In the early days of the pandemic, Boulevard Realty broker and owner Bill Baldwin knew he had a choice to make: see the glass as half empty or half full. To an eternal optimist like Baldwin, the choice was clear, the glass was half full.
“I knew it was going to be a challenging time for all of us, but I chose to see the upside of the situation and pass that positive spirit on to our agents, staff, and clients,” Baldwin explained.
Throughout 2020, Baldwin held a daily Zoom meeting with Boulevard’s agents and a separate daily Zoom with the firm’s staff. Baldwin admits that, more than anything, those meetings were about experiencing a sense of connectivity. In addition to those internal meetings, Boulevard Realty hosted public housing market updates twice a month in 2020. The updates will continue on a monthly basis throughout 2021.
“Our market updates are an opportunity to keep our clients, friends, and industry peers informed on the local real estate market, COVID-19 statistics, and how it all ties together,” Baldwin said. “Whether it’s regarding COVID or the local housing market, it’s important to share accurate data with the public.”
Even with all the changes and difficulties brought about by the pandemic, this glass half full approach helped the boutique indie firm’s roughly 55 agents produce $215 million in sales in 2020. For a handful of Boulevard agents, their recent success is tied to strong relationships with respected local builders, including Smith Family Homes (Baldwin), The Modern Bungalow (Melissa Kubala), Gotham Development (Star Massing), Bullethoof Homes (Brandon Krueger), and Domain-97 (Frank Muniz).
Knowing the challenges facing many other industries, Boulevard Realty was especially committed to hyperlocal causes in 2020. Every time a Boulevard agent sold a home in 2020, the Heights-based firm made a donation to a local cause of the buyer (or seller’s) choice. Baldwin’s favorite local initiative was a partnership with Manready Mercantile in which Boulevard commissioned the creation of thousands of Manready’s signature candles. The candles were then gifted to clients around the Thanksgiving season as a sign of gratitude.
“The Manready candles were our little way of thanking our clients for standing by us and continuing to trust us in 2020,” Baldwin reflected. “It was also a great way to support a local Heights business that so many of us know and love.”
Turning to 2021, Boulevard agents are already hard at work prepping listings for the spring selling season. At a time when Houston’s housing inventory is historically low, the firm actually has an abundance of listings. This is one of many reasons why Baldwin is once again seeing the glass as half full.
“We managed to make the most of 2020 by staying positive, following proper health protocols, sharing accurate data and resources, supporting local, and simply learning how to sell homes during a pandemic” Baldwin beamed. “We’re going to continue doing all those things in 2021. I really think it’s going to be a great year!”
Photography by: Boulevard Realty