Adele Werner, 25

Adele Werner’s first exposure to real estate was when she befriended brokers shortly after her family moved from suburban London to Seattle. 

“I started noticing open house signs pop up and got fascinated seeing them,” she said. “All the real estate agents were kind to me and answered my questions, and I learned that I really liked the people side of the industry.”

Werner stayed in touch with them and was offered a receptionist position as soon as she could drive. She moved back across the pond in 2018 for a commercial real estate degree at Nottingham Trent University and enrolled in a yearlong internship at Savills in London. That yielded an opportunity to continue in Savills’ junior broker program in New York, where Werner had never lived or visited much. 

“I knew there was a lot of real estate, and anyone that I spoke with said, ‘Oh, if you’re going to do real estate, New York is the place to do it,’ ” she said.

Werner found the culture in New York more fast-paced and competitive than in London. But it helped that her team in Savills London prepared her to work with its international clients. And she was excited about going on client and planning tours and networking outside the office.

“You’re never really shutting it off, there’s opportunities everywhere,” she said. “If you’re out at a restaurant or a bar and start talking with someone sitting next to you, you never know what stems from that relationship.”  

Werner has since worked on relocating New York Liquidation Bureau into a smaller space on 199 Water Street last year after its building on 180 Maiden Lane changed owners. She also pitched in on a complex transaction at 680 Fifth Avenue involving lease renewals for nine tenants by managing and tracking their charts and organizing negotiations. 

In addition, she introduced a Linkedin initiative, “Out and About With Adele,” to connect young brokers and see new spaces.

“I’ve gotten intel on what’s happening in the market while also getting my name out there and promoting young people in the industry doing the same thing as me,” she said.