June Realty Cover Story

The New Realtors on the Block

June Realty in East Greenwich began during the pandemic and looks to serve their community.

by Mark Berger

Events during the last 18 months have given some people the incentive to go in another direction professionally. Their job may have been eliminated and they adjusted to starting their own business. Others just needed a chance to explore other interests and went that way. Some may have benefited from the chance to become superstars in their company from the start.

For one group of realtors who have been together for years, the uncertainty led them to bond professionally on a deeper level and they decided to form a new company based on their vast real estate expertise. June Realty, located on 7 Franklin Road in East Greenwich, began as a five-agent endeavor who spent years working at other area firms before embarking on this new business venture. Led by Principal Broker Michael Pereira, the firm works with clients on finding residential properties statewide. The other realtors/ partners in the group include: Josh West, Samantha Durand, Paula Gallant, and Christina Israel. They created a referral-based premise that has resulted in successful efforts.

“The opportunity presented itself to set up in East Greenwich; there’s plenty to see and do here,” said West, on choosing their location. “We work together so the rest of us can pitch in when the lead realtor is unavailable. We are a full-service boutique agency that wants its clients to feel valued and heard during their home buying or selling process. Customer service is at the forefront for us. It’s more than just a transaction, it’s a life-long relationship.” The first step to homeownership is ensuring their clients are pre-approved for a mortgage. It is important to know what they qualify for and what their monthly mortgage payments would look like. Knowing that beforehand enables the parties to focus on where to look and the range they are comfortable handling. It also demonstrates a buyer’s commitment. The next step would be looking for a home. That becomes tricky because inventory has been significantly low over the last year-plus. West noted

that they have about 1,000 properties on MLS, which is the Multiple Listing Service, where all homes are listed, statewide. In a normal environment, realtors have several thousand homes to offer. This causes a seller’s market with multiple bids and offers— making it difficult for people to move.

Although sellers are in the driver’s seat, they aren’t so much if they also need to find a home. One suggestion he made was buying the new home first, then selling the existing home. That would help solve both issues—assuming everything goes according to plan. “While there are plenty of available resources out there to figure out a home’s value, hiring a realtor makes the most sense,” West explained. “People can use the Internet to find out how much their house may be worth,” West said. “However, the Internet will not know how much other homes in their neighborhood sold for; it won’t know the town’s environment such as schools, facilities, and amenities. A good realtor will know all of these things and advocate for the purchaser or seller in ways the Internet won’t.” Another reason to use a realtor would be for advice on displaying the home. They could mention the outside area having “curb appeal” with trimmed shrubbery, and grass mowed and that inside, the home should be decluttered and look like a house and not a home.

Other tips for buying a home include: saving money for the down payment and the first several mortgage payments. Doing the research beforehand will help with understanding the market to determine price ranges that can be expected. “For selling a home, the biggest mistake is overpricing. Even though it remains a seller’s market, asking prices that are too high will sit until the price falls, West said. “Another tip is to renovate instead of replace. Homeowners who put in a new kitchen, for example, may not get the money back in the deal.” West encourages simplicity over complexity. “A fresh coat of paint can work wonders for the newness of a home. Fixing the floors and cracks would be a costsaving option as opposed to installing new floors. People forget that just because they rebuild their homes, does not often translate into more money in the sale. A refresh is usually the better option,” he explained. Since they opened their doors earlier this year, they hired another agent, Courtney Perry. Their hope during the next several months would be to meet more people seeking to find a new home or sell their current one. The market will eventually become level so they want their clients to take advantage of state and federal incentives and grant programs. Additionally, Michael is the president of the Greater Providence Board of Realtors, and Samantha also serves on its board of directors.

For more information about June Realty, please contact them at 401-447-2862 or junerealtyRI@gmail.com.