HUNT Real Estate Agents Recognized as “America’s Best Real Estate Professionals”

Respected real estate industry publication REAL Trends has released the 2021 America’s Best Real Estate Professionals list honoring the most productive real estate agents and teams by state and metropolitan area based on transactions and closed sales volume totals in 2020.

In total, 17 HUNT Real Estate ERA sales professionals and teams were recognized by REAL Trends with two teams ranking in the Top 5 for all of New York State. The Magguilli Team of HUNT’s Brighton-Pittsford branch ranked #4 in the Large Teams category with 216.5 transactions in 2020, and the CNY Key Team of HUNT’s CNY East branch ranked #5 in the Small Teams category with 161 transactions in 2020.

HUNT Real Estate sales professionals and teams recognized on the REAL Trends 2021 America’s Best Real Estate Professionals list:

  • John Denniston
    Perinton branch
  • Kathleen DiMillo
    Lockport branch
  • David Duskee
    Liverpool branch
  • Brian Hillery
    West Seneca branch
  • Carol Klein
    Lancaster branch
  • Jennifer Ball
    Glens Falls branch
  • Timothy Domanski
    Hamburg branch
  • Richard Orczyk
    Greece branch
  • Michelle Winer
    Williamsville/Clarence branch
  • CNY Key Team
    CNY East branch
  • The Blake Team
    Buffalo Metropolitan branch
  • Chip Hodgkins Team
    CNY East branch
  • Rochester One Real Estate Team
    Brighton-Pittsford branch
  • The Magguilli Team
    Brighton-Pittsford branch
  • James Hoffman Team Williamsville/Clarence branch
  • The Joseph Trifilo Team
    Williamsville Village branch
  • Enas Latif Sales Team
    Williamsville Village branch

According to REAL Trends, the agents on their America’s Best Real Estate Professionals list rank in the top 1.5% of the 1.4 million licensed Realtors® in the country.

“We are thrilled to see our sales professionals recognized nationally for their efforts,” said Charlie Hunt, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of HUNT Real Estate ERA. “To be ranked as one of ‘America’s Best’ is a reflection of the hard work and dedication that they put into serving their clients’ needs each and every day.”

The full ranking of America’s Best Real Estate Professionals in New York can be found here: https://www1.realtrends.com/best-real-estate-agents-new-york

6/19 Radio Show: Stephen Fitzmaurice

Your host, Peter Hunt, welcomes Stephen Fitzmaurice to the show.

Stephen Fitzmaurice is the Sr. Vice President of HUNT Property Services.

Peter leads the discussion on the post-pandemic world and how commercial real estate and property management are changing. 

6/12 Radio Show: Tom Kucharski

Our host, Peter Hunt, welcomes Tom Kucharski, President and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara.

Peter and Tom discuss the real estate market in WNY over the past year and how it is developing and changing in 2021. 

How to Find a Property for Sale in 2021

Brick house with trees and a real estate sign in the front yard

We all know the real estate market in 2021 is competitive. It seems like every time you find a great property for sale, it’s off the market in a day or two. So what’s happening with the real estate market and how can you, as a buyer, find your home?

The Real Estate Market in 2021

According to the NYSAR (New York State Association of Realtors), the number of properties available has been dwindling over the past 17 months. April 2020 had 49,195 properties on the market compared to April 2021, which only had 28,751, a 22.2% decrease year over year. The cost of homes is increasing, too, with the average price up 42.3% from 2020 to a median price of $370,000.

…But Mortgage Rates are still Near Historic Lows

While prices rise and competition is high, there are some positive things happening in the housing market. Mortgage rates, while rising slowly, are still near historically low rates. This is good for buyers who are in the market looking to buy. For more information on APR or mortgages, be sure to visit HUNTMortgage.com.

How to Find a Property for Sale

  1. Use a real estate agent. Your agent is an invaluable resource who is aware of the market conditions. Working with an agent to buy your home has a ton of benefits.
  2. Understand your wants vs. needs. This will help you determine what you’re looking for in a home and help you rule out properties that aren’t suited to you. To get tips on how to determine your home wants vs. needs, be sure to check out our blog.
  3. Get Pre-Approved. Now, more than ever, pre-approval is important. Attaching a pre-approval to your offer shows the seller you’re serious. And if you’re looking to get an edge over the competition, be sure to check out HUNT Mortgage’s Pre-Purchase Commitment.
  4. Be Decisive. Homes that come on the market are likely going to go fast. You may only have a day or two to decide if you want to place an offer in on the home. Some agents are even using offer deadlines, which will impact your time frame as a buyer. Moral of the story: If you’d like to make an offer, you’ll have to make a decision…and quickly. In April 2021 the median number of days a home was on the market was only 17 days (compared to 27 days in April of 2020) with an average of 5 offers on each property (up from 2.5 offers in April 2020).
  5. Be Patient. There is no doubt that today’s market is incredibly competitive. Which means there could be some disappointment for buyers. But if you’ve got a great real estate partner and a bit of patience, you’ll find your perfect home.

If you’re looking to learn more about the current housing market, curious about what your home is worth, or looking for your first home, please contact a HUNT Real Estate sales professional today.

6/5 Radio Show: Jake Schneider

Our host, Peter Hunt, welcomes Jake Schneider –  Principal, Schneider Architectural Services PC

Peter and Jake discuss Schneider Architectural Services, what services they provide, and Schneider’s recently completed and upcoming projects.

