We Are Upstate NY With Lisa Halter, Principal Broker and Owner of Halter Associates Realty

We always enjoy conversing with creative individuals in our area, including those who run their businesses with innovative ideas. In real estate, creativity plays a crucial role in buying and selling properties, especially in a highly competitive market like ours. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Lisa Halter, the founder, owner and principal broker/owner of Halter Associates Realty, one of the few independent real estate agencies in our region. During our conversation, Lisa shared with us how she leverages her creativity and independence to stay agile in a dynamic and vital housing market. We began our visit by discussing a recent settlement in the real estate industry related to commissions and the National Association of Realtors (NAR). All real estate agents are trying to understand the implications of this settlement in a recent lawsuit. For those who are unaware, this settlement may lead to a fundamental change in how real estate is conducted in the US. The settlement is awaiting Department of Justice approval, so no changes have been made. However, we may soon see a world where buyers and sellers each pay their own agents separately, out of pocket.

INSIDE+OUT: Let’s start with the NAR thing, just because it is so current and really does affect a lot of people. How do you feel about it?

Lisa Halter: We always welcome transparency in the process and the upside is that people will understand more about how commissions work. In theory, the settlement separates out the commission structure, so sellers pay for their commission and buyers will now have to sign a buyer contract to work with a buyer’s agent. I think that will help buyers understand the value of an agent. We’ve always been negotiable with our commission structure.

In what other ways does this help or not?

Where I see the problem is that it hurts veterans, lower-income buyers, first-time home buyers and people who haven’t been able to save money for a down payment. How are they going to pay for representation? Buying a home is a complicated process, which can mean the difference between getting the house and not. And we don’t know how it’s going to fall out.

It complicates the relationships you’re having with your clients right now, but let’s say a year from now, if nothing changes, what will it look like?

It’s hard to know because everybody’s talking about it as if it’s a fait accompli; however, the Department of Justice still needs to approve it. We’re all trying to make plans based on what NAR has said they would do, but we don’t know what it will look like going forward.

Is anything actually going to change in your dealings right now?

Not really. We will still develop meaningful relationships with our buyers and sellers. I mean, we’re practically joined at the hip for six months or a year sometimes. We become really good friends and advocate for them; it’s an emotional journey we take together. I have 50 agents and I see how hard they work and how much they care about their clients.

Now, you’ve been in real estate for about 22 years. When you started, would you say you were more idealistic? How have you changed personally in terms of what your role is and how you feel about it?

I’ve never lost that idealistic spirit I had when I first started as a realtor. I was so excited about it. I couldn’t wait to get started. I was a graphic designer for about 25 years before that, and real estate had just opened up a whole new world for me. Every person who walked in the door was like a new experience; a new part of my life would start where I’d get to know these people and help them out. I still feel that way about the business. Becoming a broker is a change because you have to focus on your agents just as much as you do on your clients.

The administrative end.

Right, we make sure everybody is educated about the code of ethics, how to use our software, the latest marketing plans and the latest ad campaigns, so it’s really keeping everybody up to speed all the time.

And, there’s a ton of technology now.

Exactly. We have our MLS software, which, of course, is changing to a new system right now. Thank you very much (laughs). We also have the ever-evolving social media platforms and all the listing syndication websites where you need to be listed, like Trulia, Zillow and hundreds of other smaller sites, which we stay on top of. So yeah, there’s a lot we do behind the scenes.

The other thing happening with the industry is a lot of consolidation. We have two offices and have been independent since we opened, but we are seeing most of the other independent companies being purchased by larger corporations. So, we are really one of the last independent companies in the area, and we’re still ranked No. 3 in the county, which we’re really proud of.

What sets you apart from larger agencies and led to your ranking at No. 3 in the Hudson Valley?

We have a really select group of hardworking agents who all bring a strong work ethic and a big roster of clients with them. And because we’re independent, we can be nimble with our advertising and quickly change tactics. If we find something’s not working, we can go in another direction.

You don’t have this sort of corporate overload… or overlord.

Yeah, both! If we want to change our ad campaign or add a new creative channel, anything we want to do, we can. And then in terms of marketing listings, we can be really creative about that, too.

What do you want clients to feel when they walk through the doors of Halter Associates Realty?

Well, it’s not only that we’re independent. We’re a woman-owned business, and I’m an on-site broker/owner. I’m hands-on, and you know you’re going to be taken care of in a way that, for instance, if you walk into a faceless corporate office, you’re not dealing with the owner; it would be far from it. So you would have that level of comfort that your listing or search for a home was handled with care. We have a big modern office in Bearsville, and a new office in the heart of Woodstock. We also have a Kingston office, which feels different from this one. It’s a nice, very modern office in a historic brick building in Uptown Kingston, with parking in the back and everything!

What really excites you in terms of what you’re doing– is it the day-to-day relationships you have with your clients and agents or something else?

I’m really passionate about my relationship with my agents and helping them thrive. I get so much out of watching them progress. We have a real mix: We have brand-new agents and agents who’ve been doing it for the same length of time as I have. But I love to nurture the new agents, help them get set up and watch them spread their wings.

To switch gears, tell me about what you love most about living in the Hudson Valley. Do you live near the Bearsville office?

I live in Woodstock in a crazy, rambling house that we renovated. It’s just three minutes from this office and 15 from the one in Kingston. We just love this whole area. We lived in Phoenicia and we love Phoenicia, too, but we wanted to be closer to the office here. We love all the new restaurants that have opened and the new energy people are bringing to the area, especially since the pandemic. It’s just been amazing to watch the changes.

