Geraldine Abrams passed away on Monday, Nov. 5.

Abrams revolutionized the real estate industry by introducing the “team” concept. Geraldine & Associates are one of the top agencies in the Capital Region.

Abrams’ team was part of Realty USA. In March 2007 Geraldine merged with other agents forming Geraldine & Associates - Abrams, Aubrey and Revell.

Camille Hord, branch manager of the Realty USA office at 505 Broadway, said Geraldine’s loss has been felt already in the office.

“Geraldine certainly added to the success of this office,” Hord said. “She was larger than life.”

Larry Abrams said he learned a lot from being married to Geraldine. He said to get the most out of life requires that we focus on the moment and make the best of it, leaving behind our baggage and negative thoughts.

“You have to take risks and you won’t be left with regrets,” he said.

Hard working

Aubrey Guri, a realtor at Geraldine & Associates, said Geraldine taught me everything from healthy ways of living to negotiating the toughest of real estate transactions.

“Wow, what didn’t she teach me?” Guri said. “Geraldine was a true sister, best friend, and mentor to me.”

Lisa Mount has been on Geraldine & Associates team for eight years.

“I never considered Geraldine my boss, she was a family member,” Mount said. “I will never find another boss like Geraldine because she was so giving, understanding and allowed me to do my job without looking over my shoulder.”

Hord said Abrams worked 80 to 90 hours a week.

“No one worked as hard as her,” Hord said.  “Real estate was her passion.”

Larry said Geraldine pioneered the team concept which freed agents from administrative tasks. Geraldine led the real estate industry into the Internet age by creating an effective website in 1998.

“Geraldine recognized that marketing had to adapt to new technology and was one of the first to do this and had major companies copied her ideas,” Larry said. “Agents gained more autonomy as brokers saw the value of her system.”

The team concept has one leader and hires other agents to buy and/or list properties. Hord said every agent is familiar with each others properties to best suit the client.

Mount said one of the many things Geraldine did to revolutionize the industry was having her own Web site, www.geraldine.com and putting her face everywhere – on business cards, billboards and taking advertising real estate listings to a whole new level.

Guri agrees and said that Geraldine and Larry were ahead of the times and just a great team.

“They have always been very aggressive with the marketing of our listings and of course, selling them, too,” Guri said. “Being diagnosed with lung cancer, for most people, would completely knock them to the ground- not Geraldine. She was doing deals from the hospital, x-ray rooms, and anywhere she could sneak in a phone call.”

Guri said Geraldine was one of the most hardworking and dedicated people that I have been fortunate enough to have had in my life.

“She set a precedence of excellence in the industry including her amazing negotiating skills,” Mount said. “Geraldine has a passion for real estate; she was even negotiating deals from her home.”

Mount learned quite a bit from Abrams. She said Abrams had the ability to always make a situation positive.

“Geraldine would call me every morning and say, ‘Tell me some good news today, Lisa’,” Mount said. “Some days I just I felt I didn’t have anything good to say and Geraldine would say, ‘Come on you always have to have some good news and I’m not hanging up until you tell me some.”

Mount said she would search for some good news and when she told Abrams it brightened up both their days.

“So now, every day I am looking for something positive to say, even if I am having a bad day,” Mount said.

Mount said when she first started working for Geraldine she was in awe. She said she would listen to her on the phone with clients and negotiating offers with other agents, and couldn’t get over her amazing people skills.

“I could sit and listen to her all day and learn from her all day,” Mount said. “She taught me many things that I will never forget.”

Remembering Geraldine

“Any experience with Geraldine was a memorable one,” Guri said. “If you knew her personally, you would agree. She was always so positive and enthusiastic; I truly believe that her success was due to her amazing abilities combined with her unforgettable personality.”

Guri said she will always have the most fabulous memories of Geraldine.

“Geraldine’s death was one of the saddest days I have ever experienced, but I believe the pain is so intense because of all the intensely happy times we have spent together,” she said. “I will continue to work hard to follow in the footsteps of the most amazing real estate agent known to this area - Geraldine Abrams.”

Larry said he has so many fond memories, but said he was so proud of her when she decided to learn to sail a boat in spite of the doctor’s advice that it would be risky because of her fragile bones.

“We had a fabulous time- no regrets,” he said.

Larry said Geraldine once convinced a couple not to sell their home because realized that they were unclear about their goals.

“To her, it was about doing the right thing,” he said. “She helped her competitors and mentored many successful agents, she was not afraid to share and to love.”

He said her motto and beacon was “‘Truth prevails.”

“Also, everybody who saw her at parties knows she loved to dance,” he added.

Hord said one of her fondest moments with Abrams is watching her “work a room” at a function.

She said Abrams would go around the room speaking with everyone and was always full of energy.

“She loved the people and the action,” Hord said.

One memory Mount said she will never forget is when Geraldine was first diagnosed with cancer.

“Geraldine was at Albany Med, I went down to visit with her and she wanted to walk down the hall and sit in the big window because she loved the sun,” she said. “The sun was shining so bright that day, so we sat in the window enjoying the sun and chatted. I will always remember that day because even though Geraldine had been given the devastating news that she had cancer, she still was very positive throughout our entire visit.”

Mount said she was devastated by Abrams diagnosis, but Geraldine made her feel better.

“I was supposed to be there to cheer her up and she was the one (like so many other times) that helped me and changed my outlook on her diagnosis,” Mount said. “I will always remember that day because she again showed me why she was such a special woman. We did have many, many more good times after that day and I will cherish every one of them.”

Mount said she will truly miss Abrams positive attitude, big heart, extraordinary smile and above all I will miss the amazing woman who taught me that everyday should be a positive one, even in the most difficult situations.

“She was very good to me in so many ways,” Mount said of Abrams. “I will truly miss my friend.”