I
n the high-stakes world of luxury real estate, it's not just about selling multi-million dollar properties - it's also about catering to the every whim of ultra-wealthy clients. According to New York City brokers, these demanding buyers expect their agents to perform tasks that go far beyond mere salesmanship.
"We're like a concierge service," says Peter Zaitzeff of Serhant. "People want restaurant reservations, they want to know where to take their kids - we scrub toilets." The never-ending asks can be overwhelming, with clients expecting brokers to run errands, babysit, and even walk dogs while also acting as art advisors, interior designers, and matchmakers.
Brokers like Vickey Barron of Compass have had to deal with the most extreme requests. She recalls showing a loaded couple and their three young children apartments on the Upper West Side, only to be asked to take them to Central Park for two and a half hours while they wreaked havoc. "They were beyond wild," she says. "One climbed a tree and wouldn't come down."
The pressure point is not just about babysitting - pets are also a major issue. Sellers often refuse to remove their animals from the home during showings, leaving brokers to wrangle them. Barron recalls one client who insisted that she take care of his wild cat, which escaped during a showing and had to be tracked down in an apartment building.
While some brokers have limits, many agree that going the extra mile pays dividends. "Nothing is beneath me," says Zaitzeff. "I tell people that we scrub toilets for a living part-time." He credits his mentor, Madeline Hult Elghanayan of Douglas Elliman, with teaching him how to provide service no matter how demeaning.
However, not all brokers are willing to play along. Vincent Pergola of Elegran calls it "extortion" when clients make outrageous asks in exchange for future favors. He recalls a recent interaction where a client asked him to arrange a celebratory business dinner - only to demand that he buy him $550 headphones if the sale went through.