Since the pandemic everyone has tables outside and people sit there in the winter, let alone the summer! It just shows you how much we all appreciate where we are and how much we want to be out in the beauty of it.

Right, exactly! (laugh) It’s amazing to me, too. I love that. The other thing I’ve been really excited about watching is that I want to give a shout-out to Lizzie Vann and the Bearsville complex. It’s just been incredible what she has done there and what she’s planning to do in town. And I’m so glad she adopted the town and loves it here enough to invest in it. She sees the beauty and appreciates it and we’re so thrilled because we’re right around the corner.

Do you ride a bike, or what do you do outside for your exercise or relaxation?

I love to ride my bike. I’m a cyclist, but I’ve kind of slowed down a bit. Now I have an e-bike, so I cheat because of the hills around here. I love to ride, it’s really my happy place. I tool around on the flatter roads, then I start uphill, and that’s where…

…the motor comes on!

Even with that, it’s still hard to get up these hill, you know? You still have to pedal! But I love it. I used to do a lot of art, but I don’t really have time. Hopefully, someday, I’ll start drawing and sketching again.

You don’t have a weekend in the same sense that a Monday-through-Friday person does.

Most realtors don’t have weekends. It’s our busiest time. Sometimes, maybe I’ll get a Wednesday (laugh), you know? But that’s okay. I am not complaining. No, I love the business and I just love the people.

What about pets?

I have a cat. A cat and a wonderful husband. My husband is also a partner in the business.

Is he also a realtor.

No, he’s kind of a not-so-silent partner (laugh). But he’s great, he’s very supportive. We also partnered in our graphic design business.

You’ve been together a long time!

Yes, we just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. I bounce ideas off of him. He’s a great advisor; he’s like the big-picture guy.

So, it makes a nice team.

Yeah, we’re a good team.

What do you do for fun?

I play with my cat (laugh). And we still like to go for drives, just like tourists! We’ll drive across the reservoir and be like, “Wow, those mountains, you know, the different light… .” The other place I love to go on my bike is the Rail Trail at the Ashokan Reservoir. We like to go from the Boiceville end because the water is on both sides and you have this beautiful canopy of trees over you. So we’ll walk or ride our bikes. I think it’s one of the best things that’s happened in this area. It’s good for everyone. You see families with little kids; you see elderly people and people on bikes. It’s very unifying, I think.

Let’s talk about your typical day. When do you get up?

7 am. Then I start checking my email.

While you’re still in bed?

Yes, I’m still in bed checking leads, making sure all the lead systems are running, identifying leads that have come in and making sure the agents have responded. I’m also checking emails from clients or agents, making sure everybody’s good. And then I might, you know, have some coffee (laugh).

Where’s the cat?

The cat’s in bed with me. Yeah, he sleeps with me and has coffee with me, but he doesn’t leave my side. Then I read the news. I read a lot of news. I try to stay up to speed on everything: The New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian…. If I really want to slum it, I’ll look at the Daily Beast (laugh).

And what time is it now?

Oh, it could be nine o’clock and then I’m heading to the office.

So it’s a couple of hours in the morning at home.

At home, I’m getting up to speed. The phone is always ringing, too, starting very early because people know I’m up. Then I come in here, and sometimes I’ll work here for the rest of the morning or the rest of the day, or I’ll go to the Kingston office and work there. Our Kingston office is opposite the Hoffman House on North Front Street. And we eat lunch at Hoffman House a lot. We like to support local businesses.

Uptown Kingston has changed a lot in the last few years. How long have you been there?

Seven years. It’s amazing the stuff that’s there now. I love to see all the new places coming in.

I always think about the fact that Woodstock has continued to grow and been really trendy for a long time. Although it has shifted more toward the touristy side, but still remains a small town. There’s no crazy big anything being built anywhere.

Right. That’s something I think people really appreciate here. I think it’s one of the main reasons why the home values have remained pretty steady and gone up over the years.

Looking at maps of the region, you can see businesses are congregated along the main road corridors. There’s still so much untouched land in the Hudson Valley/Catskill region. Everything is conducted to maintain the beauty of the area.

Yes, but it’s always going to be a battle to preserve the natural beauty of the area. We try to be involved in local organizations like the Woodstock Land Conservancy and take our commitment to the community seriously. Speaking of community, we’re also very into our animals here! We love the Ulster County SPCA and have held fundraisers for them. We donate to the food pantry and Woodstock-area Meals On Wheels. We want to be good members of the community as well, because the people who are here are what gives it its spirit. And I think the new people who are coming in appreciate the community, as well and they understand that it’s a special place. That’s why they want to be here.

I live about a mile from town, and in the summer, I can faintly hear the drum circle on Sunday afternoons. But that’s cool. Where else are you going to find that? I think people come here and the word “hippie” kind of pops into their minds. But I’m not sure that phenomenon even exists anymore.

It’s not really what it’s about anymore. Our clientele is mostly people from the city and the downstate area and they tend to be in the arts and media, are musicians and a lot of financial services people. It is really mixed, but it does tend towards the creative side. There’s just something about being here that appeals to the creative spirit.

Last but not least, Lisa, what’s your current state of mind?

Well, I’m hopeful for our industry and I hope everything gets settled in such a way that my agents and their clients don’t suffer. So that they’re able to continue to thrive. When the Department of Justice finally settles the NAR issue, I hope everybody’s going to continue to have a good career in real estate and that people will appreciate us. So, I’d say my state of mind is definitely hopeful and cautiously optimistic.

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Photos: Courtesy of Halter Associates Realty. Portait of Lisa Halter by Renee Samuels