About

I’m an extrovert so connecting with people on a daily basis is a highlight of the industry for me. I also enjoy having the opportunity to be myself, which has served me well as I’ve built my career over the years. The more I give and work hard, the more excited I am every day to come to work and cultivate respect and value amongst my colleagues and clients.

Asa part of my series about the ‘Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry’, I had the pleasure of interviewing Zach Goldsmith.

A 20-year veteran of luxury real estate, Zach Goldsmith has spent the last 14 years gathering an array of the most discerning knowledge while amassing an impressive portfolio as Estates Director for Hilton & Hyland. Zach’s extensive history of completing some of the world’s most significant sales is no surprise. An award-winning Top 10 Power Agent to Hollywood luminaries, Fortune 500 CEOs, and industry innovators, Zach’s dedication to delivering sound investment opportunities never wavers. Profiled in Architectural Digest, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, & The Hollywood Reporter, Zach’s properties and clients are poised for global exposure. Recognized as The Wall Street Journal’s REAL Trends Top Brokers nationwide, and Los Angeles Business Journal’s Who’s Brokering Los Angeles and Leaders of Influence, Zach is highly regarded for his business acumen and optimistic excitement. With a unique mix of personality and a passion for property, the Goldsmith team has been a staple in luxury real estate. Zach holds the record for selling the highest residential land deal in Los Angeles, Paul Allen’s “The Enchanted Hill,” which hit the market at $150m, and Noah Walker’s original trophy property, the highly celebrated “Oak Pass House”. Representing “Green Gables,” one of America’s Grandest estates, and Silicon Valley’s Easton Point, together valued at over $250m, Goldsmith’s reach extends well beyond the city limits.

Born in London and raised in Los Angeles by a family rooted in real estate, Zach has a deep understanding of the process and of his city. His devotion to creative marketing strategies and incomparable expertise allows Zach’s excitement for life to flourish while outlining confident investment decisions. Zach has become a nationally recognized figure and an industry trendsetter. Specializing in off-market properties with over $1billion of sales in his career, Zach’s had the honor and privilege of representing some of the most pedigreed and significant estates in Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, and Bel Air. He routinely demonstrates the ability to keep his client’s best interests in mind. Appreciated for his discretion, honesty, and integrity, Zach consistently produces at the highest levels. An industry titan well-respected among his peers, Goldsmith leverages his vast network and marketing prowess to showcase world-renowned properties and secure life-changing investments.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry?

Myfamily has been in the real estate business for many years. My father was a real estate developer and my mother was a prominent real estate agent in Los Angeles. I began my career in stand up comedy, and I needed a job that kept me in town more, so I started shadowing my mom, which led to me becoming her assistant and then later an agent and partner in her business until I ultimately went out on my own. Real estate was such a good fit for me as I enjoy interacting with clients, the psychology and negotiation behind the buying and selling process, and love that I’m not stuck behind a desk. I never looked back.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or takeaway you took out of that story?

I listed one of the most spectacular pieces of land a few years ago for the late Paul Allen of Microsoft for $150M in Beverly Hills. It had been two years and we couldn’t find a buyer for the property. We were in escrow a handful of times and each time the deal fell through. We were at the end of the line, against the ropes about to lose the listing when I started digging deeper and deeper, working harder and more creative than ever to find a buyer.

After all my hard work, I ended up finding another buyer and as we got further along in the process, they started to get cold feet. They requested to visit the property one last time, and as we’re walking the property, I can tell they’re wavering. All of a sudden, down the driveway, I see a car pull up and the head of my former company and co-listing agent, Jeff Hyland gets out of the car. He takes the buyer by the arm, whom he knew quite well, and says very gently and softly, “let’s take a walk.” After ten minutes, they came back to where we were standing, got back in their cars, said goodbye and left. As I’m sitting there blankly, I call Jeff and ask what happened. He said, “ Zach, you did great. I think we’re good.” The next day the buyer removed any and all contingencies and a week later the deal was closed. I’ll never know what Jeff said to them that day, but I’ll always remember how he made people feel — like they were about to be a part of history — and I’ll never forget that.

