Thursday, October 1, 2026
In real estate, marketing campaigns and digital visibility can build awareness, but for many agents sustained success is rooted in something less manufactured: personal referrals. For Douglas Elliman Realtor Karla Grasso, word-of-mouth connections not only launched her career — they’ve defined it.
For Grasso, referrals have sustained her career. Before entering real estate, Grasso spent 37 years in the garment industry, working her way through a fast-changing business environment.
“It was a lot of responsibility, and my job was to sell,” Grasso said.
As the industry evolved, Grasso found herself drawn more to the relationships behind the sales than the shifting mechanics of manufacturing and merchandising. Eventually, a suggestion from her family pushed her toward a new path.
What followed was a career transformation that exceeded expectations.
“I thought real estate was going to be part time for me,” Grasso said. “Real estate, as a career, blew me away the first year.”
What set her trajectory apart wasn’t advertising or cold outreach — it was trust.
From her first transactions, Grasso found that business came from people who already knew her or knew someone who did.
“One day, somebody recommended I come over and talk to them about selling their home,” she said. “I didn’t even know what I was doing.”
That early experience set the tone for her career. Even her first rental transaction happened by chance, over lunch near her office, when a conversation behind her led to a new client.
“My girlfriend says, ‘She’s a real estate agent,’ and just pointed at me,” she said. “That was my first deal.”
Grasso learned referrals weren’t occasional occurrences—they were the foundation of her business. Over time, one client became many, and many became generational relationships.
“I’m still selling their kids’ homes, or their aunts’ homes, or their sisters’ homes,” she said. “I’ve been very blessed.”
In some cases, a single client has resulted in multiple transactions.
“I sold the house, then I had to find them a house,” Grasso said. “So it became a double deal.”
She sees referrals as more powerful than advertising.
“It doesn’t matter what advertising is on a bus or cab,” she said. “It’s my customers saying, ‘That’s my real estate agent. Call her.’”
For Grasso, real estate success is measured in trust earned and the conversations that continue long after a deal closes.
Herald Content Studio articles are produced by the Herald’s marketing division and independent of the newsroom. The Herald may be compensated by featured companies or purchases made through these articles, which does not constitute the Herald’s endorsement.
