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Adrianne Hanley
Adrianne Hanley
Title: Real Estate Agent, Conway Cityside
Age: 52
Experience: 3 years
Adrianne Hanley was a professional figure skater, then an interior designer, before becoming a real estate agent a few years ago. Originally from South Africa, she became a U.S. citizen in November. She began her career on the South Shore, but is now branching out into the city in Jack Conway’s new Seaport location. She always carries marbles in her purse to remind her of the games she played as a child – and to prove she hasn’t lost them to anyone who suggests she might have.
Q: Was ice skating popular in Johannesburg?
A: No. My father was an attorney and they built a rink across the street from his practice. As a kid, I would skate while he was at work, and that’s how I got into it. When I was nine years old, they brought in these people from London to do a show to promote the rink … Marion Scher, from England, said, “You know, your daughter is really gifted, she looks at the skaters and copies their movements.”
She stayed and took me as a student. In a couple of years I was the national champion and [I went] abroad to train in Colorado Springs, where I trained for a couple of summers. … Then I started competing abroad. It was fun. I left home and just kept on going. That’s the joke between my family and me, I never go backwards, I’m always moving forward. I never look back.
I was doing professional ice shows and the last show was in the Boston Garden. I was tired and looking for the closest beach to take some time off. I went to Cape Cod to take a couple of months off and I met my husband on a blind date. A year after we started dating, he moved to Indonesia. I said I wouldn’t go, but a year later we got married and I was in Indonesia, where there was no ice skating. I was 26 years old and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was really bored.
Then there was a group of women going into the jungle to look for wood to make a teak bed. I went with them, and that’s how I got into design. I started developing furniture and my friends would ask me to design their homes, which I did, until I realized I could be getting paid for it. I moved to Hong Kong next and had two kids, and by the time I got to Singapore, I was bored again because my kids were in school. I started doing design again and by the time I left 10 years later, I was booking out a year in advance. My husband left at some point, but I stayed and raised my sons alone. They’re 23 and 18 now.
Q: What attracted you real estate?
A: I did renovations in Singapore and one of my clients moved to Jerusalem Road in Cohasset. Later, I called and told his wife I was moving to Hingham. I went to see the house and thought it was stunning and he was trying to sell it, but couldn’t. I said, “I’ll sell it.” So, I got my license and sold a few homes, and eventually his contract with the other agent expired. I took it on and sold it for $4.5 million.
Q: Was it intimidating to take on such a substantial listing as a new agent?
A: It was fun and nerve-wracking, but I don’t get intimidated. It’s the whole discipline of sports. You prepare, then you walk in the door and you’re on. I have lists of things I need to know before I go into a meeting, so I’m prepared. Discipline gives you preparation. I never go unprepared. It’s vital on listing presentations. I network and meet people to get business because I don’t have a big network of local family and friends. So, now that I’m moving into the Boston market, it’s a big leap.
That’s my dream. My goal next year is to do between $40 million and $50 million in sales. My first year, I sold 10 houses. The next year I sold $10 million. My third year I sold $15 million. This year, I changed companies and took six weeks off for surgery, and a had a big deal fall through for reasons that had nothing to do with me or my client, so it will end down a bit, maybe $12 million. My youngest will be going to college, so imagine all of the extra time and energy I’m going to have. I’m ready to break through.
Q: How will you do that?
A: It’s competitive, but I’m going to do it. It happens if you want it to. I have unstoppable determination. I’ll do whatever it takes, as long as it’s ethical. There are a lot of despicable Realtors out there. When I first came here and I told people I was a Realtor, a lot of them made a face.
A lot of agents bring binders and charts and graphs and reports to a listing presentation. When I go in, I just talk. I tell them who I am, what I’m going to do for them and what my commission is, and that’s it. A lot of agents agree to list a house at a high price and then drop it every couple of weeks until they find a buyer. I won’t do that. The first two weeks are the most important so you have to price it right. When I take a listing, I know I can sell it and I want to make my clients happy. That’s my calling card: I sell. Getting out there and getting known in the community is the challenge, but I’m hoping to build a brand.
Five Things Hanley Credits For Her Success:
- She loves what she does.
- She’s passionate.
- She maintains a positive attitude.
- She has a competitive spirit.
- She has unstoppable determination.
