Award-winning real estate agent switches companies, expects busier year
By Steve Yablonski
Teri Beckwith has been a full-time real estate professional for more than two decades serving Oswego, Onondaga and Cayuga counties.
She received the Century 21 Centurian Producer award for 12 years running as well as several awards through the local board of Realtors. She had been the No. 1 real estate agent at Century 21 Leah’s Signature for more than 20 years.
She now works at Hunt Real Estate ERA. Her goal, she said, is to be there for her clients throughout the entire real estate process, ensuring it is as easy and stress-free as possible.
Hunt Real Estate ERA was founded in 1911 and has a branch on Oswego Road (Route 57) in Liverpool.
“I work much of the time from my home office, but yes, Liverpool is my branch,” she said. “My direct contact number is 315-592-1471.”
The company has a better marketing department and communicates with their agents through weekly meetings training, Beckwith said.
While she just recently joined them, she pointed out, “I didn’t change my region at all, just where my main office is. I’ve been doing this for 25 years.”
“My commitment is to deliver superior customer service backed by the industry’s most sophisticated real estate technology tools and marketing systems,” she said. “I am dedicated to providing and interpreting accurate, in-depth information on home values and the real estate market.”
The Sterling resident said she works very hard to stay on top of the challenges of the ever-changing market. She admits that the pandemic has altered the way homes are being shown and sold currently.
“It’s just simply being a real estate professional. You have to be able to adapt to ever-changing circumstances in the business. You have to be ready, know the market. Every day is a new day,” she explained.
“A good agent knows what homes are selling for. They’re in tune with what the buyers are looking for.
“A lot of it is the following — keeping up with past and present clients, of course,” she added. “You have to know what financing programs are out there for the buyers and help them navigate the process. It’s a good time to finance when the market is strong.”
A mortgage boom is under way. American families are taking advantage of historically low interest rates, she said.
“It’s been going up ever since 2019 and increasing every year. It’s a seller’s market,” she said. ”What’s good news for the buyers is the low interest rate. When you have interest rates of 2.5% as opposed to previous years being 5.5, 6.5 or 7.5% or years ago as high as 13%, it’s great for a buyer. They’ll pay far less in the long run because of the interest.”
Beckwith anticipate 2021 being even busier than 2020.
“It’s showing it already in the market. There’s just an over abundance of people waiting for houses. And, our listings will increase in April,” she said.
“People are following the rules,” she continued. “There are only two people in the house when we’re showing it. Buyers aren’t supposed to touch any surfaces if they can help it. And, of course, masks are worn.”
They were doing some virtual tours early on in 2020 to kind of lessen up on the in-person showing.
“I personally don’t feel that took off too well. It’s awfully hard to buy a house through a video,” she said. “We’re trying to make the amount of showings per listing less. So we give them a whole bunch of great photos, a great video. We’re showing less, just during the virus. And, it’s working. It’s working.”
A good agent has to be aware of what type of market you’re in, she said, adding, “Right now, it’s been a great couple of months so far in 2021. It’s been very, very busy.”
Does she have any plans of slowing down?
“Not at all,” she replied quickly.
