Like you, we miss the day-to-day transactions and routines of our daily work life. The real estate business is built on relationships and regular transactions that require us to gather whether it be in-person meetings such as closings or larger gatherings such as hosting open houses, walk-throughs, home inspections, and numerous other onsite tasks that bring us together with our clients and community partners. We miss this.
While adhering to the stay-at-home order, we have adapted our services and perspectives. We’ve compiled a list of how the Vitalius Team is keeping family, professional relationships, and transactions in balance:
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Check in on each other: Business aside, we check in. Our team continues to schedule virtual meetings and follow-up emails as a way to keep each other updated on how we are all doing professionally and personally. In addition to work-related conversations, we are sharing activities for kids, favorite recipes, and newly discovered TV show recommendations such as British detective shows on BritBox. We are doing this with a respectful understanding that we are each navigating various working-from-home scenarios that require us to be flexible.
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Clients are like family: The process of supporting clients through the home-buying and selling process is a deeply personal process for us. Our connections are not just transactional. “I’ve sent a note card with a pack of flower seeds enclosed to about 50 of my clients this week with an encouraging note and wishes for a happy Spring. It felt really good to send some personalized love out into the world right now.” - Katie Brooke, Broker, Vitalius Real Estate Group
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Make the calls, make connections: We’re reaching out to our community of business partners, colleagues, and clients and we have found that these connections have been met with much appreciation. Having meaningful discussions with our personal contacts, clients, and those we’ve wanted to get to know better has been productive and deeply gratifying. Together, we are sharing our stories, our ideas, and our personal ups and downs. This level of authentic dialog has strengthened our connections and added a deeper layer to our relationships.
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Partnerships pay off: We are getting creative and working with like-minded contacts and businesses that align with our mission and services. One of our brokers has teamed up with a contractor and together they are offering clients a free 30 minute virtual consultation for any DIY home projects they might be working on during this time. For added value, they put together a list of projects people might want to start working on or are feeling stuck completing, or unsure where to start. “One lingering project I am working on has been replacing my rotting deck plate, the rotting sill, various clapboards and replacing each deck board. We’ve had some help, a former client of mine, who has done extraordinary work and was able to finish up before the latest stay at home order.” - Chris Davis, Sales Agent, Vitalius Real Estate Group
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Think routine: At this point we have established a loose routine that accommodates work/family balance. We are doing our best to maintain a schedule that best supports family time and work time. “I still get up, work out, shower and get dressed everyday, albeit a little later and perhaps a bit more casual than usual. I'm definitely a creature of habit, and when I shed good habits, they're replaced by worse ones. One observation: I no longer latch the door closed when I go into the bathroom. I'm not sure what that's about, but I hope I snap out of it when I go back to the office.” - Chris Sullivan, Partner Broker, Vitalius Real Estate Group
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Invest in YOU: For those of us that have found we have additional time in their day, we have been taking advantage of online professional and self-improvement courses and we are sharing these with our colleagues. The real estate landscape changes so sharpening our knowledge to better represent our industry benefits the clients we serve.
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Own your knowledge: We are staying informed and taking advantage of the tools and data we already have access to, like MLS. We are spending time looking back at the market to help the question everyone asks: "What's going to happen to the real estate market?” Although we are open and honest with people when acknowledging this changing economic climate, we have met and weathered economic challenges before and we all agree that the real estate market can and will recover.
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Invest in the tools: Working from our home office dining room has definitely a learning curve to it. One tool we recommend investing in is a decent pair of noise-canceling headphones ranging from $160-$300. There are several good options but have found that Beats Solo Pro is a great value.
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Community matters: Our team is deeply rooted in the community so we are supporting their efforts to keep their businesses active. We’ve recently discovered Maine Open, Online, a growing online store that is encouraging small businesses to add their online shops to their site by region. "I am purchasing fresh produce and eggs direct from nearby farms and taking advantage of pick-up services from my neighborhood stores like Rosemont Market. I was excited to purchase handmade face masks online from local designer Anne Riggs. And of course, ordering takeout from my favorite restaurants who are desperately trying to make it work while they are closed." -Elise Loschiavo, Associate Broker, Vitalius Real Estate Group
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You’ve got this! Daily we are recognizing and tapping into our unique strengths, creativity, and compassion. We are discovering qualities about ourselves and each other that leave us inspired and motivated to be the best we can be. We are helping others in need during difficult times and we are creating space for brightening everyone’s days. “My girls drew a colorful rainbow picture and put it in our window for passerby’s to see... to let you know I’m thinking of you all and sending you positivity during these uncertain times.” - Rachel Davey, Associate Broker, Vitalius Real Estate Group
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Our Team is here for you.
Be well.
Brit and the Vitalius Real Estate Group
