The question comes up every day—often more than once:

“Patrick, how’s the real-estate market?”

For the last several months, my responses have been particularly positive, if perhaps a little qualified. But lately, I’ve narrowed the answer to one word: “Unbelievable!”

The Treasure Coast real-estate market is sizzling. Our office is presiding over a steadily strengthening stream of transactions. While we pride ourselves on making our own busy, this flurry of sales activity—even for us—is a bit unusual.

In a quest to understand why, I’ve identified three themes.

Location, location, location: Even as some analysts theorize that the market is near its peak (“frothy,” they say), the Treasure Coast remains less vulnerable to market fluctuations. Buyers from wealthier markets in Connecticut, New York, and Chicago account for many of our seasonal residents. But we still attract buyers from West Palm, Broward. and Miami-Dade counties—and even those from a far south as the Keys.

Our beautiful natural resources—a paradise for people who love the beach, boating and fishing—are irresistibly magnetic. These beautiful and fragile resources command our protection. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to lawmakers in Tallahassee, where Senator Joe Negron has provided outstanding leadership in fighting to protect the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon from damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Inasmuch as these efforts are able to come online, I am confident we will begin to see real health returning to our waterways.

Creativity: The Patrick Stracuzzi Real Estate Team is known for aggressively marketing properties. We incorporate every avenue in reaching the public—high-end video, digital, print, social media, email, etc. But we also bring creativity to the art of negotiations. That means knowing—and knowing when and how—to reimagine conventional deal-making. Examples include:

  • Showing areas and neighborhoods, not just properties. We invest time taking clients on comprehensive tours so they can better determine how the broader area will complement the lifestyles they’re looking for.
  • Putting buyers and sellers together early (something many real-estate professionals decry) to hash out deals. Time and again I’ve done so and seen deals that are great for both sides come together and close quickly.
  • Advising the seller to secure an appraisal first—starting off with the end in mind—so the transaction is less vulnerable later.

Thanks to 30 years in this business, I’ve learned the immense value that unique and unorthodox deal structures can provide our clients. That brings me to the third reason behind our highly active season…

Experience: Of course, experience is the best teacher in any profession, and—along with my wife and
children—it’s taught me the wisdom of recognizing the true source of our success: God. Every morning, I make a gratitude list of 10 things I’m thankful for. God tops it, followed by my family, health, team, and any other blessings that come to mind.

An attitude of active gratitude has helped me see everything—even obstacles—as opportunities to bring a sense of satisfaction and happiness to others, which makes me feel pretty good, too.

This is what we get to do daily at the Patrick Stracuzzi Real Estate Team. And these days, thankfully, we’re doing it more than ever.