W hile Harmer worked in law back in the U.K., she soon established herself as a realtor on the Island. It wasn’t a far jump for Harmer as her grandfather was a real estate agent in Ireland, and her uncle and cousin are both realtors. “I’ve always been around people talking about property prices and fluctuations in the market,” she says. “It’s something that naturally interests me, from seeing how house prices change depending on social and economic factors to seeing people buy their first home and feel that homeownership pride for the first time.” When it comes to what makes her stand out as a realtor, Harmer says her law education and legal background have helped tremendously when it comes to helping her real estate clients wade through the often confusing legal jargon. “I can explain it to them in straightforward terms. Especially as a first time home buyer, when you see the amount of paperwork involved and contractual terms, it can feel like you are signing your life away without really understanding what’s happening,” she says. “I’m able to explain every part of the contract and explain the reasoning behind why it’s even in the contract so that my clients are well informed and feel that their interests are being protected.” Protection has certainly come to mean something new during this uncertain time of COVID-19. Harmer ensures that she and Powerhouse Realty have invested in new ways of being able to support their clients safely and efficiently, including using teleconferencing, and investing in new tools such as a 360-degree camera that allows the realtors to virtually show and market homes without the need for physical showings. They have also implemented the use of
face visors and infrared thermometers which they use to check if clients have a fever. “At first, there was some understandable concern about showing and listing houses, but we’ve actually seen the market take off in an unexpected way,” she says. “Prices remained stable during COVID and now that restrictions have lifted, we’re experiencing an overwhelming amount of buyers' interest.” Currently Harmer is showing a picturesque three-bedroom, three- bath house located in the heart of Charlottetown at 16 Lansdowne Avenue in Brighton. A perfect family home located on a quiet street with mature trees, the residence is close to schools and Victoria Park, and has a private deck area, garage and a stunning balcony staircase. Harmer says she’s “very optimistic” about the future of PEI’s real estate market. “The market has bounced back strong after COVID, we still have houses being listed and we’ve never had such a high demand from buyers,” she says. “Our ability as an island to respond to COVID and contain the spread has made us a desirable location in an unexpected but beneficial way.”
Michele Harmer Powerhouse Realty PEI Inc. 902.940.7382
michele@powerhouserealtypei.com www.powerhouserealtypei.com
SUMMER 2020 www.pei-living.ca
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