. The home and community are so perfect for her!
