In the following interview, Caron Pelletier-Renik, managing broker of CENTURY 21 North East in Windham, N.H., discusses agent development and education, the local market, and more.
Regions Served: Southern New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts
Years in Real Estate: 22
Number of Offices: 1
Number of Agents: 30
Please describe some of the current trends you’re seeing in your market right now.
With the market leveling off and an inventory equilibrium coming back into play as interest rates hold—and, in some cases, drop—I’m hopeful that sellers will begin to gain the necessary confidence they need to put their homes on the market, knowing that there are other properties available to move into once they have a contract in hand. Of course, that also means that buyers will realize their homeownership hopes and dreams, as well. While we never went through a huge recession in Southern New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts, our economy did, but we didn’t experience mass foreclosures like other parts of the country. There’s always been high demand for real estate in our marketplace, and while we’re beginning to see a bit of slowing down at the moment, I’m confident that because of our local community flair and geographic location, we will bounce back.
What do you like most about the region in which you work?
The fact that the area we’re based out of is very community-oriented. I also enjoy our location. We are in a beautiful part of the country that’s in close proximity to both the city of Boston and to the mountains in the North.
What are your best strategies for keeping your agents motivated?
Keeping agents motivated begins with equipping them with the “tips and tricks” and the brilliant basics they need to deliver the extraordinary to their clients. As a broker, I’m especially focused on the safety of my team, which is a huge issue today. I’m consistently encouraging my agents to visit CENTURY 21 University® and access the vast knowledge on the site, like scripts and other materials on ways to be safe on the job, as well as the learnings and training available there. It’s a great resource that’s available to them simply by being a CENTURY 21® agent.
How are you preparing your agents for the future of real estate?
Preparing agents for the future is all about training. In real estate, we recognize that there is always more to learn about the market, new tools and innovations impacting our industry. To that end, we have people come in and conduct training sessions where they sit down and go over forms, prospecting, etc. I hate to pay big bucks to get leads, so I teach my agents how to get involved in the community and utilize all the resources they might not necessarily know about.
In what ways does your company stay current and flexible?
With a focus on constant growth at CENTURY 21 North East, we’re doing everything we can to keep up with technology and provide our agents with a variety of training. The CENTURY 21 brand via CENTURY 21 University, and my local franchise specifically, offer numerous options that agents can utilize to help grow their business.
How do you see your market evolving throughout the next year?
I anticipate the market will pick up as we head into 2020 and the demand for housing to remain steady.
Final Questions…
What is your favorite relationship-building strategy?
Going out into the community, meeting new people and getting to know who they are.
What is your top tip for staying organized?
Don’t procrastinate.
For more information, please visit www.century21.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at paige@rismedia.com.
