Raj Qsar on the state of the luxury market: ‘It’s on fire’

The owner and CEO of The Boutique Real Estate Group in Orange County has seen a significant shift in buyer attitudes since the onset of the pandemic

This spring has been an exceptionally tumultuous one for the luxury market — a pandemic, an initial fear of a market crash and, later, a boom of affluent buyers looking to spend big money on homes in places like Orange County and the Hamptons.

Raj Qsar

Raj Qsar, the owner and CEO of The Boutique Real Estate Group, has been at the forefront of that ride through the unknown. His brokerage, which works with homes from $2 million to upwards of $10 million in Orange County, California, has seen a direct shift in buyer attitudes — from fear and hesitation when the pandemic first hit in March to a present-day focus on finding a home that can be a long-term source of shelter and enjoyment. Money is going toward not just primary and vacation home markets but also home improvements aimed at making a home a personal haven.

“Many dual-income millennials who are making decent money have really changed their perspective,” Qsar told Inman, adding that size and amenities are the hottest trends in real estate. “You can see a definite mindset shift. They’re really coming in and not buying that tiny shack with room for one bed. They want a single-family home with a front yard and a backyard.”

We’ve interviewed Qsar about what his buyers are asking for and how that could shape the future of luxury real estate for years to come.

Inman News: What’s been happening in the Orange County luxury world during the last few weeks?

Raj Qsar: We’ve definitely seen a change in the luxury market. You could even say it’s on fire. It’s picked up a lot, at all price points — $1-$5M, $5-$10M and $10M and up. Buyers and sellers are definitely both in the market. There was a pause at the beginning of the virus just because no one knew what was going to happen. The last two weeks of March were definitely interesting but then things slowly started picking up. In the blink of an eye, the market was back. It’s now the strongest it’s ever been, really.

Is that due to pent-up demand, springtime buyer interest or a combination of both?

We keep hearing about pent-up demand from every news channel. I think there’s a little bit of truth to that but I think that people also, after going through what the country went through and spending so much time locked up inside, just want a nice place. Home offices were gone and now everyone wants a home office again. They’re working from home and want a place to be when the kids are all over. The secondary housing market is strong too because people want a place that they can escape to.

So the initial fear of the pandemic prompting a housing crash has been far from your experience?

That’s right. They’ve been saying that the market is going to crash and that we’re going to go into a recession for the last four or five years. The exact opposite is happening, actually. The market is stronger than ever, and people want to spend money on real estate. The first couple of weeks were a little bit scary, but I really do feel like people want to spend and they want to spend it on their house.

What are some other things that luxury buyers are asking you about?

Pools are back in, outdoor kitchens, outdoor barbecues — anything outdoors. People are putting money into their homes, upgrading with really nice high-end appliances, things like that. Owners want to love their house and everything about it. A lot of stuff that was being put off, like adding another bedroom or bathroom, is back. People are doing whatever they wanted to do.

You’ve observed a big change in buyer priorities?

Yes. Many dual-income millennials who are making decent money have really changed their perspective. You can see a definite mindset shift. They’re really coming in and not buying that tiny shack with room for one bed. They want a single-family home with a front yard and a backyard. All the stuff that wasn’t important has become important again.

Could these buyer preferences alter how future houses are built for years to come?

I think so. There’s definitely a shift in the whole indoor/outdoor space. People want the inside to feel like the outside and the outside to feel like the inside. Living rooms, cabanas, TVs — the stuff that we’re seeing right now is jaw-dropping. The stuff people are doing to their houses, it’s like going to a beach party in Vegas. We’re just a few months into the virus, but the aftermath of it is going to be years and years. People are always going to remember 2020 and being locked up at home. That will influence what they want in their homes.

BY VERONIKA BONDARENKO via Inman News

10 Questions with Raj Qsar

With so much panic and uncertainty in the world today, I figured there was no better person to interview for this week’s 10 Questions series than my good friend, Raj Qsar. Raj is the owner of The Boutique Real Estate Group based in Orange County, CA. Not only is Raj one of the leading minds in real estate innovation, but he’s not too proud to share everything he knows with the industry he loves to challenge us all to find new ways of doing things. His marketing is a step above the rest (just check out one of his videos) and when it comes to just about anything – I know Raj not only has everyone’s best interests at heart but delivers with a laugh and a smile. Get to know more about Raj here.

