{"id":32146,"date":"2018-07-20T17:31:37","date_gmt":"2018-07-20T14:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.propertyshark.com\/Real-Estate-Reports\/?p=32146"},"modified":"2018-07-20T18:27:04","modified_gmt":"2018-07-20T15:27:04","slug":"victoria-rong-kennedy-from-citi-habitats-there-is-great-opportunity-in-assisted-living-housing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.propertyshark.com\/Real-Estate-Reports\/2018\/07\/20\/victoria-rong-kennedy-from-citi-habitats-manhattan-always-offers-opportunity-for-savvy-investors\/","title":{"rendered":"Victoria Rong Kennedy from Citi Habitats: Manhattan Always Offers Opportunity for Savvy Investors"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Victoria

Victoria Rong Kennedy, Citi Habitats<\/p><\/div>\n

Victoria Rong Kennedy, licensed real estate broker<\/a> and trained architect is the latest person to share her insights with us in our Expert Interview series. Born in an architect and real estate developer family in Beijing, China, Victoria grew up with a strong sense of aesthetics, learning to value characteristics such as building location, quality of construction, lighting, layout and design. She continuously ranks as a top broker company-wide by using this knowledge for her clients’ benefit every day.<\/p>\n

She also specializes in working with homeowners looking for an investment that can earn a potential return in two to three years, and on high-end rental clients who invest in apartments for rental income strategies. Remembering the joy of holding the key to her first apartment in New York City, Victoria wants to recreate that same positive experience for her clients in finding that perfect home. Read on to find out more about her exciting journey.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: Tell us a bit about your background.<\/span><\/h4>\n

I was born, raised and\u00a0educated\u00a0in Beijing, China. After I graduated from\u00a0Architecture\u00a0School\u00a0at\u00a0Tsinghua\u00a0University – which I\u2019m proud to say is China\u2019s equivalent to an Ivy League\u00a0school here in the U.S. – I set out on a great journey. I wanted to find myself and see what the world had to offer outside of China. I lived in Paris,\u00a0London, and\u00a0other\u00a0cities\u00a0in Europe, Sydney, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa, before I settled in Manhattan.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: Having traveled all over the world and lived in different cities, what is it about New York that made you want to call it home?<\/span><\/h4>\n

This is a\u00a0question raised by almost everybody I encounter, once\u00a0they\u00a0learn about my\u00a0world\u00a0journey in my early 20s.\u00a0And my answer\u00a0is simple\u00a0and remains\u00a0the same: The very first\u00a0week when I lived in New York, for the first time since\u00a0I left Beijing, no one asked me: \u201cWhere\u00a0are you from?\u201d.\u00a0They assumed I was just\u00a0from somewhere in the New York\u00a0region, since in our city you can find people from all corners of the world. I\u00a0just loved\u00a0it, this feeling of belonging. I knew then this was a\u00a0city\u00a0that\u00a0can truly become my\u00a02nd<\/sup>\u00a0home. Of course,\u00a0I also appreciate New York\u2019s openness to talented and creative\u00a0people, based on their\u00a0capability and production rather\u00a0than\u00a0credentials\u00a0on paper.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: What made you want to start a career in real estate?<\/span><\/h4>\n

I am a trained architect, I always loved architecture and\u00a0design, and envisioning spaces in three dimensions\u2026 and on\u00a0top\u00a0of\u00a0everything, I love people. I enjoy\u00a0meeting\u00a0a\u00a0new friend\u00a0and learning\u00a0about them, their\u00a0personality and likes and\u00a0dislikes, their unique traits – the things\u00a0which\u00a0set each individual apart from others. As real estate is an industry that allows me to work with the two things I love,\u00a0I realized it was a perfect fit, particularly in a cosmopolitan city like Manhattan.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: What do you love most about your job? Can you maybe briefly describe a typical day at work for you?<\/span><\/h4>\n

The sense of satisfaction\u00a0when\u00a0each\u00a0task\u00a0is completed with\u00a0excellence is what I love most. Each client is unique, with different challenges. To\u00a0conquer\u00a0each\u00a0challenge\u00a0from\u00a0A\u00a0to Z with joy at the finish\u00a0line,\u00a0is my ultimate goal\u00a0year\u00a0after year.\u00a0Everyday, I start my work\u00a0with a smile, and begin to tackle emails,\u00a0calls and\u00a0meetings. Even when the going gets tough, I remember to keep moving – and keep a positive outlook. Because when I\u00a0am positive, I will get my job done more efficiently.\u00a0And\u00a0if I am smiling even\u00a0when\u00a0I am in the middle of the toughest\u00a0negotiation, my\u00a0counterpart\u00a0has\u00a0no\u00a0choice\u00a0but to laugh and smile with me at the same time. As a result, I get things done so\u00a0much easier\u00a0and\u00a0faster, and my success\u00a0rate is a lot higher. I love to work with all parties involved and have a joyful relationship\u00a0– one that is sealed with a positive\u00a0hand shake at the end.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: How have your travels and exposure to different cultures helped you in this industry?<\/span><\/h4>\n

