By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Buying and selling property just took on a local flavor with the December opening of the Black Bear Realty Group at 398 Main Street.
Unlike some agencies that operate under a larger corporate umbrella, Black Bear is locally-owned and –operated, representing buyers and sellers of residential and commercial properties, camps and land.
“All of our staff were either born in the area or have moved here, making Aroostook County their home. We pride ourselves in our independence; we don’t have corporate officials who don’t know the area or its people telling us how to do our job,” said Rick Castonguay, one of the company’s realtors.
Castonguay, who got his start in the real estate business in Bangor several years ago before returning to Presque Isle, said he prefers to refer to all members of the staff by the same title, “realtors,” since the business is a team effort and all members are of equal importance.
“Some businesses like to differentiate between staff and management, but that’s not what we’re about. We work as a team. We’re not about titles. We’re here for our clients – to make buying or selling a home a stress-free experience,” said Castonguay.
Unlike other agencies that set limits on where they’ll accept a listing from, Black Bear considers the entire county as its coverage area and has staff willing to meet with clients, whether they’re in Houlton or the St. John Valley.
“Dave Drew works for us serving the Houlton area. In addition to myself, we have Mike Willette and Bob Saucier in our Presque Isle office. And Pam McClung will be joining our team in the near future,” said Castonguay. “Although we’re headquartered in Presque Isle, we’ll go where we’re needed to help a seller or buyer get the best deal on a property transaction.”
Willette described a situation where a home owner wanted to sell a property but had been turned down by several other agencies due to the location of the home.
“It was to the west, toward Route 11 and the homeowner had almost given up trying to get a real estate company to market the property. We didn’t hesitate on it and, as it turned out, we had a buyer lined up within just a few weeks,” said Willette. “For every home out there for sale, there’s a buyer. It’s our job to bring the two together.”
Since opening in December, Castonguay said business has been better than expected.
“We thought it would be slow, since the real estate season doesn’t typically get active up here until around March. Our sales and listings have been higher than projected. We expected to take it on the nose for four or five months but we’ve been pleasantly surprised,” said Castonguay.
Willette credits much of their wintertime success to their Web site located at: www.blackbearrealtygroup.com.
“Approximately 74 percent of our sales are from Internet activity,” said Willette.
Being locally-owned and –operated has its advantages, according to Willette.
“It sets us apart from others. Bigger isn’t always better. We don’t care about the money until the end. The county is full of small communities with small-town values. It’s our job to match the right buyer with homes in the communities that best suit their particular needs,” said Willette.
Internet access allows buyers from other parts of the state or other states to see what’s available.
“With the Internet, we can put on various Web portals, giving clients all the benefits larger agencies can with hometown, personalized service,” said Castonguay, noting that it’s the team’s policy to return calls promptly. “We want to show people we care about their business. They’re important to us. Much of our business relies on word-of-mouth, so it just makes good sense to respond promptly.”
Staff members offer their undivided attention when it comes to clients.
“We set aside blocks of time for clients. Our hours are set around their needs. Arrangements can be made to meet around their schedules – days, nights or weekends,” said Willette.
Staff can also arrange co-brokering deals with other agencies.
“Sometimes they bring a buyer to us and we provide the resources to find the right financing,” said Castonguay.
And when it comes to finding the right financing, the Black Bear team have a number of options available.
“Before you get into trouble and lose a home, come to us. Come see us before your credit’s in serious trouble. We’ve helped folks get into rental properties – can help you sell a home and buy one more affordable, before your credit’s destroyed,” said Castonguay. “There’s so much more than buying and selling homes. We try to make dreams come true and take the stress out of the process. It’s about making people happy and making the process fun for them.”
For more information, contact 764-4600.