With a new “smart” something coming out almost every day, what products amaze and astound you?

Raj-Alyssa.jpg

I am pretty sure you know my answer to this… TikTok. It is not just a dancing app where you are being silly. It truly is addictive. And the skills an individual can learn from mastering the app will carry on for years to come. What you can simply do on TikTok used to take a team of five people to pull off 5 years ago. It also gives you some insight into what is trending and relevant in today’s world.

With a million things happening at any one moment, how do you manage your time?

I am a huge believer in having a schedule and time-blocking chunks of the day. My routine is pretty much the same everyday (for work and my personal life). The details of what I am doing may change, just like a real estate transaction, but the core is the same.

What is something you’re really proud of? Why?

Probably the fact that back in 2008 I decided to take a leap and shoot a video. And not just a video but an actual movie on a listing. This was back before any of us knew how to shoot video on anything. I wanted to be different. I wanted to stand out. I wanted to give our clients the best chance of success on selling their home (which they tried to do several times before they met me). We had no idea of what we were doing or how to cut or edit the video but it was one of the most critical “ah ha” moments in my real estate career.

What’s the best and worst thing about getting older?

Worst – The fact that you are getting older and realizing that you can not control time.
Best – You truly realize who your tribe is over time. The people that stick with you, love you no matter what and want to do time with you. You also realize that life is full of moments with people (not things).  And every moment is what you make of it and is irreplaceable.


How do you relax?
Ever since I was a kid I have loved the ocean. I am not sure why because my parents really do not love the water. I mean my Mom does not know how to swim? But at an early age, they got us all into swim lessons and started taking us to the beach. In Orange County, I love to relax (in the afternoon) on any beach and watch the sunset.

What kind of projects would you like to do more of?
I think there is a huge need in our industry for true camaraderie, especially in leadership. CEO’s helping CEO’s navigate the waters we sail every day. Our industry is so complex and slammed with “what if’s” that it can sometimes be difficult to have a standard way of doing things. So to answer the question, I would love to be able to reach out to more CEO’s and give my time and see where I can assist and have a CEO sounding board where you can throw stuff and see if it sticks.

 What did you want to be when you were a kid?
As you know I went to medical school. So pretty much from college on that’s what I wanted to do, but life does take some interesting turns. I found out by going to medical school it truly was not my calling. It’s a long story on how I eventually landed in real estate but, for now, it is where I belong.

Why do you believe having mentors is so important?
Sometimes I think the world puts people in front of you for a reason. There are some really good people out there and these are the folks you need to cling to. When starting a business there are people who have run your race and finished the course and are willing to share their experience with you. Whether they take on the role of “mentor” or simply “friend” it is these opportunities that make you and your business better. No one business person has all the answers, it is humanly impossible.

What gets you fired up/energized?
It has become a trend that most people in our industry will do the least amount of work possible, put in the least amount of time and try to have the biggest rewards. Our team has become know in Orange County as the cleanup kids (and we are not kids anymore). But basically, when a listing does not sell due to over promises and under delivery, we get the call. This is not a business where your brothers, daughters, next-door neighbors dog sitter who just got licensed should be navigating the sale of someone’s most valuable asset should come into place to save x%. So coming into a listing that has not sold, charging the same amount and delighting our clients is what gets me the most fired up. We recently took a listing that had been listed 5x by 5 of the top brokers in Orange County and we sold it for full price. We truly care and every single listing matters.

Original Post via https://alyssahellman.com/blog/10-questions-with-raj-qsar

Top 100 Real Estate Slogans In 2018

We were recently recognized as #14 of Property Spark’s top 100 Real Estate Slogans in 2018!

Top 100 Real Estate Slogans In 2018

These remarkably talented real estate agents and brokerages have summed up their real estate value in a few words. Here are the best real estate slogans for 2018.

A good real estate slogan is important for professional or personal branding and creates an emotional connection with potential clients. It can help you stand out in a crowd and set you apart from everyone else. We have gathered the best real estate slogans from the top professionals in the industry. Below, we present to you the Top 100 Real Estate Slogans In 2018!

Via https://propertyspark.com/top-100-real-estate-slogans/

 

Top 100 Real Estate Slogans In 2018

#100: Illustrated Properties

“Our Roots Run Deep”


#99: Hawai’i Life Real Estate Brokers

“Hawai’i Real Estate Lives Here.”


