Tualatin Real Estate Agents Remain Optimistic
"I've always had an interest in houses because there are unlimited possibilities," said 24-year-old Tualatin real estate agent Jon Hanson. "Who doesn't love real estate? People always love to tell their real estate stories, whether it's the house they should have bought or if they are just asking about the market."
Tualatin real estate agents will tell you, they've got to pull every rabbit out of the hat and every trick out of the bag to sell a house these days. "As a new agent, I have to differentiate myself in the marketplace," Jon understands. "Everywhere I look I see opportunity. It surrounds us, but in order for us to capitalize on it we have to see through the pessimism that surrounds us."
Some Portland real estate agents say there's something to frown about: The Stardard & Poor's Case-Shiller Index showed Portland real estate prices hit a record low for a year-over-year decline in April, which is the first time the Portland area has seen such a decline (since the 1980s!) Furthermore, median home prices are down 3.2% from last year.
Even so, Hanson remains optimistic. "I have goose bumps thinking about the opportunities out here for people," he said. "Right now I'm working with a number of buyers. They see that real estate might not be this affordable again. After we come out of this downturn, people will realize they should have bought at a discount a year ago."
So what are Jon Hanson's effective strategies for moving Tualatin real estate? He says it's simple: he gets up early, he leaves his ego at home, he puts buyers first and he approaches everything with a "can-win attitude."
"People always ask me, 'how is the real estate market?' The real question is, 'where is the real estate market?'" Hanson remarks. "While today it may be with first-time homebuyers and discounted properties, in a couple of years it may be an influx of baby boomers looking for retirement properties, or 1031 exchanges — something completely different."