Victoria Evarts is a real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers working in Concord.
Every week, we ask an Boston real estate professional for their thoughts on the top trends in Boston real estate.
This week, we talked with Victoria Evarts, a real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers.
Boston Agent (BA): Prior to real estate, you worked in media. How did your experience translate into real estate, and what advice can you give other agents from that experience?
Victoria Evarts (VE): In television production you spend a lot of time listening to your director, your talent, the writers, etc., trying to figure out what’s important, what’s being said, what is meant, what is meaningless, what’s missing. Then you assemble all the parts to create a film, a script, a finished production that meets the needs. In real estate those listening skills are essential in putting your clients in a home they need, can afford, thrive in. The more you listen and discover what the customer wants and doesn’t will make a better fit and a more successful broker/client relationship.
BA: As someone who’s undertaken the grueling process of home renovation, what do modern homes in the Boston need to be “inviting and functional” for toady’s homeowner?
VE: Community is big. The right zip code means alot. Then the house needs good bones. Great kitchens sell houses. Great Bathrooms a must. Eye appeal is critical. Must be in excellent repair with no apparent problems showings. Increasingly, buyers want houses they can move into and not have to go through the fix up. Fresh paint and good cleaning essential. Landscaping should look manageable without daunting challenges. Assume that today’s buyer is not a handyman or a gardener so those issues should be resolved before a potential buyer sees it.
BA: What is unique about Boston’s luxury market? Why do international buyers choose Boston over more popular international destinations like Miami or New York?
VE: Boston is a well developed international gateway commanding interest from sophisticated clients who require good connections with the rest of the country, the world, and the various regional attractions like those on the Cape and Islands, skiing in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine.They also require social and cultural opportunities such as those offered by the area’s world class educational institutions. The history of the city and the region will appeal to many seeking to find a distinctive place to establish a residence while the energy and opportunities of Boston’s vibrant business community will satisfy the most demanding seeker.