Two of a Kind
Esther Cohen-Eskin and Jessa Eskin, the mother-and-daughter duo at COMPASS Real Estate, share an uncommon drive to help discerning clients achieve their goals.
by Bill Donahue

Working side by side with a family member could present significant challenges for some people, but not for Esther Cohen-Eskin and Jessa Eskin. As a mother and daughter who share the reins of a flourishing real estate team, Esther and Jessa say the experience has made their close bond even stronger.
 
Esther and Jessa lead their team of four under the COMPASS brokerage in Ardmore. Each came into the venture with a distinctive background and skill set. Esther, 58, who grew up in Wynnewood, honed her skills as a glassblower, a jeweler, and a personal trainer, while Jessa, 28, started her career in construction management and interior selections for a real estate developer in the Philadelphia area.
 
“I have always loved design and architecture, and I was fortunate to have developed a knowledge of construction before I became a Realtor,” says Jessa, who grew up in Havertown and now lives in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood. “I am very detail-oriented and analytical, while my mom has a very creative background with a wide social and professional circle. We are fortunate to bring different strengths to the business.”
 
“Jessa and I have always had an amazing relationship, even when she was younger,” Esther adds. “We complement each other very well, and we share the duties equally. Our clients know that they have both of us full time, and that’s where our strength lies. Our clients tell us, ‘You two are so alike yet so different.’ By that I think they mean that we have different styles but we share the same drive.”
 
While Esther and Jessa provide exceptional service to buyers and sellers throughout the entire Philadelphia area, they do a majority of their business throughout the Main Line and western Delaware County. Their success hinges on their work ethic and talent for problem solving, both of which are essential when it comes to helping discerning clients achieve their goals. Their deep knowledge of the Main Line market has helped their business more than double in the past year. 
 
The team includes Lisa Monaco, a fellow Realtor, and Jana Sweeney, who spearheads the operations and marketing efforts. Esther and Jessa also benefit from the considerable resources of COMPASS, which they joined recently after several years allied with another firm.
 
They were attracted to COMPASS because of its collaborative agent-driven culture, robust technology platform, and constant marketing support. COMPASS provides its agents with a comprehensive menu of services designed to streamline the buying and selling process for all parties involved. As one example, Esther cites the COMPASS Nationwide Referral Network.
 
“If I have a friend who is looking to relocate anywhere in the United States, I can go on the COMPASS app and find a list of [COMPASS] agents who specialize in that area, and connect my friend with an expert in a minute or so,” she says. “That goes both ways; if a COMPASS agent from anywhere else across the country has someone who wants to move to our market, they can connect that person directly with us. The whole company is streamlined from start to finish.”
 
COMPASS also empowers agents to uplift the communities they serve through a charitable wing known as COMPASS Cares. Esther and Jessa are passionate supporters of the Brandywine Valley SPCA, and contribute a portion of all of their sales to the organization. 
 
The mother-daughter duo’s business has grown by more than 30 percent in the last 12 months, which Esther and Jessa attribute to hard work, authenticity, and accessibility. They also both say they couldn’t have climbed so high so quickly without the love and support of their family—namely, their significant others and Esther’s daughter/Jessa’s sister.
 
“I think clients appreciate our approach because they don’t want to be sold,” Jessa says. “They want a relationship with someone who advocates for them, and someone they can trust and talk to. We’re also accessible 24/7, and that’s true before, during, and long after the transaction is complete. That’s important because being a Realtor is a lifestyle and a way of life. You have to love what you do, and both of us love what we’re doing.”
 
Esther considers her work more of a calling than a job. Yes, her primary goal is to help clients find their place in the world, but she sees her role as much simpler than that.
 
“Everyone has a story, and I’m here to listen,” she says. “A conversation can take you into someone else’s world, and into places you never thought you would go. Years ago, I was in a Verizon store getting my phone fixed, and simply by striking up a conversation with someone in that store, it led to me getting my first client.”
 
The real estate market in the Philadelphia area, as well as across the country, has been white hot in recent years. While the prevailing winds have begun to shift, Esther and Jessa both say the market presents ample opportunity for buyers and sellers alike.
 
“Our job is to inform clients of what the market looks like from a local expert,” Esther says. “We have played a vital role for people who may be getting misleading information elsewhere. The inventory is still low, but the negotiating power is moving back into the buyer’s hands. Having a full-service Realtor doing research for clients can make a big difference.”
 
“For us, our success comes back to the strength of our relationships,” Jessa adds. “The relationships with clients, and the relationship between me and my mom—that’s what drives me. We continue to learn from each other every day, and that makes each of us better for our clients. We’re very lucky that we get to do this together.”
 
Esther Cohen-Eskin and Jessa Eskin
COMPASS Real Estate 
4 E. Montgomery Ave.
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 882-3356 | (610) 420-8666 | (484) 571-7350
homehavenrealestate.com
“We’ll find your home. You make it your haven.”
 
Photo by Nina Lea Photography
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, February 2023.

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