Beyond “luxury,” countless agents and teams often twist and contort the inference into their perceived market niche. Luxe, LX, LUX intimate glamorous waterfront spreads which has often led me to wonder whether or not these agents would dare list a $1.5 million property where a kitchen offered Formica countertops. Can a self-proclaimed waterfront specialist list a home on a shady dead-end street?
I recently submitted a proposal to list a quaint 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on an above-mentioned sleepy side street. The initial consultation lasted well over an hour. We covered the process to include an overview of the paper trail, detailed my unprecedented approach to navigating that process and concluded with my leveraging my building background keying on areas to be addressed that made economical sense regarding a return on investment. The sellers contacted three referrals from my vast network of resources and two would be hired. Alas, I lost this potential $750k listing because the sellers, incredibly kind and measured, had glimpsed my recent sales and when noting a handful of sizable closings, wondered if their property would garner the same attention and drive.
Adhering fiercely to the principle that is to never push, pull or badger, I did note that among that inventory was a $290k sale that speaks directly to my perception of luxury.
“Our experience with Jon was incredible! He was always a step ahead of us…anticipating our questions and leading us in the right direction. Jon was instrumental in negotiating and building a relationship with all parties involved in purchasing our dream home in Cape Cod even though we lived six hours away! He captured our vision and we trusted him to visit listings and valued his opinion. Please know that working with Jon has been one of the best business decisions we have ever made!” Dave and Melody Borghesani . Dennis
1 Smith St, to date, is the most inexpensive single family home I have represented for a buyer or seller and in the words of Mr. and Mrs. Borghesani, having captured their vision and leveraged my building background to negotiate the best possible offer, they did in fact land their dream home.
In a market where demand consistently outweighs supply, I view luxury to be that of opportunity and the means to capitalize on that opportunity. Catering exclusively to listings in excess of $2 million or pigeonholing oneself into representing only those properties with granite countertops and sweeping bay views is a business decision rather than the definition of luxury. Luxury is in the eye of the beholder and by extension, having the ability to find value in deficiencies, i.e. parsing glaring needs from wants and structuring an offer accordingly is the very basis for converting a property into a home and a lifestyle which of course results in genuine luxury.
Bob and Louise Steinkrauss, longtime management customers of Nauset Management, decided to upsize their second home in anticipation of grandchildren. The frontline ask was to maintain a budget of $825k which would include a specific list of wants and needs. Added to the wish list was the fleeting hope that this property would be in some proximity to the bike trail and tennis courts. In a matter of weeks, up popped a home in a quasi-gated community where both the bike trail and a double tennis court were inside of a 10 minute walk. Listed at $850k, the first step was to assess the property through a builder’s eye where I had determined that both the windows and roof were nearing end of life. While hustling up quotes from my subcontractors, I would also silicate a quote for central air, interior paint and a sorely needed kitchen renovation. Armed with these numbers with the commitment of my subcontractors to stand by the numbers, we would submit an offer of $720k and close at $735k and the work commenced within a week.
“We ultimately bought a home in Brewster that requires substantial work to be upgraded and Jon provided a tremendous service by introducing us to contractors of all expertise, bringing them to the house and getting quotes for the work and helping to coordinate the effort to lock in contractors and estimates and begin the work within 5 days of the closing.
You will not find another broker who will spend that much time and effort pre and post-sale to ensure a happy customer and overall outcome.
We would highly recommend Jon for your real estate needs.” Bob and Louise Steinkrauss . Brewster
The Nauset Management watch and property management base ranges from cottage to castle with owners from all walks of life and levels of means yet the consistent common variable is that each has turned a property into a home. Whether the purchase checked all the boxes, wants and needs were addressed days following closing or a steady and persistent to do list was satisfied over several years and in some cases on the back of revenue realized through a short-term rental campaign, luxury was created and realized.
Luxury should not be defined by a particular price point, sweeping views or existing and subjective aesthetic, rather luxury if born from identifying an opportunity where a unique vision may evolve into a reality.
