'Meet the Agent' - Monica Dobbie from Rego Sotheby's International Realty

'Meet the Agent' - Monica Dobbie from Rego Sotheby's International Realty

This month for ‘Meet the Agent’ we interview Monica Dobbie, a sales and rental associate at Rego Sotheby’s International Realty. Monica discusses why she enjoys working at Rego Sotheby’s International Realty, how Monica uses her knowledge of Feng Shui to help vendors stage their home and also some top tips for buyers and sellers in the current market. 

Why do you like working for Rego Sotheby’s International Realty? The entire team at Rego Sotheby’s is highly professional and knowledgeable, and we have great resources available at our fingertips. Rego’s is the oldest real estate agent in Bermuda and through our affiliation with Sotheby’s International Realty we have a unique global reach, which helps to make the company innovative and vibrant. Also, as a linguist, I have the opportunity to use my French and German with some of our overseas clients, which is great fun. 

What are the favourite parts of your job? I was a Feng Shui consultant in the 1990s and enjoy using those skills to help vendors to “stage” their homes for maximum appeal and a timely sale. Feng Shui can also help purchasers to find a property that is just right for them. It’s so rewarding to see the smiles on my buyers’ faces when they know they have found their dream home! Even with masks on!

Where are you seeing activity in the market at the moment? Even though we are still in a pandemic, there has been a great deal of activity at all price levels in the last few months. Properties that are in desirable locations are particularly popular and we may be transitioning from a buyers’ market into a sellers’ market. And “desirable locations” are expanding and changing. With more people working from home, it is less important to live close to Hamilton, so the Eastern and Western Parishes are becoming more appealing to both buyers and renters. 

What is your favourite property on the market right now? My favourite property is at Landmark, Southampton: 

https://www.propertyskipper.com/property/reg_so923_landmark_unit_10d

Landmark is a unique development, with water access and sensational sunset views. Owners and renters at Landmark say they feel as though they are living at a resort. This property is perfect for year round living, or as a vacation home. 

How do you see the Bermuda property market over the next year? We are seeing a lot of interest from overseas buyers as they are realising that Bermuda is a “safe haven” during the current pandemic - and it will continue to be so if there are any global health issues in the future. The new Bermuda Government "Work and Study Remotely from Bermuda" initiative (digital nomads) has also generated a need for rental accommodation, especially furnished homes. I believe these trends will continue. 

Because of Covid-19 we are doing more virtual viewings and we provide fully immersive 3D tours of some of our larger properties on our web-site. When showing properties in person, we follow strict hygiene protocols and will carry on doing so for as long as required in 2020 and beyond.

What are your top 5 tips for buyers when looking for a potential new home? 

1)  Bring a compass as it is useful to know the orientation of the property. And if you are interested in Feng Shui (as I am!) it can can be helpful in many other ways.
2)  Ask yourself: “How will I feel living here?” Really imagine what it would be like to live in the home you are viewing.
3)  Make a list of “needs” and a list of “wants”. Compare these lists to every property you visit, but be flexible! There is only so much inventory on our small island.
4)  You may want “turn-key” but visualise how a property can look after a few adjustments.
5)  Once you have completed the intellectual side - research, survey, explore the area - listen to your intuition and go with your gut feeling. 

Finally – do you have any good tips for sellers when preparing their home for sale? 

It is worth incorporating some Feng Shui principles when you prepare your home for sale. Many of them are really just common sense! Make the entrance and the front door to the property appealing - “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”!  Declutter and remove personal items, such as family photos. The less personal a house looks, the better. A buyer needs to be able to imagine themselves living in their future home. Touch-up paintwork externally and internally to avoid an under maintained appearance. Make sure your property is looking its absolute best. 

Monica is happy to give vendors, buyers, landlords and renters the benefit of her Feng Shui experience - remain positive and make that dream come true ! 

To contact Monica;

E-mail: mdobbie@regosir.com

Telephone: 441 299 1403 or 441 505 7531