Meet the Agent: Jeremy Hart

This week in “Meet the Agent” we travel to our New River Valley location to chat with Nest Agent Jeremy Hart. Read on to learn how he leverages technology to benefit his clients and what SNL alum he’d like to help find his next home.

Nest Realty:  How did you get into real estate?

Jeremy Hart:  I’ve always been interested in real estate – why people decide to live where they do, what attracted to them to one area over another – but it wasn’t until my wife said “just go do it!” and put her foot in my back did I take the plunge. Couldn’t be more grateful that she did – and glad she wasn’t wearing high heels.

 

N.R.:  Ouch! Once you got the “gentle nudge” to pursue real estate, what was the first property you ever sold for a client?

J.H.:  My first sale as a buyer agent was with first-time buyers. They didn’t know what they were doing, I sure didn’t know what *I* was doing, and I was terrified of letting them know it was my first time. I practiced everything – how to get from one house to another, what doors led to where – until I was certain I could pull it off without a hitch. And I did – they didn’t know until closing, when the attorney told them.  Big mouth.

 

N.R.:  I know you are an avid social media user, but how has technology changed the way you do business?

J.H.:  Using technology appropriately is a core foundation of what we’re doing here. Technology has leveled the playing field in real estate; now everyone has access to most of the same information. My job is to be able to use technology in such a way so as to make the deluge of information digestible to the client … to be able to understand it myself, and then condense it in such a way so as to be useful.

 

N.R.:  What are the numbers telling us we should should we be on the lookout for in the New River Valley market or in the real estate industry in general?

J.H.:  We’ve really been pretty fortunate in the New River Valley real estate market, quite honestly. We’ve had our challenges, sure, and we’ll continue to see some pockets of our market struggle; our financing options are still relatively stable, and prices have remained relatively stable. The key for the New River Valley is not going to be low interest rates as much as it’s going to be consumer confidence and job stability. If consumer confidence remains high, and job stability continues its course, our real estate market should be fine.

 

N.R.:  You blog about life in the New River Valley, so I know you love living there. In your opinion, what makes the area so unique?

J.H.:  The people.  Here’s this little area in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it’s home to two major higher education institutions, there are hundreds of high-tech/medical firms dotting the landscape, and they’re doing very cool things. On top of all of that, all of these industries attract people from all over the world – so in addition to the natural beauty that surrounds us, we get this real international flair and influence injected into the New River Valley.  I think that’s really cool.

 

N.R.:  Speaking of natural beauty, what’s your favorite time of the year in New River Valley?  Why?

J.H.: Honestly?  I like it all.  The winter is generally mild but still gets some snow, the spring is really colorful, summer is green and lush, and fall?  Well, fall is simply amazing.

 

N.R.:  I agree, it’s hard to beat the fall in Virginia. Last question. Dream celebrity client?

J.H.:  Bill Murray. Seriously – can you imagine how much fun he’d be to work with?

N.R.:  Great answer. I wonder if he’d like to live by a golf course…:D