By having a natural affinity for gardening, architecture, design and historical sites, the choice to become a realtor became increasingly clear to Valerie Kopelman when she moved to Tarrytown in 1994.
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Valerie during a recent trip to Italy. |
That came after a successful career as a teacher in the New York City schools and ruling out becoming a professional photographer.
Kopelman, by her own admission, is drawn to outgoing and creative people "I love music, particularly the opera, and as a child I attended the Performing Arts High School in New York City," she explained.
That creative flare has continued into her adult life and specifically with her approach to finding people homes that are expressions of themselves. She candidly said that, "Real Estate is not a team sport." By that she meant that being a realtor allowed her to fully invest her time and energy into work that is far from a standard 9-5 day.
"I like the personal challenge of real estate and working at Hudson Homes and specifically with Patricia Neuwirth, the owner, who has allowed me great flexibility and a high degree of success."
That success has increased over the years through personal referrals, either from people she has worked with or those who know of her compassion, sensitivity and respect.
"When I work with people looking to buy or sell a home, they know I take my work very seriously."
With sellers she talked about the compassion most people feel about their homes. With buyers she commented on the best compliment she could receive, "You really know what we want." In addition Kopelman has developed strong negotiating and problem solving skills.
"I am very persistent and problems can indeed offer creative solutions," she noted.
There are tenets that guide her as a realtor and more importantly as a person. Honesty is at the top of the list. "When I take on a client I counsel them that pricing is everything. A home is indeed like a piece of art. If it is priced correctly there is indeed a buyer in the market for that property.
I make sure that my clients are realistic about their home’s worth," she said.
Knowledge is another tenet, and knowing the real estate market inside and out by visiting homes for sale, noting their condition and location is something that has to be done first-hand, not only in front of a computer screen.
In addressing the appeal of the river towns, she was quick to point out that Tarrytown has become a destination for many different types of people. She has helped single people, young couples without children and those with families. According to her, "Tarrytown is truly a welcoming Village. I believe in it and that makes it so much easier for me to do business here. It comes back to being honest with myself."
Valerie Kopelman will be the first to tell you that she is not the agent for everyone. She works best with people who want her to take their home very seriously and she works on the project as if it were her own. She is not a "cookie cutter" agent and prides herself on doing things just a little differently to accomplish wonderful results.
She can be reached through Hudson Homes in Tarrytown at (914) 332-7070 or by calling her directly at (914) 261-6609. Online she can be contacted at vkopelman@aol.com.
