What specifically do you do in the real estate field and how did you get into this job?

When we bought our house, which we still live in, we took out a mortgage. It was in 2001 when the appraiser came and it was a disaster. He was very unpleasant and asked for a lot of money, completely inadequate even considering the prices today, because we needed it quickly. He knew we were in need and I thought to myself: “such a nice job” and that it might be interesting to do it somehow humanely and normally.

When we were expecting our first daughter and I went on maternity leave, I started planning what I would do after maternity leave. And I started a two-year specialization in real estate valuation, and after finishing it, I started working in this field.

So you started everything while on maternity leave?

During my first maternity leave, I started studying and during my second maternity leave, I started working.

Since then, I have been working externally for Komerční banka as a real estate appraiser, but I was missing one thing, and that was more contact with people, because when you work as an appraiser, you always come somewhere, ask about technical things, measure the property and then write everything down at home. Since I am an external worker, I don't have any colleagues and it was such a lonely job. So for that reason, I thought about what could be added or something similar, and I started working as a broker to diversify everything.

Maybe if you could just clarify what it means to be a real estate agent?

The main task is to connect those who want to sell a property with those who want to buy it. This means offering the property on the market and providing all the legal services around it so that the transaction is safe for all participants. In addition, I also mediate the rental of properties, but I also offer consultations in case someone is buying a property and is not sure that everything is going correctly.

Do people buy apartments more as an investment, or is a larger percentage of purchases intended for personal use?

It is necessary to define what is a purchase for investment. Does this mean an investment where I will immediately rent out the property, or an investment where I will buy an apartment or land with the expectation that prices will increase over time? That is why there are empty apartments where no one lives because people are afraid to rent them out, fearing that someone will evict them, not pay, or damage the apartment. Another group are investors who buy properties for reconstruction, repair them, and then sell them.

So what is the ratio? It's changing and Covid has also mixed it up, because at that time there was a huge and unexpected drop in demand for short-term accommodation. However, there are still a lot of investors with cash in the market.

How important do you think the first impression is when meeting with clients, and does your choice of clothing play a role in this?

First impressions are very important and it's certainly nice when a person is well dressed.

Why did you choose the Cameronni brand?

It's been a long time since anyone would sew me a really fitting jacket. Due to my height, I don't have a completely ready-made figure and jackets in regular stores have short sleeves. I met Anežka Jizbová and the choice of company was clear.

Do people only respond to specific properties or does someone show up who doesn't have anything specific in mind?

Of course, most often someone responds to an ad for a specific property, but from time to time someone who is looking for a property calls. Then we search together, but there are not many such clients.

How long does it take to have an idea of a specific property?

It depends on how specific the demand is. If a client has specific requirements about what a property must or must not have, they can wait for their dream property for several years. But if someone says they are looking for a small apartment on Černý most, it can be a matter of a few weeks.

How do you acquire properties for your sales?

Most often, these are properties whose owners have had their property appraised by me. I always put in the work with such an appraisal and examine everything thoroughly. And it often happens that the client, based on my estimate and a personal meeting, says that we can start selling together.

Are you interested in the history of individual buildings and does your hobby translate into sales?

It's completely reversed, because I only became interested in genealogy sometime in 2018. I happened to come across a family story, a description of a specific event, and we in the family discovered that we didn't actually know many details. And then I discovered that the registers are accessible online and that quite a lot can be found. The hobby doesn't translate into selling unless it's a really old house. In that case, I'm able to find real treasures in the archives and the land registry – who ever lived there, how they farmed, or if they had helpers in the household.

What steps do you take when interest in a property is not what you expected?

In such a case, it is necessary to find out where the mistake is. Whether it is in the price or perhaps in the way the property is presented.

What are the current trends in the real estate market? Should we prepare for any changes in the future?

Since this spring, demand for real estate has been growing again. People are becoming more interested in the energy efficiency of buildings and ecology. It is also generally seen that people are becoming more knowledgeable and know what should be important to them when buying.

Do you have a personal goal or interest in a specific property?

My goal is to focus on real estate in my area. Preferably on the eastern outskirts of Prague and the surrounding ring road.