‘Million Dollar Listing’ broker charms Greater Lehigh Valley

Dancing and doing his signature kick, real estate broker and television star Fredrik Eklund shared some of the secrets to his success with more than 500 people at the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors® Signature Event in Bethlehem last night.

Eklund, who’s originally from Sweden, stars in Bravo TV’s hit show, “Million Dollar Listing New York”. He’s living his dream, having left his homeland to live in New York City. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., a friend suggested he get his real estate license and he began his career in a small boutique firm in Chelsea.

He quickly looked for ways to stand out in the industry and decided to move into new development where he worked for a year for little money before the building was done and he was able to sell the new properties. Last year he broke 28 sales records in the New York market and has secured over five billion dollars in closed residential sales since arriving in New York in 2003.

Eklund offered a few business tips from his New York Times Bestseller, The Sell: The Secrets of Selling Anything to Anyone.

“Everyone is a sales person to get what you want out of life,” he said. “We all go out and we sell and negotiate. You’re selling and negotiating all day long – even if it’s with your spouse to decide where to go on vacation.”

He urges everyone to be authentic. “Look inside and find your trademark,” he said. “I tried to copy other brokers at first but selling is about trust and if you’re not authentic, your clients won’t trust you. Share who you are to gain trust. You’re not going to please everyone, but those you do will use you in business.”

Another Eklund tip for success, “Visualize, dream and live in the future.” As a young child, he visited New York and from that time, he dreamed of living in New York.

Eklund said he pitched his idea for a show about his brokerage to Bravo because he thought it would be a unique way to market his business. “I can’t send mailers out in New York and I can’t knock on doors. I thought a TV show showing me selling real estate would help my business,” he said. He paid a friend to film a pilot and got a meeting with Bravo. They turned him down but four years later, the offered him the show.

Many urged him not to do the show, saying the real estate transaction should be about the property, but he disagreed. “The show has been a lot of fun and drama and it’s been good for business,” he added.

“Million Dollar Listing New York” has been nominated for two Emmys and is in its sixth season.