Gregory Eccleston, of Century 21 Access America in Coventry, was recently honored by the Kent Washington Association of Realtors as the organization’s 2022 Realtor of the Year.
A full-time real estate agent serving Rhode Island homebuyers and sellers since 1985, Eccleston was recognized for his professional accomplishments but also for his volunteer endeavors, which include mentoring high school seniors who have an interest in real estate, participating in the association’s community outreach initiatives in partnership with Save The Bay Inc. and South County Habitat for Humanity, and supporting nonprofits such as Easterseals, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the National Audubon Society.
Healing Beyond the Surface: Expert Wound Care with Angela Fazio, RN, BSN, CWCN
Why specialized treatment matters more than you may realize. For millions of Americans, chronic wounds…
Learn More
Eccleston also served as the Kent Washington Association of Realtors 2021 board president, after several years on the board.
PBN: What’s your reaction to being named Kent Washington Association of Realtors 2022 Realtor of the Year? What do you think of the reasons the organization gave for selecting you, such as your volunteer efforts and your community activities?
ECCLESTON: I must say I was completely surprised. There are many other members who give a lot of their time and are equally deserving. I made a decision several years ago to get more involved. While serving as president in 2021, I had a chance to see how much work was being done by all the volunteers in our multiple committees. With the presidency behind me, I joined many of the committees. My favorite committee is community outreach. Working with South County Habitat for Humanity and Save the Bay has been rewarding and a team effort. I’ve made great relations with those I volunteer with.
PBN: What is your work like as a real estate professional in your area of the state?
ECCLESTON: Our office is centrally located in Kent County, so we service much of the small state of Rhode Island. Most of our business is in suburban and rural areas of the state. It’s a competitive market, with many agents, many who I have come to know well through co-broking sales.
PBN: What’s your view on the housing market we’re seeing right now in Rhode Island? What are the challenges for you and other real estate professionals based on the level of inventory and demand out there?
ECCLESTON: It was like the perfect storm – a booming economy, low interest rates, owner-occupied buyers competing with investors and flippers. Enter COVID-19. Suddenly, many people worked and schooled from home. They needed extra space. Travel was limited, so second homes became highly desired. Rhode Island provided a perfect opportunity for those in higher-priced markets to invest in a second home or vacation home in a market that to them seemed like a bargain.
This out-of-state money helped to cause a surge in values. Inventory was at all-time lows and multiple offers with over-asking price offers were becoming the norm. COVID and an already hot market also helped to attract more people to the profession of selling real estate. Some were not able to work their normal job or needed to work from home. We saw our highest numbers of licensed agents, while also experiencing our lowest inventory numbers. Needless to say, this created a highly competitive market.
With the pandemic behind us and things mostly back to normal, it seems the frenzy has cooled down. Interest rates have risen and purchasing power is down. We are still in a strong market with a shortage of housing, but it seems the multiple, over-asking-price offers aren’t happening as often. In fact, I’m seeing some price adjustments for homes that have been on the market for several weeks. If you’re looking to sell, you can still expect a very good sales price. If you’re looking to buy, you are now in a better position to negotiate.
PBN: What was it like to lead KWAOR as its board president in 2021? What are your hopes for the organization?
ECCLESTON: The staff at KWAOR is amazing and made the whole thing much easier. I was concerned that the extra commitment would take away from my business, but I somehow ended up with more business. I’m a believer in “the more you give, the more you get.” I learned so much that year and felt honored to have served that role. Once again, a lot of credit goes to the staff. I would encourage any of our members to consider serving in leadership.
As for my hopes for the organization, I would like to see us strive to be as professional as possible. I want our members to be the best they can be. We are always working hard to provide the best training and education. I’d like to see more of our members getting involved with committees, activities, meetings and even leadership. Our board provides many benefits that some of our members don’t take advantage of.
I also want to serve our community the best we can by being an advocate for property owners, and to work with the state and local municipalities on ways to provide ideas and solutions to our affordable housing dilemma.
PBN: What’s your advice to newly licensed real estate agents out there about being able to remain productive at work while also being able to remain active in the community like you have been?
ECCLESTON: I would say it is very important to understand that it could take some time before you’re able to create an income. As with any business, there are expenses as well. Set yourself up the best you can financially to start your new career. I would also suggest the following: let everyone in your sphere of influence know that you are in real estate, and remind them often.
Consider a brokerage that provides training. You’ll learn a lot with your pre-license course, but it won’t provide you with the training you’ll need to market yourself and the knowledge of the day-to-day practices of a successful real estate agent. Take advantage of free training. For example, KWAOR offers “Lunch ’n Learn” classes. You can learn all sorts of subjects from legal matters to promoting yourself on social media.
Don’t expect things to start automatically happening. The most successful agents built their businesses by getting past the fear of prospecting. You’ll hear the word “no” a lot but get used to it. It can take a lot of “no’s” before you get a “yes.” Don’t get discouraged early.
And try to get mentorship from an experienced agent. Successful, experienced agents are great to learn from, and they can often use your help too. Conducting open houses for another agent can get you face to face with potential clients.
Marc Larocque is a PBN contributing writer.
