The Duo which has twenty years experience between them, provides a double-sided advantage to anyone who puts their property in these Sotheby agents’ hands. Hackett and Chandler, who come to Sotheby’s from Michael Saunders & Company, have worked together for nine years and were the top sellers in Saunders’ Siesta Key office for 2005. The same year, they were in the top five percent of the entire company.
Hackett began his real estate career with Michael Saunders & Company in 1996, but before that he gained his work ethic and financial knowledge on Wall Street. During his early years in Boston, Hackett worked for Salomon Bros. Inc., a Wall Street firm where he traded and sold bonds. It was there that he learned about sales and knowing the product. He has carried that mentality to the luxury real estate market. “We make sure that we know what goes on each day in the Sarasota market,” he said.
As the other half of the team, Karen Chandler brings a designer’s knack at presentation and style to their waterfront and luxury property sales. Chandler has run two designer clothing stores in Sarasota, and she knows how to sell a lifestyle. In between running the stores, she worked for Michael Saunders with Hackett, and the two cultivated a relaxed, low-pressure method to sell homes and condos on Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Lido Key and downtown Sarasota. “It’s about zeroing in on their wants and needs,” she said.
Hackett and Chandler are excited to transition into SKY Sotheby’s International Realty, where they see the opportunity to work with an energetic office that allows them to add their personal touch.