Who’s Moved to HUNT Real Estate ERA


We are pleased to welcome the following sales professionals to the HUNT Real Estate ERA family. Their association further affirms our commitment to offering the highest level of service to our clients.

Buffalo/Niagara

  • Carol Hunt
    Batavia
  • Katie Brown
    Lockport
  • Deborah Elizalde
    Lockport
  • Matt Newman
    Buffalo Metropolitan
  • Erin Ciminelli
    West Seneca
  • Emily Kindred
    West Seneca
  • John Oakley
    West Seneca
  • Tara Ganschow
    Wheatfield
  • Tia Parsons
    Williamsville/Clarence
  • Michael Spence
    Williamsville/Clarence

Rochester & Southern Tier

  • Berina Heganovic
    Brighton/Pittsford
  • Amanda Mahoney
    Perinton
  • Jane Paul
    Perinton
  • Cheryl Long
    Spencerport

Central NY

  • Ryan Cochrane
    Camillus
  • Mia Montreal
    Camillus

Capital Region

  • Laura McIntosh
    Saratoga Springs

Arizona

  • Michele Rozansky
    Glendale

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN HUNT?
HERE ARE JUST A FEW REASONS…

The HUNT® Reputation
Rankings & Accolades

  • #1 Family-Owned and Operated Real Estate Firm in New York State
  • Top-Ranked Broker in the ERA Real Estate network 
  • Ranked #43 on REAL Trends Top 500 Brokerages Survey* 
  • Gene Francis Memorial Award Winner Honoring ERA’s Top All-Around Company 
  • Member of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate 
  • Ranked one of Western New York’s Fastest-Growing Companies

The Most Productive Agents 

  • 1600 Licensed Real Estate Professionals in 50+ Branches
  • 13,000+ Transactions
  • $3.3 Billion in Closed Sales
  • Per Person Productivity of Nearly 9 Transactions
HUNT CAREERS

If you’re ready to take advantage of everything we have to offer AND make more money, join HUNT Real Estate ERA today!

*Source: 2021 REAL Trends 500 | Ranked by Closed Transaction Sides

5/29 Radio Show: James Marrano

Our host, Peter Hunt, welcomes James Marrano – President of the Buffalo Niagara Builders Association.

Peter and James discuss James’ position at Marrano Homes, the Buffalo Niagara Builders Association and the impact of the pandemic on homebuilding.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1304581.js?player=small&artist=HUNT%20Real%20Estate%20Corporation&tags=james%20marrano&container_id=buzzsprout-small-player-1304581-artist-HUNT-20Real-20Estate-20Corporation-tags-james-20marrano

Do Pets Impact Home Buying Decisions?

We love our pets. 66% of U.S. households have a pet or plan to get one. So it’s no surprise that when we’re buying a new home, our pets impact our home buying decisions. But just how much influence do they have over our home buying habits? And what property features matter most?

Homebuyers & Pets

Our pets can influence what type of home we buy and where the home is located. 43% of survey respondents said they would move or change their living situation to accommodate their pet.

Many millennials (~37% of buyers) are now in the housing market, so it should come as no surprise that buyers are becoming more concerned with pet-friendly features. Research shows that 76% of millennials are proud pet owners and see their pets as more than just their animal companions. 2 out of 5 said they actually think of their pets as their kids, so it’s no wonder their pet’s comfort is important to them when choosing a home.

REALTORS agree pets are important to their buyers, with 68% stating that community animal policies influenced their clients’ decision to rent/buy in a particular community.

What Pet-Friendly Features Matter Most?

So if you’re a home seller, what pet-friendly features are homebuyers looking for? Almost half (49%) said that a fenced-in yard was the most important feature they’re looking for with pets. 27% said they wanted a home large enough for both their family and their pet (s). Other factors included flooring, a mud room/dog wash station, a dog door, animal pool/outside water feature, a cat litter closet, and a built-in pet food bowl/pet bed.

If you’re ready to buy or sell your home, pets or no pets, make sure you contact a HUNT Sales Professional today!

HUNT Real Estate Launches New Online Learning Platform for Agents and Customers

HUNT Real Estate ERA announced today the launch of HUNT Learning, its new online learning management system. The HUNT Learning dashboard offers instant access to a comprehensive library of on-demand classes, links to live sessions and a variety of training resources to help HUNT sales professionals – both new and experienced – learn new skills and strengthen their real estate expertise. With its detailed analytics and reporting, the HUNT Career Development team will be able to recommend specific training classes to help its Sales Professionals grow their business. 

In the coming months, HUNT will debut a public-facing component to HUNT Learning that will educate consumers on all facets of the home buying and selling process.

“HUNT Learning is a direct result of our Sales Professionals telling us they want more on-demand training options and the ability to learn when it fits into their busy schedules,” said Jennifer Maxian, Director of Career Development for HUNT Real Estate. “Through proven innovative education strategies like the flipped classroom model that is a core piece of our Kickstart learning program, the new HUNT Learning platform lets us provide world-class education while being responsive to the needs of our sales professionals.”

According to Peter F. Hunt, Chairman and CEO of HUNT Real Estate Corp., “Today’s HUNT Real Estate, including all our component parts, has been built on our learning culture. We have been known as “The Training Company” for decades. This important step in our evolution is an extension of this foundation and another example of how we live our vision – to always be there for our sales professionals and our customers.”

The HUNT Learning platform is powered by Northpass, an industry-leading provider of learning management systems. Other Northpass clients include Airbnb, Shopify and Uber.