Post-Coronavirus is Prime Time for Investing in Staten Island
In episode three of the Casandra Properties podcast, CEO James Prendamano speaks with Office Manager & Associate Broker John Vernazza, who has been a part of the Casandra Properties family for two years. Among his many accomplishments, John serves on the Board of Directors at NYSAR and was named 2017 Realtor of the Year by NAR. He also has numerous other designations, awards, and civic leadership roles. Both John Vernazza and James Prendamano share a tremendous love for real estate, and both have tremendous pride in Staten Island. James Prendamano, in fact, has a promising outlook for Staten Island commercial and residential real estate in this new era of Covid that has forever changed us.
Upon speaking with John Vernazza, you would think real estate is the only career he’s ever known. However, he actually started out in money-market funds on Wall Street, where he worked for two decades until 1998 – the very start of the digital revolution. And no one had any idea of what was to come. After Wall Street, John took some time to figure to things out. He says it was his wife’s patience and support that enabled him to move forward. A native Staten Islander, John had always been heavily involved in the community and formed many friendships and relationships over the years. Motivated by this, and his kinship to the Island, he decided to enroll in a real estate course and set forth on a new path. In a short time, he became manager of an agency and then formed his own company a few years later. At Casandra Properties, John takes new agents through his own specialized training course to completely prepare them for any situation that may arise during a transaction. For new realtors just starting out, he suggests they listen to everything their client has to say first — without talking. It’s the way to build trusting relationships.
Seasoned professionals John Vernazza and James Prendamano both share tremendous pride in Staten Island, its residents, and the value of its real estate for both owners and investors. James notes that Staten Island has been a great place to invest for decades, but people are finally starting to notice. The pandemic made people shift gears and reevaluate things. People are now looking to leave the dense city and come here for a more suburban lifestyle, and they’ll also get fast access to New York City. With Covid changing the way we live and do business, our digital consumption has soared more than ever. And digital marketing is exactly how Staten Island will showcase its properties, which puts in an excellent position. We are poised for growth.
Staten Island is a great place to invest. We’ve had 500 listings since March 2020. People are looking to relocate, and there’s also pent-up demand from those who had listed previously but physically couldn’t transact during Covid-19. And of course, interest rates are low, and they will stay low for the foreseeable future. With major development deals on the horizon, Staten Island is on the rebound. We’re (roughly) half a million strong, half a million proud, and we’re just a 23 minute boat-ride to New York City.
If you’re looking for smart, steady growth, Staten Island is the place where you should be investing now.
Check out Casandra Properties podcasts and blogs for more Staten Island real estate information from the industry professionals and insiders.
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