Agent Peter Cowie and owner Karen Stephens of Page-Taft Real Estate’s Guilford office recently attended the third annual Luxury Brokers Retreat in Charleston, S.C.
Karen Stephens, owner, and Peter Cowie, agent, in the Guilford office of Page-Taft Real Estate recently attended the third annual Luxury Brokers Retreat in Charleston, S.C. The retreat offered the opportunity to network with professionals from the luxury real estate industry and to discuss real estate issues relevant to the luxury real estate market.
With luxury real estate clients coming from all parts of the world, experts say, building a strong referral base is crucial to successful marketing of those distinctive properties. The retreat attempted to accomplish that goal while also encouraging the exchange of ideas with brokers and agents who specialize in the luxury real estate market. In addition, featured speakers presented information on such current topics as “The Future of the Internet in Real Estate,” “Marketing and Branding” and “The Fastest-Growing Segment of the Real Estate Market.”
Page-Taft Real Estate is one of the Connecticut shoreline’s foremost independently owned and managed real estate firms. With offices in Essex, Guilford, Madison and Old Lyme, Page-Taft is in the position to represent properties along the shoreline and in the river towns of the lower Connecticut Valley. Since opening its doors in 1980, the company has grown to include 55 full-time agents and a staff of 12.
GNHAR Honors Wrzosek
The Greater New Haven Association of Realtors has named Jim Wrzosek as the recipient of the Realtor of the Year Award for 2005. He is the first Realtor to be consecutively honored with the award.
Wrzosek is the owner and broker of Classic Properties in Hamden. He describes himself as a firm believer that Realtors receive much from the community and therefore ought to give back in kind and has devoted countless hours to establishing a path for future leaders, increasing member participation in the association and creating programs and events to benefit the community and the association. He started a charity golf tournament that has raised more than $35,000 during the last two years to benefit needy individuals in the community. He also established a successful sponsorship program to underwrite the cost of speakers for meetings such as the Power Lunch series, which is held monthly to keep members informed of the latest industry issues as well as to establish and heighten awareness of such matters in the Legislature and the community.
Wrzosek served as a Region 4 vice president of the Connecticut Association of Realtors in 2004 and as GNHAR president in 2003. He attends meetings at the national level. During the past 10 years, he served on the GNHAR board of directors, eventually becoming president. He was also a major supporter of “Realtors at the Capitol” this year, spearheading a legislative breakfast with Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz and other elected officials and state representatives.
Wrzosek received his award at the association’s annual clambake for members at Amarante’s Sea Cliff restaurant in New Haven.
