Real estate pros need to be more aggressive
June 18, 2009 03:30PM By Jovana Rizzo
GreenPearl.com held a networking event at the Park last nightProfessionals from all over the real estate spectrum -- investors, brokers, lenders, insurers, architects and more -- gathered at the Park restaurant in Chelsea yesterday for GreenPearl.com's networking event.
Ellen Depoorter, who has her own architecture firm, said the projects she was working on have been stalled because of the economic crisis, and she recently started attending networking events to meet developers looking for architects.
"There is less work so I decided to go out and look for it," Depoorter, who has LEED accreditation, said. "I'm going to make [attending networking events] part of my routine even when I have work. I'm doing conceptual work right now and generating ideas so when clients do come, I'll have ideas ready," she said.
Aaron Lefkowitz, an agent at real estate insurance firm Brown & Brown, said that people are more willing to listen to sales pitches now because they're looking to save money, even if it means changing a company you were previously doing business with.
In good or bad economic climates, people said that networking is helpful for business, although it doesn't always immediately lead to new business.
"You come out with a lot of contacts, which usually leads to one deal," said Glenn Lawson, an interior designer who works with Barbara Brock, president of home staging company A Proper Place. The two said their business has been busy as more sellers are staging homes in the hopes of attracting buyers.
Although real estate pros often don't leave networking events with a solid deal, Travis Lane of KBR Fund said that the real estate business is "75 percent who you know. You need to be the first person someone thinks about."
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Comments
Anonymous
"There is less work so I decided to go out and look for it, Wow! what an amazing piece of advice! Is this article news or just filling up space because nothing is happening
Comment #1 Posted By: Anonymous 06/18/09
Anonymous
NETWORKING!!! Ha!.. I just go four emails back from Citi-Habitats only, asking to be removed from my email listings blast list. Either they are no longer concerned with their customers and clients needs, or they just plainly suck.
Comment #2 Posted By: Anonymous 06/18/09
Anonymous
SERIOUSLY! The Real Deal that went down at the Park was, 'Ill do that job for less!'. Wasnt there, but you know that like buyers, the whole industry is gonna low ball its way down the lonely hill known as DOWN! Competition is fiercer than ever! There are fewer developments than ever! HELLO!
Comment #3 Posted By: Anonymous 06/18/09
Anonymous
Anyone who is worth their weight knows that these networking events are full of people trying to get to the top. There is no real business to be had other than for those who are starting in the business
Comment #4 Posted By: Anonymous 06/18/09
Anonymous
No you go there to get really really drunk. all these events are just hey how are you drink drink drink drink .
Comment #5 Posted By: Anonymous 06/19/09
Anonymous
agree! I went to a networking event to exchange information and make new contacts and out of 60 people in there 50 were BROKE and drunk real estate brokers looking for something to do.
Comment #6 Posted By: Anonymous 06/19/09
Anonymous
Real estate brokers need to be aggressive about finding second jobs.
Comment #7 Posted By: Anonymous 06/19/09
Anonymous
Greenpearl is a joke...good networking exists but not events that let anyone who is willing to pay the $ come in. I've been to a lot of events but these days I'll only go to the ones I know and trust. RE Networking and REaL Networking are both real estate foucsed (REaL is real estate and law) and are pretty good. Networking for professionals is also decent but isn't real estate focused. Greenpearl and BNI are both a joke and are for the bottom of the barrel!
Comment #8 Posted By: Anonymous 06/22/09
Anonymous
I am not sure anyone in the interior design or home staging business is busy. I think if you did an anonymous poll, everyone would tell you business is down from last year. No one wants to spend money on staging despite their homes being on the market, and they definitely don't want to decorate since this is not a necessity. Networking does sometimes work - theoretically the more people you know and the more contacts you have, it can only help with possible leads. I am considering joining the REaL Networking group. I've heard it's a good group.
Comment #9 Posted By: Anonymous 07/02/09