Market value: Broker sees reason to open school amid recession


Market value: Broker sees reason to open school amid recession- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

By Angela Carter, Register Staff
acarter@newhavenregister.com



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NEW HAVEN — Real estate broker Roberta Graham is constantly being asked why she is leasing out larger commercial space and opening a new real estate school in this economy.

Think about it: Hiring remains weak, as new applications for jobless benefits spiked last week to the highest level in almost six months, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

According to a separate report by RealtyTrac, a company that monitors foreclosure trends, foreclosures filed in Connecticut jumped to about 2,300 in July, up from about 1,900 in June.

Connecticut had the 20th-highest foreclosure filings rate in the country.

Unshaken, Graham acknowledged such data Friday at her new administrative offices above a Wachovia Branch at 390 Whalley Ave. But she pulled out numbers released by The Warren Group that she finds encouraging and keeps on hand.

“Single-family home sales in Connecticut surged 33 percent in June compared to a year earlier, while the median home price climbed for the seventh straight month, according to a new report by The Warren Group, publisher of The Commercial Record,” she reads.

Graham is president and founder of Outreach Property Management and is moving from another site on Whalley Avenue. She needs more space to accommodate her new Outreach School of Real Estate, which will be able to seat 30 to 35 students per class.

“We have a waiting list of 50 people because we couldn’t accommodate them,” she said. “What we’re finding is that a lot of people are getting laid off and losing their jobs. I think we’re going to see growth in entrepreneurs,” she said.

So she’s focused on the current growth of Outreach Property Management more as an opportunity to meet a need, rather than just taking a risk.

Comments

tanya said…
Choosing to become a real estate agent in these financially challenging times can be a way for most people who are facing uncertainty of job loss and skyrocketing unemployment to venture in a new arena to turn their financial situation around. A career in real estate can be challenging as well as rewarding. This is the best time to capitalize on the opportunity to become a realtor as well as give back to your community and helping people achieve their goals of homeownership. There are many benefits in becoming a licensed realtor especially for women. The benefits are endless. Women in real estate are able to effectively juggle the responsibilities of work and family life where it matters the most. To start a career in real estate register at Outreach Property Management, 390 Whalley Ave, New Haven CT 06511.