Query quintet: Five questions with @properties agent Courtney Larisey

Courtney LariseyI met @properties agent Courtney Larisey last month during a tour of brokers open houses in Wicker Park. Courtney, who was marketing a short-sale in a three-flat at 1035 N Paulina St, took a few minutes to answer five questions about the market.

This unit is a short sale. What does it take to bring sellers around to reality in a situation like this?
It’s usually just a matter of showing them the comps. For all the media storm that came on about how real estate has been pretty turbulent lately, sellers are attuned to that now too, so it’s almost like they expect it. They’re not necessarily surprised.

Outside of price reductions, what is the most effective marketing strategy you’ve seen sellers employ lately?
Honestly, short sales and foreclosures have been the best “marketing strategies,” if you can call them that. It’s unfortunate for the seller, but people are really looking for those buzzwords.

How do you keep up with trends and reach out to buyers and sellers?
For me, it’s Facebook, Twitter, and our database management system.

How has your job changed in the past year?
It requires a lot more work for the same old results.

Aside from the food, what’s the benefit of holding a brokers open house?
Right now, traffic is everything. Of the 20 or so brokers who came today, each has maybe five solid buyers that they’re working with, and maybe this place fits what one of those buyers is looking for. It’s also beneficial to get a Realtor’s feedback on pricing and staging and letting us know if there’s something we’re missing.

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