A Family Affair
For Mother and son dynamic duo Cris and Kevin Condon of Sotheby’s International Realty in Palm Beach, working together daily is one of their greatest pleasures. “To have the ability to have a close personal relationship with a mother who is also my mentor is beyond words really. Few have the luxury of fulfilling that legacy,” Kevin shares openly. “Yes, we are lucky,” Cris adds. “We’ve been doing it a very long time.”
Although Cris began selling real estate when she moved to Palm Beach with her young family, her early experience conjures up a time when Palm Beach was a very different place. “I came from a large city and there wasn’t enough for me to do in Palm Beach,” she begins to explain. “I joined Sotheby’s to keep busy and it was a time when most residents in Palm Beach knew each other. I would pick Kevin up from school and take him with me to meet with clients and he would listen to what it took to put a deal together.” Smiling as his mother fondly recounts the early days, Kevin reflects on following her career path. “I think real estate was kind of embedded into my DNA from a very young age,” he chuckles. “I always really enjoyed the conversations my mother had when she was negotiating with her clients. Although her favorite part of the business is the deal, she also cared about the families and celebrated all their milestones together. There is something about her,” Kevin says proudly. “While getting the deal completed is extremely important, it hasn’t been hard for my mother to cultivate lifetime relationships with her clients. I think that’s a rarity today.” Cris adds, “I can talk about the past, present, and future, which is important. I know all the houses inside and out, and clients, their children, and grandchildren are calling me today.”
One of the Condon’s listings at 510 N Lake Way in Palm Beach.
(Images courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty)
After Kevin spent over 12 years in New York City learning the business and getting the necessary experience he felt he needed to earn his mother’s respect, he felt it was time to return to Palm Beach and join her team. “Although I never felt pressure from my mom to follow in her footsteps, I really wanted to get my own experience and also be independent of her,” Kevin admits. “It was important to me to bring something to her table she created,” he emphasizes. “Selling real estate in New York City is a more difficult market than this market,” Cris adds with pride. “He had the knowledge and the background and that was very important for him to get.”
Since that time, they have been inseparable partners. “We are extremely busy every day,” they almost say in unison. “We divide and conquer and are constantly communicating throughout the day about our schedules, showings and transactions.” “We both love this business, but we also have very different styles that work well together,” Kevin continues. “My mother is eloquent and patient and has a finesse that can’t really be taught or duplicated. I have never seen her lose her cool negotiating a deal. I have a more direct approach, handling the analytical side, but when we meet with clients and review properties, we talk about the pros and cons, and how to leverage and negotiate the deal. We evaluate the market for them and even if we have separate opinions, the client listens to both of us and finds a commonality in approaching the deal.” “Kevin has taught me there is more than one way to make a sale,” Cris adds lovingly. “And she always takes my calls,” Kevin interrupts laughing. “Because if I’m calling, it’s most likely about business.”
Cris and Kevin Condon
So, what does this multi-generational team think about the Palm Beach market in 2025? “I think we’re going to have an interesting season because a lot of buyers have been on the sidelines, watching our market, Kevin explains. “There are a lot of buyers waiting to purchase their slice of paradise and we think,” mother and son pause and smile at each other, “it’s going to be a very productive season.”