When you’re buying a house, you’re making the largest purchase of your life,” says Ellen Schwartz, a real estate agent with Julia B. Sotheby’s in Bedford. “It’s a transactional process that is deeply personal, and it can be fraught with lots of trials and tribulations. So, I hold my clients’ hands all the way through. I make sure that once they’re ready to place an offer, they are the most qualified buyer, the inspection doesn’t derail the sale, their mortgage application gets approved, etc.” Schwartz gets it, and that’s no accident. It’s a combination of experience and her deep empathy.
With over 23 years of experience, Schwartz’s knowledge and relationships with trusted experts make the intense process feel almost seamless. And along the way, Schwartz develops such a deep relationship with her clients that once the sale is complete, they often remain in each other’s lives. She’ll meet them for coffee, pick up the phone to say hi and even send them a thoughtful holiday gift. Those personal touches with her clients and colleagues are especially meaningful to Schwartz. “It’s not always easy to stay in touch with everyone because we’re usually chasing the next big thing as opposed to working on our relationships,” she says. “But I make the time for it because it’s really important.”
Rooted in Westchester
Schwartz raised her children in southern Westchester, and after 25 years in New Rochelle, she moved to Katonah. “Now, I really understand the heart and pulse of northern Westchester as well,” she says. “So, if you’re moving up from the city or downsizing, I can help you find the right town throughout the county. I know what your budget will get you in Scarsdale versus Bedford or Chappaqua.”
That professional expertise, like knowing home values and benefits of our various towns, is combined with Schwartz’s personal experiences. She explores the hiking trails and nature preserves, the local shops and community organizations, and the back roads and hidden gems. It’s what helps Schwartz guide clients toward communities where they can truly thrive.
Schwartz sees her role as part advisor, part educator and part steady hand through what is often the largest personal purchase in a client’s life. “I listen carefully to each client’s hopes and dreams, and then I pay attention,” she says. “I watch their facial expressions and body language as we explore a town or enter a home. Sometimes they’re very focused, and sometimes they’re unsure. My job is to help them find their dream. It requires knowledge, patience and care.”
A well-connected expert
Schwartz’s move to Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty 2.5 years ago was intentional. She sought the kind of elevated service and global network that would allow her to serve clients locally and abroad. “When people think of Sotheby’s, they think luxury, and they think of the auction house,” she says. “It’s the ultimate in real estate, and their international business allows me to help clients find a home anywhere in the world.”
Thanks to Sotheby’s global real estate business, if you want to buy a villa in Tuscany, a flat in London, a ski home in Aspen or a vacation rental in Japan, Schwartz can make it happen with just one phone call. And it has also allowed Schwartz to form new connections with other agents in their network.
Over the past two-plus decades, Schwartz has built a solid reputation and network. In addition to individual connections, Schwartz co-founded a national mastermind group that now has more than 30 Sotheby’s agents—one from nearly every major region in the United States. They meet monthly to share market insights, problem-solve and discuss trends affecting buyers and sellers in their markets. She’s also part of Women of Sotheby’s, a 500+ member community of agents across the country, and a smaller tri-state luxury networking group that meets quarterly. These groups keep her connected, informed and top-of-mind for referrals.
“It takes a long time to establish yourself with all these agents,” she explains. “I probably know 100 agents personally, and I’m in contact with 200 agents, which is a lot; it’s really hard to keep in touch with 200 people, but I really care about the people I work with and the relationships I build.” And she truly does—from holiday lunches with colleagues in the city to video check-ins with past clients, Schwartz cultivates long-term relationships that often turn into repeat business and heartfelt referrals.
The perfect combination of integrity and experience
While Schwartz’s years of experience command a higher professional fee, it allows her to work with each client on a more sophisticated level. In 23 years, she has only double-ended a deal three times. “Where does your fiduciary lie if you’re representing both sides?” she asks. “There’s a lot of trust, integrity and liability involved, and I take that seriously.”
That integrity is also evident in Schwartz’s strong network of trusted professionals. “I have all the resources—the home inspector, the attorney, the builder—and I don’t get any kickbacks,” she notes. “They’re people I’ve worked with for years who I know can help make the process seamless.”
When she has a client who is considering a renovation, Schwartz will bring in her secret weapon: her husband. He’s a luxury custom builder who provides honest insight (without Schwartz present) on what can be done to the home and what it will cost. “He’s the most knowledgeable person I know,” she says.
And when a client takes their time, sometimes years, to find the perfect home, Schwartz is right there with them. Having started her career in 2002, Schwartz has navigated dramatic market shifts, from the post-9/11 surge and the 2008 crash to the unpredictable Covid-19 real estate boom. Through it all, she has learned one essential truth: people always need a place to live.
Today, she’s helping people navigate what she calls “downsizing but upsizing”—empty nesters looking for one-floor living with space for visiting family, high-end kitchens, first-floor primary suites, and amenities like pools or land. “We don’t have enough product like that,” she says.
Beyond real estate
Outside of work, Schwartz’s life centers around family and the outdoors. She and her husband have four grown children between them (she has two boys, and he has two girls from their first marriages), and they have celebrated three of their children’s weddings over the past few years.
Now that she’s living in Katonah, Schwartz has fallen in love with the trails at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation and Mount Holly Nature Preserve. She’s also an avid gardener—a passion she compares to real estate. “I love planting things and seeing what I can grow,” she explains. “It’s the same with real estate. I plant the seeds and watch my relationships grow. They both require hard work and regular nurturing, but if you make the time, you’ll see a tremendous return.”
This partner content was published in the January/February 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
The editorial staff at Connect To magazine.
