Home purchases and sales are among the most nerve-wracking and financially significant transactions that people will make in their lifetime. Having a knowledgeable real estate agent who proactively provides detailed status reports and who always takes their call goes a long way not only in calming jitters, but in helping people get the best deal possible.
Ashley J. Farrell, a third-generation Westhampton Beach native and a second-generation real estate agent, has been expertly guiding sellers, buyers, landlords and renters in the Hamptons market for eight years. Based in the Westhampton Beach office of The Corcoran Group, she recently expanded to the Palm Beach, Florida market in order to better serve her clients.
“My client base is very much Westhampton Beach and West Palm Beach,” Farrell says. “The consumers in each market are many of the same people. I saw the opportunity to help my clients with their real estate needs in both places.”
In either market, Farrell’s attention to detail and level of communication are what set her apart.
“Anyone who has worked with me will tell you I am super ‘Type A,’ detail-oriented and organized,” she says. “I have a defined, successful process, which I continue to modify and improve as the market changes. For both buyers and tenants, as well as landlords and sellers, I adhere to a written, step-by-step process, which focuses heavily on customer service and communication – the cornerstones of my business.”
Without divulging any proprietary information, Farrell’s process is organized with a strict timeline for when and how actions need to occur. One of Farrell’s most impressive, albeit time-consuming, endeavors is the weekly listing update that she gives each of her sellers.
“This report is filled with minutiae other sellers simply are not receiving about their properties,” she says. “I quantify and break down all views and other activity on the seller’s listing.”
“I can see if the weekly views are increasing or decreasing,” Farrell says.
“If the data shows we are getting the exposure we need, but people aren’t taking the second step – viewing the property – or the third step – making an offer – this tells us something has to change.” Usually, the price needs to be lowered.
Farrell’s market knowledge and steadfast dedication to service have made her Corcoran’s No. 1 producer in terms of dollar volume in Westhampton Beach every year since 2018. She has sold more than $165 million worth of luxury property over the last eight years. And perhaps no broker in the Hamptons does as much yearly volume in rentals as Farrell.
“Before I had sellers and buyers, I started my career by banging out rentals – and I never stopped,” says Farrell, who completed nearly $5.5 million in rental transactions between 2020 and 2021. When serving buyers and renters, Farrell prides herself on being extremely knowledgeable about the inventory. She recently helped a client who was not local to secure a rental in Westhampton Beach.
“There were 14 rental listings which met my client’s criteria, but my client wasn’t able to come see them in person. I had previously shown 12 of them and was able to describe each, ultimately helping her determine which would work best for her needs,” she says.
Farrell also takes pride in the strong relationships she has cultivated with brokers in both the Hamptons and Palm Beach, helping her provide her clients with better service.
“I was recently preparing a listing to hit the market, I shared it with a few peers, and within a week I was presenting an offer at $300,000 over asking price. My sellers were thrilled and asked me to hold off on further preparation. They were ready for contracts immediately.” she says.
Relationship building comes down to “treating other brokers how you want to be treated,” she says. “We are in an extremely fast-paced market, and as a broker, it’s inevitable that you will receive bad news sometimes – usually that a client was outbid on a property. You can’t stop those scenarios from happening, but you can present them in a way that is respectful to the other broker.”
Farrell recently put a full-price, cash offer with no conditions on a house on behalf of a client, but another buyer came in.
“All I got was a text from the agent saying, ‘Sorry, we accepted something else, cancel the inspection,’” she says. “A broker that I would want to emulate would call to say, ‘I’m so sorry, a higher offer came in. If your buyer wants to put in another offer, I would be happy to present it.’ Without providing my buyer an opportunity to bid, the broker does a disservice to the seller, possibly leaving money on the table.”
Active on social media, Farrell has 10,200 followers on Instagram (@ashleyjfarrell), which she says lends itself particularly well to real estate marketing. “Instagram allows you to share photos, stories and short videos,” she says. “The video is like a 30-second movie trailer, but instead of a movie, it piques your interest about a home.”
Farrell’s attention to detail and client communication, along with her deep market knowledge and broker relationships, have helped her earn numerous industry accolades, including being named to the Real Trends + Tom Ferry list of America’s Best Real Estate Professionals and Top 25 Real Estate Professionals in The Hamptons for 2021.
This article was the cover story for the March issue of Behind The Hedges. Read the digital version here.