#98: Team Koki

“Koki is the Key, Your Key to Real Estate”


#97: Jennifer Saavedra

“List. Rent. Invest…with us!”


#96: The Jamie Hering Team

“Just Ask Jamie”


#95: Andrew Scherl

“HaveYouSeenAndrew”


#94: Luna Ge

“If you talk about it, it’s a dream. If you envision it, it’s possible, but if you schedule it, it’s real.”


#93: Darren Wilford

“Your Real Estate Wealth Strategist. When your wealth matters, your strategy counts!”


#92: Wendi Cornell

“Ready to Sell? Call Team Cornell!”


#91: Anita Sharma Turner

“#findyourwayhome”


#90: Jeanne Johnston-Sanders

“Solution Minded, Positive Results!”


#89: Katrina Lewis

“Raise your standards, Exceptional service, Unprecedented Luxury Living, Closing Deals in Heels..Katrina Lewis”


#88: Bernadette Metts

“We are Red Hot and Cutting Edge!!”


#87: Ben Caballero

“Realtor Marketing for Homebuilders Made Easy”


#86: Brett Jennings

“Go BIG or go homeless”


#85: Gilbert Gallegos

“Dream. Search. Live”


#84: Chen Liang

“Home is a place where you can be you.”


#83: Vincent & Lisa Archibeque

“The Archibeque Group – where clients are like family – come join our family.”


#82: Colin Whitenack

“Live where you love”


#81: Dolly Rivero

“Professionalism and trust, Hire Elite KY Homes to bring you results”


#80: Emily Kozloski Foebar

“Real Estate with an Equestrian Perspective…”


#79: Chris Duke

“Turning transactions into relationships”


#78: Jeff Scislow

“The Name You Know”


#77: Nathan Galloway

“More than a Realtor”


#76: The Stanco-Misiti Team

“The Next Generation of Real Estate”


#75: The Noble Black

“Extraordinary Reach. Extraordinary Results”


#74: Mike Murphy

“Delivering the Very Best in All Facets of Real Estate, Because you Deserve No Less”


#73: Melanie Piche

“No BS. No fridge magnets. No broken promises.”


#72: Brenda Barajas

“Results that will move you.”


#71: Eric Rollo

“Authentic Local Experience. Authentic Global Results.”


#70: Lauri Lansdale

“Have a Smooth Sale with Lauri Lansdale”


#69: Carrie McCormick

“Live where you are Inspired”


#68: Chelsea Holden

“Your Laid-Back Realtor”


#67: Melissa Vasic & Tawnya McVicker

“Integrity, service, commitment. Your trust is the heart of our business”


#66: Mike Nichols

“Downtown, In Town, Around Town.”


#65: Heidi Harris

“We do the hustle so you don’t have the hassle”


#64: Chase Olsen

“Better Service | Better Marketing | Better Results”


#63: Harry Page

“Team Aggressive specializes in helping families”


#62: Vikram Deol

“Speed to lead. The winner in this game gets to all their leads before the competition.”


#61: Michael Hickman

“Lifestyle is Where it Begins”


#60: Carol Staab

“Pick the broker who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear!”


#59: Maxim Shtraus

“Selling A Lifestyle, Not Just Real Estate”


#58: Fernando Branco

“Working by referral. Let me help you find a home too!!”


#57: The Meldrum Knybel Real Estate Group

“The Meldrum Knybel Real Estate Group, We Sell Homes!”


#56: Olga Ribardo

“Service as unique as the properties I sell”


#55: Podley Properties

“Your Next Chapter Starts Here”


#54: Zak Bushey

“Is Yours Next?”


 

#53: Judi A. Desiderio

“The Power of Deep Roots”


#52: Carrie Nenonen

“Selling St. Louis since 2001!”


#51: Katia Samson

“We Sell The Sud-Ouest✨”


#50: Roosevelt Mompremier

“We’ve got you covered!”


#49: Kristine Cuddy

“Keeping the Real in Real Estate”


#48: Shannon Milligan

“We Take Care of Everything”


#47: Wes Stoyanov

“Our Expertise Your Lifestyle”


#46: Real

“Your Success is Real’s Mission”


#45: Jordanna Moskal

“Let’s Make It Happen!”


#44: Gina Tufano

“Unlock the possibilities”


#43: Jared Anthony

“Serving Real Estate Realness”


#42: Gabe Mendez

“I’m That Realtor They Told You To Ask For”


#41: Harrison Beacher

“Negotiation in real estate transaction is all about leverage, Understand who has it and who knows they have it.”


