Five on Friday: Claire’s Podcast Debut!

Claire Paris: Navigating the Real Estate Market and Buyer-Seller Dynamics

Our very own Principal Broker, Claire Paris, was recently a guest on Christopher Cumby and Allan Wich’s podcast Think Bold, Be Bold. Read on below for a preview of their chat and be sure to clink the link to the podcast to hear the whole thing!

1. It seems like recently sellers get to call the shots and buyers are in competition to impress them for homes. What is your take on that?

“…The first thing obviously starts with a conversation with whomever the other agent is to find out what is motivating the seller because that’s always the question. Obviously, price motivates the seller but sometimes there are other things. Especially in Portland where the seller is worried their house they’ve owned for 25 years is going to be bought by a developer and raised to the ground and replaced by a high-rise. You know there’s a lot of people that don’t want that…”

2. I think you have a particularly cute example of some of those tactics you mentioned that my daughter utilized when she was buying her house. Can you share that story?

“Oh my God, it was the cutest thing ever. Seriously the cutest thing ever. So, my nephew was in Allan’s daughter’s kindergarten class and when she was writing her offer for her property she had her students write letters to the seller. So, I had like 30 letters delivered to the seller in little kid’s handwriting – with pictures of chickens and goats – about why Ms. Wich should get the house. It was pretty cool. I think it really did help. I really do; it worked!”

3. What one thing do you see coming down the pike that you think is going to change the industry?

“That’s a good question, I think ironically, I think it’s actually interest-rates right now. That’s going to get people to go back to the basics and work. In 2007, I don’t think Realtors had that much value. I really felt like anybody could do the job. I mean there was nothing to do, loans were free and easy. You just had to sign your name. Now loans are actually more difficult, and more increases in the interest rate is going to further complicate that.”

4. What about the over-valuation of property?

“…Everybody you talk to has a different story but right now the projection is 115 people a day moving to Portland, Oregon. So, crazy! With our urban growth boundary, which is artificially keeping the prices high – but I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Then obviously with interest rates still low, I think a lot of the things are still putting pressure on prices to stay where they are.”

5. What’s your favorite book?

“That’s a good one, I would say Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink.”

Bonus question: 1. If you were going to a brand-new country, never been there, didn’t research it, and we’re pretty much going in the blind what is the one absolute thing that you would have with you, for sure?

“A toothbrush.”

Bonus question: 2. What is your favorite quote?

“The one I have on my wall is the Goethe, the one that says, ‘Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Boldness has genius power and magic in it. Begin it now.'”

Bonus question: 3. What piece of technology has helped your business the most?

“DocuSign; it’s an electronic signature program. It is terrible to say, but it has made my life so much easier.”

Bonus question: 4. What is one thing would you like to leave the audience with today, something that they can go out and do today that will make their life better, more efficient, more effective, maybe more economic, from an entrepreneurial standpoint?

“For me, personally, I will say that it is not going to be anything mind-blowing but I think it’s just another back to basics. I find that for me and for most people, there is something on your list that you are avoiding and you are doing a bunch of other stuff instead of it. I would start the day with whatever is on your list that you’ve been dreading, that you don’t want to do. Just start it, do five minutes of it and then if you don’t finish it that’s fine but just do five minutes of it and keep going back to it and see where you get.”

Click here to hear Claire’s full interview on Think Bold, Be Bold!

Have more questions or want professional advice on buying or selling a home?