Real estate is a very personal industry, as you help your clients navigate through the biggest and most important transaction of their life. In the following interview, Vicki Evarts of Engel & Völkers Concord talks about building strong relationships, staying flexible and infusing your business with your own unique personal perspective.
Vicki Evarts
Engel & Völkers Concord
Concord, Mass.
Region served: Concord, Mass., and surrounding towns
Years in real estate: 8
Number of offices: 1
Number of agents: 7
Favorite part of your job: Putting a grateful family into a house they love
One thing people don’t know about you: I’m a yoga teacher on the side.
Where does your market stand in terms of consumer confidence?
I want to believe we stand way ahead when it comes to consumer confidence. In addition to working hard to develop strong personal relationships with our clients when they’re considering buying or selling, we also offer boutique-like service.
How does your company make its agents’ jobs easier?
Here at Engel & Völkers Concord, we don’t operate in a vacuum; we’re a practice that allows us to benefit from the collective wisdom and skills of all of our associates. Networking is another important part of the process, but it won’t happen without trust in this very competitive business.
What factor has the largest influence on the real estate industry today?
Financing. Without sympathetic lenders and reasonable rates, this business cannot thrive.
What is one challenge your market faces and what are you doing to overcome it?
One of our greatest challenges is unrealistic expectations on selling price, which can be a potential deal breaker. To overcome this, we do the tedious work of finding the comparables to show the seller how the subject property can be fairly priced.
How does your company stay flexible and current?
Staying flexible and current is all about being aware of what’s going on around us. Therefore, we take great steps in knowing what the competition is doing, what the trades are saying and how the community dynamics are evolving. It’s also crucial that we be aware of zoning changes that may be coming down the line and how properties will be affected by such changes.
How does your background bring a unique perspective to the art and science of real estate?
Not only have I lived in the area all my life, but my husband and I have completely renovated four properties, so I understand what it takes to make them attractive to subsequent buyers. In addition, my ancestors have been buying, selling, fixing and renovating homes for more than 100 years. My father created the television show, “This Old House,” that’s been running on PBS for nearly 40 years to take viewers through the process of owning a house and all that it entails.
For more information, visit www.evusa.com.