Do you have a favorite “life lesson quote”? Can you share a story or example of how that was relevant to you in your life?

One of my favorite life lesson quotes came from one of my clients. We were negotiating a large credit for a beachfront property they were purchasing in Malibu. We were fighting hard for more than what was given to us when the client stopped me and said what we had garnered was fair. I tried to push them to reconsider as I felt we could get even more, but they said the owners were also the builders and they had worked hard on the home. If there were any issues with the property moving forward, they would prefer to be on good terms. They then said to me, “I’m in the business of building bridges, not burning them,” which I still use to this day.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I am looking forward to making my mark at The Agency and working toward new ways to connect our offices around the world while leveraging our unique position within the industry to best represent buyers and sellers.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

I’m new to The Agency, but I’ve known and been friends with the brokerage’s leadership and several top agents at the firm for a long time so the connection was there right away. A stand out experience was most recently at The Agency’s Global Forum where The Agency’s agents from around the globe come together to learn and get to know each other. I have never felt a closer and more immediate sense of camaraderie and partnership with any company I’ve ever been a part of. The Agency truly feels like a family, where everyone is looking out for you and wants your success, which isn’t common in our industry.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There have been many people in my life who have helped me and who I learn from everyday. However, the one person that stands out the most and is one of my greatest mentors was the late Jeff Hyland, co-founder and president of Hilton & Hyland. He was so incredibly wise and a pioneer in the high-end real estate game in Los Angeles. A great historian of legendary estates, he would sell homes through his passion for the history of the properties he represented and made the buyer feel excited and privileged to be a part of the home’s next chapter.

Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry? If you can please share a story or example.

I’m an extrovert so connecting with people on a daily basis is a highlight of the industry for me. I also enjoy having the opportunity to be myself, which has served me well as I’ve built my career over the years. The more I give and work hard, the more excited I am every day to come to work and cultivate respect and value amongst my colleagues and clients.

What advice would you give to other real estate leaders to help their teams to thrive and to create a really fantastic work culture?

What I’ve learned since joining The Agency is the benefit of a collaborative work environment. Leaders should not be afraid to share information, their database of referrals, and selling techniques. Help your team explore themselves to find out who they are and what they bring to the table and then find ways to enhance that. Having had a mother in the business for years prior to joining the industry, I have the advantage of learning from the generation prior while offering a fresh perspective. Bringing together the new school with the old school while adapting to today’s world is key. I would encourage today’s leaders to understand and covet the benefits that both worlds bring to the table.

Ok, here is the main question of our interview. You are a “Real Estate Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non-intuitive things one should know to succeed in the Real Estate industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

I could list 20 things, but none stronger than being yourself. After almost 20 years in the business, it’s still something I work at everyday and is pivotal to my happiness and success. Like many agents in the industry, I have a previous career and that past oftentimes gets tucked away, often for good. For me this is something that can’t just get pushed away because when I stifle it, it eats away at me. Embracing every aspect of who you are is paramount and incorporating those aspects of your personality into your business is what will separate you from the rest. My background in stand up comedy translates into more interesting property videos and showings. When I show a home, it’s an entertaining experience for the client, and as long as you supply them with the facts of the home properly, who doesn’t want to be entertained in the process? I want my showings to be the most memorable part of that person’s day. This is part of being my true self and being unafraid to present that to the world.

Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

There’s no greater power that each of us holds than being our true selves. We’ve got to do what makes us happy and to be successful in this world, you’ve got to bring to the table what you do best. Even if you don’t love every aspect of the business, the more you can express your own unique abilities and intertwine that with your real estate career, and believe me, it’s an art that I’m still learning how to curate, the more successful and happier you will be.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Follow me on Instagram @zachgoldsmith24 for a well-rounded example of who I am, from my real estate dealings to my personality, hobbies and family life. I am finally beginning to grow my online presence with purpose, creating more and more content, including an upcoming podcast, so stay tuned.

Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.