It helps me a great deal. You can\u00a0understand\u00a0clients and\u00a0other agents\u00a0so much better\u00a0when\u00a0you also understand where they come from. The knowledge I\u2019ve gained\u00a0through my\u00a0travels has equipped\u00a0me\u00a0with the added\u00a0\u2018sixth sense\u2019 which\u00a0helps me get things done.\u00a0When\u00a0you\u00a0can relate to people,\u00a0understand\u00a0their internal thought process and read their body language – that\u2019s a priceless skill. It\u2019s one that\u00a0makes me stand out in\u00a0competition, and allows me to better\u00a0serve clients from all over the world.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: What approach do you have when working with clients?<\/span><\/h4>\n

I always listen\u00a0first – and not\u00a0just \u201clisten\u201d but listen\u00a0very carefully – to their words\u00a0and observe their body language\u2026 which can tell you a lot about a person\u2019s true underlying feelings. A real estate agent is a lot like a therapist in many ways. We both build relationships that center on trust. Based upon what I learned,\u00a0I\u00a0will\u00a0ask questions. Once I have\u00a0this\u00a0important\u00a0information, I can respond accurately\u00a0with my knowledge\u00a0to guide my\u00a0client through\u00a0the process\u00a0efficiently.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: What do investors look for in a NYC property?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stability and\u00a0Upside –\u00a0and a good\u00a0return on their investment in 3-5 years short term, or 5-10 years long term.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: Do you consider that investing in real estate is safer than investing in other assets?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Manhattan\u00a0is such\u00a0a unique little island, one of the most cosmopolitan islands there is. One\u00a0thing I did learn\u00a0through the last\u00a0two\u00a0real estate\u00a0cycles\u00a0is,\u00a0because the borough\u2019s properties draw interest from the international market in addition to our local\u00a0market,\u00a0there\u00a0is always opportunity for\u00a0Manhattan real estate has always proven to be a safe bet in the long term.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q:\u00a0What trends have you noticed in the market so far, in the first half of 2018? Where do you see the market heading for the rest of the year?<\/span><\/h4>\n

2018 is not a year about cashing\u00a0out,\u00a0it\u2019s rather\u00a0\u201cWhat can I build out of this that will give me a long-term advantage?\u201d\u00a0The key is to buy\u00a0low,\u00a0then\u00a0stick with it in the long-haul.\u00a0Real\u00a0estate is like art; you need to see future value where others\u00a0don\u2019t.\u00a0This way of thinking requires confidence, guts and a lot of curiosity. While most people turn away when they get out of their comfort zone, successful investors continue exploring.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Q: Any other insights you would like to\u00a0share?<\/span><\/h4>\n

With\u00a0a\u00a0tremendous\u00a0number of baby\u00a0boomers\u00a0reaching retirement age, I see great opportunity in assisted living housing. It\u2019s\u00a0in high demand, but there\u2019s low inventory. Now\u2019s also a great time to buy multi-family\u00a0homes from baby boomer owners who are ready to retire and cash out. Usually these properties are in need of an upgrade, as they may have been held by a family for generations.This is where the opportunity is – buy below market value, then\u00a0renovate, restore, and\u00a0rent… to\u00a0create\u00a0stable passive income for the new owner<\/a> with a higher cap rate.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/span>About Victoria Rong Kennedy<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Victoria is a licensed associate real estate broker for Citi Habitats focused on investment and relocation clients, as well as listings, high-end sales and rentals. One strong area of expertise is representing investment properties owned by clients outside of Manhattan who rely on her full-service real estate expertise to locate, manage and resell the property for a profit. Find out more about her\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Interested in being interviewed for our Expert Interview series? Don\u2019t hesitate to contact us at expert.interview@propertyshark.com to sign up or learn more about this series\u00a0<\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Victoria Rong Kennedy, licensed real estate broker and trained architect is the latest person to share her insights with us in our Expert Interview series. 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