Century 21 Hughes earns top awards

LYNN – With more than 400 deals and $80 million in sales last year, Century 21 Hughes Real Estate in Lynn was recently honored as the top producing Century 21 office in the Northeast and among the top 1 percent worldwide.The awards were announced at the Century 21 International Convention held in San Antonio, Texas. Worldwide, there are 6,500 Century 21 offices in 43 countries.David Hughes launched the agency in the 1970s with his mother, Shirley, when they opened an office on Lynnfield Street. In 1995 they relocated the to a former pharmacy in Wyoma Square, at 319 Broadway. Shirley, who had worked as manager for Vernon Martin, passed away a year later, but the business she co-founded endured.David Hughes attributes the success to his 35 loyal full-time agents, several who received individual awards at the convention, and to the incredible opportunities for those looking to buy a home in Lynn or Greater Lynn.”We sell Lynn every day, and all that it offers: the ocean, the ponds, the golf course, Lynn Woods, it’s close to Route 128 and Route 1. Whatever a person needs, it’s here,” Hughes said. “It’s an old industrial city and does have challenges, but there are so many opportunities.”Although he said the housing crisis the past couple of years has been severe and many have been hurt, Hughes said that for buyers, there’s never been a better time in the four decades he’s been in the business.”Interest rates have never been so low,” he said. “For those who have a secure job, there’s a great benefit in owning compared to renting. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to pay $1,000 or $1,200 in rent when they can own a home for the same amount of money.”Hughes said among the most rewarding aspects of the job is seeing a first-time buyer or young family get into their first home. And when that happens, he said, the benefit to the community is obvious.”When a person buys a home they also buy wall paper and paint and grass seed. It has a tremendous effect on the local economy.”For sellers, Hughes said, they will sell for less today than they would have three years ago, “but they can also buy another house for less and at lower interest rate, so there are great opportunities to make a lateral move or a move into a bigger house.”Hughes acknowledges the real estate industry is highly competitive, but he said there’s also a lot of cooperation among offices and agents, sometimes teaming on sales and sharing commissions. He said the key to a successful agent is the ability to listen.”Last year our market share was up over the year before. That’s because of a combination of things, but primarily because we listen to the needs of the buyer and the seller, and fulfill their needs – on price, lifestyle, location, schools,” he said. “Whatever their needs are, we point them in that direction.”Some of the Century 21 Hughes agents have been with the company for 25 or 30 years, and about 40 percent of his agents have college degrees, he said.Hughes cited several of the individual Centurion Award winners, for top sales production, from his office, including Steve Roberts, who has been with the agency for 20 years; Richard Powers, 16 years; and relative newcomer Matthew Newhall, who has been with Century 21 Hughes for two years.Hughes said it’s essential for real estate agents to be highly involved in the community, whether it’s being active in the chamber of commerce, Lion’s Club or other organizations.”Inventory is always important, but our approach is to get in front of as many people as we can and let them know we provide a service,” Hughes said. “We deal in roots, not branches.”And agents, he said, can never rest on their laurels.”We get up every day unemployed,” he said. “We’re only as good as the next house we sell.”Century 21 Hughes is located at 310 Broadway in Lynn. Contact the office at 781-599-1776, or by email at http://www.century21hughes.com