Have you ever wondered what the secret of longevity in the practice of real estate IS? I have. I have spent many long hours pondering how to make my career prosper (and me , too) and have come to the conclusion that there are uncommon advantages in capturing unique the market niche, especially in my home town of Asheville, N.C.
First of all…a question…how do YOU pronounce “niche”?...Is it “neeesh”..or “nitch”..Last week I distinctly heard Candace Bergen pronounce it “neeeeesh” on Boston Legal…Oh well, it matters not how we pronounce it, really.. because the point is, finding a niche that works for you as a professional real estate person is , I think one of the most important aspects of success in this business. …Whether a property is commercial, residential or, my favorite, LAND/ acreage it is special in one way or another...
But there are points beyond special.
Looking at various market niches… the Over 55…the Second/Vacation…the Hospitality…all have a certain “zest” that’s like home-made pizza….Perhaps the next big thing is GREEN. Look at the number of large and professionally attractive web sites, for example. Here are just a few environmentally-conscious organizations ....all related to the practice of real estate…
U.S. Green Building Council
A leading non-profit organization in the dedicated to sustainable buildingdesign and construction. Developers of the LEED building rating system. |
Home page for BuildingGreen, Inc. - Publishers of Environmental BuildingNews and of other information resources for practictioners of sustainable design. |
A gateway to numerous US Environmental Protection Agency webpages on how to improve the environmental performance of buildings, with sections covering ... |
Of course my all-time favorite, being that it is right here in Asheville, is the Green Building Council. http://www.wncgbc.org/ If you want to see some remarkable work, visit the above site! AND notice how many REALTORS® are members of the Green Building Council. That tells quite a tale right there. Add to that the fact that, last count, we had about 300 REALTORS® who had been through the initial ECO Agent® course leading to the NCREC designation of ECO certified consultant….Popularity of the 36-hour course http://www.abr-nc.com/ECO.html may, in part, be due to the influx of investors/buyers who prefer environmentally-sensitive properties here in Asheville.
I checked out a few stats on our MLS the other day.
In the $200-600K range (residential) there are 35 Energy Star ® rated homes on the market this month… 6 other properties have solar heat. I am willing to wager with anyone who comments here that this number will triple by 2007. How about we wager a pizza when y'all come to visit Asheville?
I talked with a 71-year old "baby boomer" investor today.. a tiny, white-haired, Dresden Doll of a Lady who actually told me… janeAnne I just have to have “…a healthier, safer, more comfortable, sustainable, energy efficient, and environmentally-responsible home…”
Should we chalk that up to the “wisdom of the elders”?...or is GREEN HOT?
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