More Stories

Thomas Ceponis, CRB, CNHS has worked in real estate for more than 30 years. In addition to his executive role as a Senior Vice President with Howard Hanna Real Estate, he also oversees the Howard Hanna New Homes Division. We interviewed Tom recently for some of his thoughts on news home sales opportunities and keys to success.
 
How did you get your start in the business?
 
After working for a small brokerage for a few years, I was brought on board by a new company in town to build a new homes division. I the early 80's we faced some difficult market conditions with 30 year fixed rates as high as 18%. In spite of that, Tom and his team sold more than 43 million dollars worth of new homes over an 18 month period.
 
That's a lot of sales in those days. How did you make that happen?
 
We worked out tails off! At the time, there was really no one else in real estate doing much at all in new homes. We brought a level of professionalism that the builders themselves weren't delivering at a time when there was a strong demand for homes. Since affordability was such an issue, we worked very hard to make the most of each and every lead we had, and it paid off.
 
 When did you move on from that position?
 
It was sometime in the mid 80's that I joined Howard Hanna and began building a new home sales division for this company. We've enjoyed a great deal of success in that arena over the years.
 
How did you grow that business?
 
We build the business the same way you build a home – one piece at a time. By that I mean we worked hard to build relationships with quality builders and find ways to help make them more successful. One example was exposure we could provide them on the Howard Hanna Real Estate Channel. We also made sure we drove business from our resale associates and those of other brokers in our market. It was important for REALTORS® to know they would be paid there commissions as promised.
 
What do you  feel are some of the keys to success in new home sales?
 
Selling new homes is not a part-time job. It takes a lot of time and dedication. At the same time, it's great business that rewards handsomely for that effort.
 
Of course, I always emphasize the importance of having the sales skills and product knowledge to earn the respect of both builders and new home buyer customers. That's where the RCC and CNHS designation training really shines. In my book, this is mandatory for anyone who intends to work with builders or new home buyers. Further, these same sales skills are the keys to success in resale real estate as well. One of my greatest challenges as a manager is the fact that too many sales associates today have never learned in-depth, professional-level sales skills. Your training delivers this in spades.
 
What trends are you seeing right now?
 
We're seeing more buyers looking for smaller, easier to maintain homes. Many are empty-nesters who ideally want to have a small home here and another somewhere in the sun-belt areas such as the Carolinas. We've had success with high-end condos in the downtown area as well as patio homes and carriage house designs in the suburbs. There's also a market for first-time buyers where builders can come to the market at the proper price points.

As we move forward, affordability is again going to be a prime issue, so it's important to make sure we're in tune with what's most important in buyers' minds. Builders who deliver that will always find a market.