While 2020 was a difficult year for many industries, real estate in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas experienced an unexpected boom that is continuing to flourish.
Nearly a year ago, as Florida shut down non-essential businesses, the then-80 agents of the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills offices of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group, located east of I-75 on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, left work and headed for their own homes.
“We were bracing for a downturn,” says Veronica Davidson, market president and managing Broker, explaining that the company acted quickly to set up video conferences and provide resources to its agents, such as prospecting tools. “But the opposite happened. Who would have thought it?”
In fact, the company has since grown to 115 agents.
While some of the new agents have come from other professions, Veronica says most are from other brokerages. “They are looking for more support,” she says, “and we provide that.”
The local Berkshire Hathaway office’s success can be measured in dollars, too. Veronica says that last year was record-breaking, with $23 million in sales closed in December 2020 alone — an increase of about $10 million over 2019.
“It’s wild,” Veronica says. “Most people’s homes are selling for at least 100% of the list price — or higher —within hours.”
She says local inventory is incredibly low, with less than one month of supply available.
With 16 years of selling real estate under her belt before she took on her current role in 2019, Veronica remembers the last time real estate was this hot. However, she says she does not expect this bubble to burst.
“It’s different because it’s people coming from out of state or wanting more space because they’re spending so much time in their homes,” she explains. “These are real people looking to move into the homes, not investors (like when the last bubble burst in 2008).”
She says the mortgage side is different, too, with more regulations than in 2008. With interest rates low, it’s a great time to buy, and there are a lot of buyers out there.
“Some of our agents are getting really creative to get an offer accepted,” says Veronica, noting that she’s been impressed with her agents’ tactics and the way they are working for their clients. “Buyers want the homes so bad and competition is so crazy.”
Veronica hopes to see the market balance out, which she expects will happen if more inventory were to become available. “More people selling will level out the demand,” she explains.
In fact, this is a crucial opportunity for people who may have experienced a job loss because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Most people have equity in their homes right now,” she explains. “Don’t let your home go into foreclosure if you’ve lost your job.”
Anyone with questions about the amount of equity they have in their home can call the agents at her office, who can help you understand your options for selling your home, and what it might be worth.
“Our agents have the experience in this incredibly competitive market to help market your home and get the highest price,” she explains. “And, for buyers, we can help you get your offers accepted.”
Alison Ward now lives in Country Walk in Wesley Chapel. When she previously lived in Meadow Pointe, she wanted to downsize, so she reached out to a friend of a friend to help her sell her current home and buy a new one.
That acquaintance was Kendra Wilson, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway, and Alison says working with her was an incredible experience.
“She came in and told me everything I needed to do to pretty my house up to sell it,” Alison explains. “When we went live, I had three or four offers within a day or two, then closed just a few weeks later.”
Alison appreciated how prepared Kendra was, understanding the market, and backed with research.
“She was knowledgeable,” says Alison. “She was also easy to contact, always available, and made me feel like no question was dumb.”
Alison says a house in her former neighborhood had the same layout as hers and had been on the market a few months when she listed her home.
“I was in and out in a week and they were still on the market,” Alison says. “It could have been any number of reasons why that home didn’t sell, but I think mine did because I listened to Kendra’s advice, even about things like if there are too many pictures on the wall sand how the home smells.”
She adds that Kendra made the process incredibly easy. “I was super stressed, and she helped with every facet, from financing to finding people to do work around the house, such as flooring,” said Alison. “She was able to provide resources to get done what we needed to get done.”
Name Recognition
If the name Berkshire Hathaway seems familiar beyond the real estate business, it’s because it is derived from the holding company Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., which is chaired by billionaire financier and company CEO Warren Buffett.
The local Berkshire Hathaway office is part of HomeServices of America, Inc., which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
In fact, what is now called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group was originally founded in 1959 as Tropical Realty. Dewey Mitchell and Allen Crumbley acquired the business in 1984, then aligned with the Prudential Real Estate Network in 1988. In 2012, Berkshire Hathaway purchased that group, including the local Prudential Tropical Realty office on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) at S.R. 56.
The current Berkshire Hathaway office opened in March of 2018.
The New Tampa/Wesley Chapel office is one of 20 offices under the Florida Properties Group umbrella. Veronica says the agents are committed to an exceptional culture, where they practice the company’s mission statement of teamwork, integrity, passion and excellence.
They know the area and the market, and Veronica says all of her agents share sincerity and a true desire to help people. They do so using all of the resources of their global company.
“We are solution providers for all of people’s real estate needs,” Veronica explains, “including every aspect of property management, commercial real estate, insurance and title.”
Serving The Community
The agents of the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Berkshire Hathaway office also are committed to serving the community around them. They hold a food and toy drive for Metropolitan Ministries during the holiday season, which collected more than 7,000 pounds of food last year, and they also support the Berkshire Hathaway Florida Property Group charity, called Sunshine Kids, which gives children who have terminal diseases a week in Orlando to go to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.
At the office’s annual “Be The Sunshine” event, agents take the day off to serve a charitable organization. This year, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel agents chose to support the Thomas Promise Foundation in Zephyrhills, creating and stuffing bags with nonperishable food and school supplies for Pasco County children in late February.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group is located at 26771 S.R. 56, in the same shopping plaza as Buffalo Wild Wings. For more info, visit BHHSFloridaProperties.com or call (813) 907-8200. To browse properties available for rent or learn about property management services, visit the Berkshire Hathaway online portal at RentAHomeWithUs.com.
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