Considered both a major influencer in the real estate industry and a voice for contemporary business, Seth O’Byrne’s focus on modern marketing—including social media marketing and high-production video—has not only earned him accolades from the real estate industry, but it has also delivered over $1 billion in home sales under the O’Byrne Team brand since 2004. Last year, Seth was named “Realtor of The Year” by the San Diego Association of Realtors, one of the “50 Most Influential Business Leaders in San Diego” by the San Diego Daily Transcript, and a member of the “40 Under 40” list by the San Diego Business Journal.
WHAT MARKETING/TECHNOLOGY TACTICS ARE YOU FOCUSED ON IN 2019 AND WHY?
In 2019, we went all video, and the reason for that is consumers now can attach themselves to properties and people and get to know about things through video. We’re comfortable now learning about the world through a lens of a camera. One of the things we love so much about video is it allows us to tell a more three dimensional story. There’s no other medium that can do that.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST SUCCESS STORY WITH CONCIERGE AUCTIONS
One property I sold, Hacienda de los Palmas, was initially listed at $50M, which it likely would’ve never sold for, and then it went to $30M, and then $20M. After almost 12 years on the market, I took the listing, brought it to Concierge Auctions, and we closed it in 21 days and broke records. As important as sale prices are, the sense of having finality to a luxury sale is ultimately the confidence that everyone needs to have in their agents and their sales process. When people tell me that they’re nervous about doing an auction with Concierge Auctions, I would ask them if they’re nervous about having a listing for 12 years.
AS A LUXURY AGENT, HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK?
I think it’s important for anyone selling luxury real estate to be involved with a charitable cause, like The O’Byrne Team is with Giveback Homes and Concierge Auctions is with Key for Key®, to create a philosophical counterbalance in the world of luxury real estate. I think that makes Concierge Auctions bigger than just a company that operates in the luxury real estate realm. It makes the company an asset to the world, and that’s something that makes me really proud to be a part of.