Steve Volkers says his
real estate group is in a growth trend. He credits the group's vision to carve out a niche market in downtown Grand Rapids condominiums properties, as well as its use of technology to get properties in front of buyers.
In 2011, Volkers says the group grew by 50 percent, adding five full-time positions. He expects the group, which is part of
Keller Williams Realty, to grow by another two sales positions and a part-time administrative position if sales hold strong.
The group does the majority of its marketing on
SteveVolkersGroup.com,
GRdowntowncondos.com, and
GrandRapidsHomesForSale.com which features a new mapping system that includes statistics on the county, school district and neighborhood, as well as information on completed and pending home sales in the area.
"Sales, as far as (property) values, have plummeted, but there are still a lot of sales," Volkers says. "The
Grand Rapids Association of Realtors membership is down by about 50 percent and the average age of realtors is over 55. I'm in my thirties and am connecting with clients my own age and they’re connecting with someone who's likeminded."
Volkers says the group has attracted over 80,000 hits on its websites this year, and has sold over 160 properties with a total sales value of about $13 million. While the group also represents single-family dwellings outside the downtown area, he says sales and rentals in downtown Grand Rapids represent over 30 percent of his business.
"Our motto is 'Real estate done differently,'" Volkers says. "And we're doing it differently, not just the way it's been done for the past 20 years."
Source: Steve Volkers, Steve Volkers Group
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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