While there are plenty of stories today of agents leaving the industry in response to the slowdown in transactions, there are equally as many inspiring stories about agents new and veteran alike who love the business and the industry, and are doing what it takes to adapt to the adjusting market. Some are fine-tuning their customer service programs; others are adding services they never offered before, still others are offering tiered commission/services options, and some are zeroing in on particular niches that might be underserved in their local communities.

One such niche that has perhaps gone overlooked by many agents is one that, when nurtured properly, can literally be a fount of never-ending business for the agent dedicated to long-term relationship management, customer service, and who has committed to go above and beyond for his or her client. This particular niche is found in literally every city and every market across the US and Canada, and one that actually thrives during a period most of the country might refer to as “a down market”. We’re talking about: the real estate investor niche.

iSucceed Mentor and RE/MAX agent Lewis Walker of the Woodlands, TX area is intimately familiar with this niche, particularly because he was one himself at the beginning of his career. Of his foray into investing Lewis explains: “I first went into the real estate business in 1977, and at that time I think I probably bought more than I sold,” he says with a chuckle. “There were just so many opportunities and so many good buys out there they were hard to turn down.” He goes on to describe the real estate climate in his area at that time: “From 1977 to 1981 in Texas it was hard to make a mistake. The market was so strong it would correct itself; it would ‘cover the sins’ so to speak, so I - I thought I was a genius, I thought it was just me, and then the market turned around in 1981 and it was a real shock.”

Temporarily kicked out of business, Lewis regrouped and came back strong, using his knowledge as the former president of a mortgage company to solidify his reputation as an expert in Houston-specific business issues such as tax-deferred exchanges, construction protocol, builder/developer cost and the like. He naturally began to gravitate towards and attract the investor client, one who could always use his specialized local business knowledge, and whose steady stream of return business has been a welcome addition to his clientele, helping him weather the shifting markets of years past.