This is what real estate pro Uri Vaknin is doing to keep his residents—and his business—moving.
“It’s challenging times like these that prove the saying ‘If necessity is the mother of invention, than adversity must be the father of re-invention’,” says Uri Vaknin, a partner at KRE Capital whose company purchased multiple high-rise condo towers in Las Vegas with Dune Real Estate Partners as DK Las Vegas. Here, Vaknin shares what he and his team are doing to engage and communicate with current residents, fellow employees and potential new condo buyers.
Q: What are you doing to maintain a sense of community at your high-rise towers?
A: At Juhl, we launched a “Step Up to Social Distancing Challenge” which encourages residents to keep track of their steps via FitBit or AppleWatch for the opportunity to win a $250 gift card for the most steps in their condo or neighborhood. At One Las Vegas, I am also about to launch a Zoom fitness training program with our in-house fitness specialist. With our gym and amenities now closed, we want to keep our residents moving.
Q: How are you keeping employees engaged in the process of selling condos?
A: In addition to my promise to keep them on the payroll, I am assigning them with ‘homework’ to hone their skills. I have sent a number of inspirational Ted Talks, podcasts and articles relative to real estate and sales, and we are actively discussing and dissecting these on our frequent Zoom calls. I want to help my employees better understand their industry and their craft. My staff is engaged now more than ever, yet one more piece of a silver lining.
Q: How are you communicating with potential condo buyers during a time when most people want to postpone all major buying decisions?
A: Amazingly, we had four sales close last week, and we wrote a new contract on March 25. We are reminding new buyers, that despite everything, interest rates are at unprecedented lows, making now a very smart time to purchase a new home. Our buyers can now take 3-D virtual tours of our model condos from the comfort and safety of their own homes. And most importantly, we are reminding buyers of the resiliency of our great country, and that eventually, things will return to normal, even if our new normal might look and feel a little different.