Esther Shayowitz has always been in the real estate world, long before she became a top-performing realtor herself. Her husband, Shmuel, serves as the president and chief lending officer of Approved Funding, and her in-laws had their own successful careers in real estate as well. After raising her five children, Shayowitz decided it was time to pursue her license—and now, she’s made a name for herself as an esteemed agent at V&N Realty in Teaneck. She’s won countless awards for her work, which she “fell in love with” from the very beginning.

“When my youngest was of school age, I decided to get my real estate license,” Shayowitz shared with The Jewish Link. “I was encouraged very much by my husband and my in-laws, who told me that ‘real estate is the best thing you could do, ever.’ I was so excited.”

Shayowitz got her start in the industry in 2015, realizing immediately that she “was always supposed to be doing this.

“I jumped in full time,” she recalled about her very first year at V&N Realty. “I did a lot of closings, and made a good name for myself in the company.” So it was no surprise that Shayowitz subsequently won the NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® in 2016, and every consecutive year since then.

“Of course, you learn many things on the job,” she explained. Like anyone else in the business, Shayowitz has faced her fair share of challenges since beginning her work nearly a decade ago—but mainly struggled with striking a balance between her robust family life and her budding career. “I really wanted to give everything to my family, but real estate is a 24/7 job or, perhaps, 24/6. That was my main challenge, and once I figured out how to be there for my kids and my clients, I became even more successful.”

Not only did Shayowitz see herself adapt over the past nine years, but she has also seen changes to the real estate industry, especially the housing boom that happened during the pandemic and rising interest rates, both of which have continued even in a post-pandemic era.

“I was so busy during the pandemic; there was a whole different perspective on home buying and selling. The market has been so strong, and even as interest rates continue to climb, people are still ready, willing and able to buy a house.”

One thing that hasn’t changed since she started, however, is the emotional process of residential real estate. Shayowitz noted that even if the markets go up and down, “when someone decides they want a house, for whatever reason, sometimes there’s no explanation to it. It’s emotional … but that’s what makes me love it so much.”

Shayowitz attributed her success to this exact emotional process—because it’s allowed her to connect to her clients on a deep and personal level. “It’s not just transactional; it’s not about the deal. It’s about connecting with the buyers and sellers, and making them happy,” she shared. “That’s always been a constant.”

In order to keep her clients happy, Shayowitz makes it a priority to always be available to them, even if it’s “just to make them feel better about something.” To her, a successful sale is rooted in the ability to put herself in the client’s shoes, and try to see things from their perspective throughout the process. “I try to think, if I were them, what would I need? What would I feel? I think people really appreciate that I am genuine … I really try to be.

“I feel that all my buyers and sellers have different experiences,” Shayowitz said. “That’s what makes this so exciting: There are no two transactions or deals that are ever the same. There are no two houses that are the same. In the end, I try to make everyone happy, no matter the experience.”

So what’s the all-star’s best advice to those who want to buy a home in this market now? “Buyers should sort their priorities when it comes to a home: what they can afford, what they want … and just know they’re not going to get everything.” One misconception, she noted, is that many buyers look for a “forever home,” while they should really expect that they may move somewhere else in the next few years. “You don’t need to fall in love with your house, but you should feel like you can live there and be happy about it.”

When it comes to selling a home, Shayowitz pointed out that many people feel confident that they can sell a house on their own—but in reality, their best bet is to work with a professional realtor and put their house on the mass market. “They should really maximize their audience and put their best foot forward. A real estate agent, myself included, would be able to advise them on exactly how to do that.”

No matter what, Shayowitz shared, “people will always be buying houses.” While it may be impossible to predict the future, she’s confident that “the best thing you can own is a home; real estate is the best investment. Don’t put it off. And get someone who knows what they’re doing, someone who is the biggest advocate for you when you’re making the biggest purchase of your life. Have someone help you get to the finish line.”