Real Estate Perspectives: Interview with Loredana Ciurea, Euro Dome, Brasov
Question: How did 2012 start for the residential market in Brasov?
Loredana Ciurea: In Brasov the residential market has a very small precentage if we were to talk strictly about it. Generally, the real estate market is starting to move. There are a few transactions for every activity segment, meaning apartments, houses, lands and commercial spaces. At the end of 2011, apartments in new buildings sold well, especially those with smaller surfaces and priced correctly.
Q: In 2011 the year started with a high level of interest but few transactions. How did the market evolve last year?
LC: 2011 was a better year for us than 2009 and 2010, that were less succesful in terms of number of transactions. Things tend to settle once the prices stabilized and the demand has always existed, but for different segments, you just need to pay attention to the changes that might appear and keep up with them. There have been no „dead” periods in real estate, only real estate consultants that did not adapt to the climate or that were used to earn well without working too much, as opposed to working twice as hard and earn two times less, but you can still make a good living.
The good things that have happened in the last few year are visible.
Generally, people are more carreful, more attentive to details, less naive, more suspicious, less willing to risk and more willing to work with quality people. Before the client used to say: „If you don’t negociate the comission, I will go to another agency that accepts 1% instead of 2%”. Now that there are less money on the market, they are willing to pay more just so they have security over the transaction and the certainty of quaility services.
In terms of transactions in 2011, 70% were sales of apartments and 30% were sales of lands, houses and commercial spaces. Half of the transactions were through the Prima Casa program. And let’s not forget about rentals that go well all year round in Brasov.
In conclusion, for us, Euro Dome, 2011 was a good year, on a upward trend.
Q: What is the area you cover and how does it compare to the rest of Brasov?
LC: We have been on the real estate market in Brasov for 10 years. We started aut in January 2002 with 3 offices and 12 employees and 10 years later we still have 3 offices and 15 employees. Half of them have worked here since the beginning, which in real estate is no small matter. I made this introduction so I can put across the fact that we deal with the entire town of Brasov and the surrounding areas.
Opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of being part of a francize are mixed. What is your approach?
LC: Honestly, I haven’t studied this matter because I haven’t had a truly challenging moment in all these years. It can be a good thing for someone who needs logistical support, instructions, a brand under they can work, we’ve created our own name, we registered it at OSIM and we take care of it.
Whether you work for a francize ornot, on the real estate market if you want to be a true professional and aquire experience, you need to get involved, have the right attitude and stay positive. If you let yourself get influenced by negative news and pesimistic people, if you think things will go wrong, then they probably will. If you are optimistic , you do your job as you should and want to work in real estate, you can get ahead by being part of a francize but also through a serious real estate company with a respected name on the real estate market.