After graduating from Brooklyn Law School, Peter Glennon found he wasn’t completely wedded to pursuing a career in domestic relations law.
By Robin Jovanovich
After graduating from Brooklyn Law School, Peter Glennon found he wasn’t completely wedded to pursuing a career in domestic relations law. “I saw how well my mother was doing in residential real estate,” he recalled. “I had a compatible skill set and was familiar with real estate law, so I decided to get my license and give it a go.”
That was four years ago.
When Glennon started at Houlihan Lawrence, where his mother, Marianna, has been an agent for many years, he was one of only two men in the office. He’s still outnumbered but he likes working with women, including his mother. “I’m in a very cooperative office and work for a company that does a lot to support its agents.”
He credits his mother for her good counsel. “She gave me the best advice I could have received when I was starting out: “Be patient. You’re not going to blast out of the gate. Help clients manage their expectations. You can’t let them develop delusions of value.”
Glennon said he quickly understood that to be a successful agent, he had to make a longtime commitment to clients. He also had to prepare them for a process that is sometimes needlessly long (because of lenders) and often marred by hype and misinformation (which is why he always double checks information at the City Assessor’s office. “Buying or selling a home is not a race, it’s a marathon.”
Given the choice, Glennon says he prefers representing buyers. “Although I don’t fill the role of lawyer, my background comes in handy and I’m knowledgeable. I enjoy educating buyers and being their advocate.”
When he meets with first-time buyers, Glennon says that, unless he’s pre-prepped them, they often suffer “sticker shock” — the list price of a starter home is steep here as are the property taxes. On subsequent visits, he explains to buyers that they’re up against a few hurdles — desirable homes go quickly and often over the asking price here. “I try to get them ‘ready’ and make sure they have a lawyer who’s not going to be on vacation when they’re trying to make a final offer.”
Many of the young people coming out from the city, who’ve been living in rental apartments, tell Glennon they wish Rye had a bigger variety of more affordable housing options.
“If they decide to rent here, because they’re ready to leave the city but can’t find the right house, they are surprised when the charming cottage I show them doesn’t have granite countertops. It’s an adjustment. I’ve shown a lot of units in Mamaroneck, but most people come back to Rye.”
Glennon, 36, who grew up in Rye and moved back here as an adult, is a Rye guy. “Rye is a wonderful, involved community, and I can’t imagine a better place to raise a family,” he said.
In his spare time, Glennon has gotten involved in local politics. “I’ve worked on two election cycles.” He’s sitting this fall’s election out.
When he wants to talk real estate, he knows who to call. “Working alongside my mother has given me a great opportunity to learn a lot quickly — and keep learning.”