There Is No ‘I’ in Team
The COMPASS RE team led by Clinton Polchan combines expertise, talent, and accessibility to help clients pounce on opportunities in a resilient real estate market.
“Is right now a good time to move?” For buyers and sellers in a changing real estate market, the answer is not always clear. Clinton Polchan at COMPASS RE wants to bring clarity to the buying and selling process, through the expertise of a team of seasoned, talented, and highly accessible Realtors who are committed to helping clients achieve their goals.
Polchan, a Doylestown native, has worked in local real estate for the last 16 years, focusing on Bucks and Montgomery counties. He was an agent with Flo Smerconish Realtor when they merged with COMPASS RE four years ago. In his quest to create the Clinton Polchan Team at COMPASS RE, he wanted to form a group of Realtors who shared his work ethic, desire, and hyper-local knowledge of communities throughout the Philadelphia area.
“Everyone on this team has specialties and specific things that they do best,” says Polchan. “They are at different stages of life, come from different communities, and can bring that experience to our clients. It gives us direct insight and knowledge into a much wider area, which means we can direct our clients towards the perfect fit for them and their lifestyle.”
The Realtors who make up the Clinton Polchan Team at COMPASS RE have a combined 60-plus years of experience, working in Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, and Montgomery counties, as well as Philadelphia and into New Jersey. Polchan’s team includes Emily Downs, Lauren Friga, Carla Giordano, Katherine Miller, Donna Ryan, Evelyn Thomas, Julie Wurster, and Laurie Zivkovich. In addition to a diversity of experience, his team offers the vast resources of COMPASS, which has become widely known for its agent-driven culture, constant marketing support, and robust technology platform.
“COMPASS is the single-largest brokerage firm in the country, and that is reflected in the opportunities our clients have,” says Polchan. “It’s a very collaborative environment, and we work together as a team but also as an agency. Our clients aren’t pinpointed to one agent; if they want to explore another area that someone on my team has more knowledge of, or if I’m unavailable and a client is looking to do some tours, we work together to make sure there are never any gaps in knowledge or availability.
“We’re also working across the COMPASS network and across states to connect our clients,” he continues. “In the process, it gives my team the ability to be a closer part of our communities and more aligned with our clients and neighbors.”
The real estate market has begun to change from the pandemic-fueled boom of 2020. The market remains in the headlines, however, with shifting interest rates and persistent inventory issues influencing conversations about buying and selling. Polchan and his team work closely with clients to make sure they “put their best foot forward,” whether it’s a seller preparing to list a home or a buyer putting together an attractive bid, to pounce on opportunities as they come.
“Every market is different,” Polchan adds. “You can see in the news that other states or areas are down in the real estate market, but we are absolutely not. Our school districts remain strong, and our communities remain strong. The way the market is trending shows that we’re settling into a comfortable period that gives our buyers a little more time to make a decision that lasts. But it’s still competitive, and you could get multiple offers on a home, depending on price point.”
When it comes to listing a home, pricing is everything. Polchan says sellers in this area will find no shortage of motivated buyers. It may still be a seller’s market, but buyers may find they now have a bit of “breathing room” to more closely evaluate their needs. In some cases, they can afford to be more selective than they could just a year ago, when any hesitation would result in a lost opportunity.
“Even though interest rates are a little higher, I see people coming off the fence and ready to move,” Polchan says. “At the peak of the real estate market, there were clients who just couldn’t find a house for a year or more. It was so discouraging. We’re heading back into a healthy market where homes are still getting a lot of showings and receiving bona fide offers. Buyers can also feel more at ease requesting contingencies, allowing them to feel even greater confidence in the homebuying process.”
On the sales side, Polchan’s team brings every resource to bear, ranging from expert staging and photography services to open houses—whatever they think will help streamline the seller’s journey.
“Open houses remain strong, and in the current market you’re still getting a lot of visitors in a short window of time,” Polchan adds. “You can make a lot of progress in about three hours, affording convenience to the seller. While updated kitchens and baths are still important, I see a trend towards outdoor living space being a huge bonus for buyers. However, location is still the key.”
No matter the client’s time frame, budget, or personal goals, the Clinton Polchan Team at COMPASS RE takes pride in advocating for clients with around-the-clock accessibility. Their shared commitment has helped team members form close relationships with buyers and sellers that tend to last long after their day at the closing table.
“All of us love what we do, and I think our clients feel that,” Polchan adds. “We are embracing this market for our clients, and using this time to build lasting relationships. It’s really exciting to see how much potential is out there, and it’s even more exciting to see what we can do with that potential. Our mission at COMPASS is to help everyone find their place in the world, and I like to think my team is doing its part.”
Clinton Polchan Team at COMPASS RE
54 W. State Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 348-4848
clintonpolchan.com
54 W. State Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 348-4848
clintonpolchan.com
Photo by Alison Dunlap
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, January 2023.
