Time to Get Creative

Back in the good ole days, you know, all the way back in 2007...all you really needed to do to sell an apartment here in the city was to conduct an open house or two. The buyers would flock to your door, offers would follow and by the end of the week, deal done.

With the real estate market on the upswing after the deep freeze of the recession, buyers are coming back. But, agents are discovering that these buyers, many of whom are lured by reduced prices and low interest rates, are often very different from boom-time buyers.

That means brokers must now find ways to target this new audience.

"Its all about getting the people that are in the market to become familiar with a particular property". Today, brokers are sponsoring Pee Wee Leagues, bake sales, buying doctor's directories and spending a lot of their time figuring out other creative ways to reach the latest crop of buyers.

First time buyers, generally young, getting help from mom and dad have replaced the Wall Street Hot Shots with their million dollar bonuses. And, families of four or more have replaced the European crowd buying property for 50 cents on the dollar because of the strength of the Euro.

Its a brave new world out there on the street. The good news is that deals are being done and the even better news is that its not so easy anymore and we actually need to be good at our jobs.