In the following interview, Joe Brogan President and CFO of CENTURY 21 Veterans in Levittown, Pa. talks about building success, staying flexible and closing deals in a complicated market.
Region served: Bucks County, Pa.
Number of offices: One. We plan to expand into Newtown, Pa., and New Jersey this year.
Number of agents: 15
Top tip for staying organized: Use a calendar to manage your time.
Favorite part of your job: Working with affiliated agents to help them increase their production. As a growth-minded, agent-building company, we’re focused on building our success through our independent sales professionals, not on them.
What are some of the current trends you see in your market right now?
Bucks County is a complete niche, unlike many other areas you hear about in the U.S. It’s also a unique marketplace in that the average price point ranges from $200,000 all the way up to $600,000 within a 15-mile radius. As far as trends, our inventory is so low right now that we have multiple buyers and appointments are going “through the roof” for the inventory we do have. While the area was built primarily in the late ’50s and ’60s, we are seeing a lot of original homes that are clean and well maintained.
What is your top strategy for closing a transaction?
Closing a transaction begins with listening to the buyer/seller and establishing what they want from the onset of the relationship. From meeting their goals and expectations—or readjusting them to align with current market realities—successfully closing a transaction starts with listening to and understanding the needs of the client.
How does your company stay flexible and current?
Technology is the biggest component when it comes to staying both flexible and current, and that’s what drove us to affiliate with the CENTURY 21® brand. Prior to joining CENTURY 21 Real Estate, we were an independent company, and while we had our niche in the marketplace, we weren’t providing our affiliated agents and their clients with the technology they needed and deserved. Not only is CENTURY 21 Real Estate a forward-looking company, they also have a hold on the marketplace when it comes to technology. In addition to everything we have access to through our affiliation with the CENTURY 21 brand, we recently invested in a green screen studio.
What sets your company apart from others in the marketplace?
One thing that sets us apart is the fact that we have four owners: Melanie Banks, Ken Murawski, Rich Webb, and myself. While each of us has a different background, we complement one another, creating a well-rounded team. Not only are we able to get back to our affiliated agents and clients quickly, there’s always someone to bounce things off of.
For more information, visit http://c21veterans.com.