#40: Nur Koseoglu

“Don’t trust your online home value estimates, your home is worth more! Find out how”


#39: Joshua Baris

“Bar is Raised for Real Estate!®”


#38: James Silver

“We never stop work for you!”


#37: Faith Hope Consolo

“You Need Faith”


#36: Rich Jackson

“Real Estate Rich, helping people establish a foundation to wealth through real estate”


#35: Mike McCann

“Mike McCann ‘The Real Estate Man’”


#34: Cristina Grossu

“It Only Takes ONE”


#33: Mike Bottaro

“Before You Schedule to Show, Call Bo”


#32: Gea Elika

“The better way to buy real estate”


#31: Cecilia Sherrard

“Loving What I Do Since 2002! Thinking Of Buying Or Selling A Home? Think: YouShouldOwn!”


#30: Greef Properties Christie’s

“Where it Counts”


#29: Chris & Stephanie Somers

“Real Dreams – Real People – Real Estate”


#28: Quinn Lawrence

“Where you live is my business.”


#27: Dolly Lenz

“Client Focused. Results Driven.™”


#26: Kate Bradway Rahn

“#UniqueDenverProperties”


#25: Dusty Baker

“Santa Barbara’s Premier Real Estate Professional”


#24: Leigh Brown

“#MoreThanHouses”


#23: Pacific Union

“Local Real Estate / Marketed Internationally”


#22: Exit Realty

“A Smart Move!”


#21: Stribling & Associates

“The Right Broker Makes all the Difference”


#20: ERA Real Estate

“Always There for You”


#19: New Story

“A home changes everything”


#18: Halton Pardee + Partners

“We Are Life Changers”


#17: eXp Realty

“The Agent Owned Cloud Brokerage”


#16: Austin Frangoules

“The Realtor who goes above and beyond for all”


#15: Jeffrey S. Detwiler

“Defined by Service & Expertise”


#14: Raj Qsar

“Our Passion is People What’s Yours?”


#13: Saunders & Associates

“A Higher Form of Realty”


#12: Rodeo Realty

“Local Expertise, Global Presence”


#11: Bond Real Estate

“Move/Forward”


#10: The Altman Brothers

“The Difference”


#9: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

“Good to Know”


#8: Sothebey’s International Realty

“Luxury Real Estate: Redefined”


#7: Compass

“Let us Guide You Home”


#6: Douglas Elliman

“Ask Elliman”


#5: Corcoran Group

“Live Who You Are”


#4: RE/MAX

“Above the Crowd”


#3: Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate

“Expect Better”


#2: Coldwell Banker

“Where Dreams Come Home”


#1: Century21

“Real Estate for Your World”

Inman Teams with Lab Coat Agents for Learning Lab at Connect

via inman SF

Focus on agent advice and easy-to-implement business building tactics

Inman and Lab Coat Agent founders Nick Baldwin and Tristan Ahumada have announced a new collaboration with Inman for Connect San Francisco. The Learning Lab at Connect is a two-hour hands on session featuring advice and insights popular on the Lab Coat Agents Facebook group.

Designed specifically for agents who are looking for practical, business building skills, the learning lab will be on Tuesday, August 2nd at Inman Connect San Francisco. Tuesday at Connect is free for Select members and included with a Connect registration. Non-Select members can purchase a Tuesday-only pass for $29. Register for Connect here or Tuesday only here.

Baldwin and Ahumada will host the lab and will cover tech and marketing topics including: video marketing, leveraging client reviews, branding and luxury listing marketing and, of course, using Facebook to build your business. Confirmed speakers include Steve Pacinelli, Laura Monroe, Raj Qsar, Sergio Gonzalez, Amanda Todd, Terry Waggoner, Jason Walters, and Travis Thom.

“Inman and Lab Coat Agents share the same vision: bringing together the best in the business to collaborate, network and share the latest, successful strategies,” said Brad Inman, publisher.

“Lab Coat Agents is thrilled to bring our hands on approach to discovering what works for today’s agent to Connect San Francisco. It’s the perfect platform to share and learn with the best of the best,” said Nick Baldwin, Lab Coat Agents.

The Learn Lab will be Tuesday, August 2, from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Hilton Union Square. Save your spot now here.

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