Jaclyn and Evan Lerner
Evan and Jaclyn Lerner founded real estate company Graystone Properties in 2015.
“We’d always find ourselves driving around looking at properties, even though we were satisfied homeowners, just for fun,” Jaclyn said. “We decided we should pursue something we love.”
Find Your Dream Home (or Sell Your Current House) With Graystone Properties
The company is small and nimble enough to meet a seller’s needs because its agents work together and have full broker support but boasts essential infrastructure and resources of a large firm. Graystone Properties uses technology to keep everyone within the brokerage informed, has a user-friendly website and uses hi-tech equipment when shooting footage of a home, which displays the space in its best light. The model is paying off. In two years, the practicing attorneys have acquired and sold homes all over the Island, from Rocky Point to Merrick.
Jaclyn shared thoughts on Graystone Properties’ rapid success, emerging towns and top spots to eat on Long Island.
It almost feels like this company has become an overnight success. How were you able to acquire and sell multi-million dollar listings so quickly?
Our brand-marketing and advertising is very current and it’s what people like to see. They want to work with a company that can accommodate their needs in this day and age of screens and electronic devices.
How does your pre-real estate lives as attorneys help you in your current roles?
The fact that we were both attorneys gave us an advantage because we could easily become real estate brokers due to our extensive legal background.
What inspired you to found Graystone Properties?
We founded Graystone because, after much deliberation, we realized we had the local support from our community and our peers. We had agents lined up before we solidified anything and that gave us the extra push to make it happen because it gave us the backbone we needed.
What makes it unique?
Graystone is unique for a plethora of reasons. But the most prominent are our cutting-edge marketing styles which make homes truly standout amongst the rest (including our use of drone footage), our white-glove service geared to make our clients comfortable in the selling and buying process and, equally as important, what we offer our agents (competitive commission splits, no mandatory meetings, full broker support and a brand new beautiful high-visibility storefront).
What does the drone footage add to your marketing?
The drone footage, apart from being beautiful, gives people a different perspective on where they will be purchasing a home. It essentially gives them the whole picture.
What are some up-and-coming towns on Long Island?
Up-and-coming towns on Long Island that are really turning over include the Merricks and Bellmores, Garden City, the Brookvilles, etc. There really is no limit because a younger generation is putting down roots on Long Island and they’re coming from all over the place!
What are some of your favorite places to eat on Long Island?
I’m not sure you want to open this Pandora’s box. I am a foodie, so I go all over Long Island for great food. I love the waterfront restaurants on the South Shore (Salt and Smuggler Jack’s are two favorites) in the summer, but my favorite restaurant is Maroni’s in Northport. If you haven’t tried it, it’s a must!
What should we order there?
When you eat at Maroni you will receive a tasting menu, so you don’t have to worry about ordering anything. Just sit back and enjoy.
What do you most look forward to about summers on the Island?
Well, for one, the buzz the warm weather creates just makes for amazing energy! We are boaters, so we love being on the water and exploring The Great South Bay. Most importantly, spring and summer is the time to sell homes. We have so much fun hosting red carpet open houses for our clients and really getting our listings out there.
What’s one item in your home you can’t live without?
Hands down my espresso machine. It’s like my own personal gas station that keeps this engine going.