Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Bremis.
Stephen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I sold my first home in high school back in 1981 for $27,000. It was a single family near Tufts University and it went VA for about 3% down. When I started, interest rates were 15-18% and our mortgage interest rate book went up to 21%. Rates dropped to 12% and we were ready to celebrate. By comparison, our largest sale to date is a Davis Square condo I sold for $1.504 million. Riding the recession and surviving Somerville rent control, I’ve seen a lot! From the inception of Condominiums in Somerville to our cities explosion into a world renowned ‘hip’ top city destination, our expertise in the local market is extensive. The city has gone from small investment properties to high end million dollar condo conversions in a very short transition period. I created the first luxury brand in our city, The Bremis Collection, to keep up with the demands and expectations of a growing luxury segment in the Somerville market as well as to help revitalize a long standing traditional legendary legacy. The Bremis Collection is now the leading luxury brand selling Somerville’s million dollar real estate market and commanding the highest average sale prices in the city year in and year out. In meeting the demands of the luxury market my wife Brenda and I are the only local agents to operate our own staging company Staging Design Concepts which also services local area realtors as well. Other firsts…Stephen Bremis is also the only realtor to hold the prestigious CLHMS Certified Luxury Homes Marketing Specialist Certification and the Million Dollar Guild Certification representing the top 10% of his market and top 1% in Massachusetts.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Unbeknownst to me, I started in the business at the worst possible time. I just never knew it! I had no basis of comparison and didn’t know 15% mortgage rates was a bad thing! Other than the early 80’s the other time that was the most challenging was the big bank crisis in the early 2000’s. At one point the mortgage industry had tightened up so badly we could not even get financing for buyers with 50% down and credit scores in the 800’s!!! Literally condos could not be financed. The new regulations had completely ignored the condo industry and the market almost literally had ground to a halt. The bank foreclosures were so prevalent that they were affecting prices in the market place for existing homes. Constantly changing bank regulations, market fluctuations and staying tech savvy have been the biggest challenges.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I specialize in Condo Consulting Development and Marketing, from market trends to review of amenities and design implementation to upscale promotion and marketing…this was the purpose of The Bremis Collection. I am most proud of my ability to NOT follow the crowd! Custom all the way! I always strive to be the innovator not the imitator. A 62 year family legacy as in independent office is what I’m most proud of… the independent realtor is a very rare if not extinct ‘brand’. The fact that we have survived so many industry cycles and can still be not only relevant but thrive as a leader is our proudest accomplishment.
What were you like growing up?
I come from a family of seven and am the oldest of five children. I have six children in total…three boys and three girls! My oldest is going to be 30 years old and my youngest is 17. I am a young 54 year old with 36 years of real estate experience. My favorite expression is to always look at things as ‘half full’ and to try consistently to look at the best in any situation and as I tell my kids…never, never, never give up. My personality is always optimistic and upbeat. Family is huge. I love my wife and all my children dearly. They are an overwhelming source of pride to me! I love to travel, work out frequently and am proud of my Greek heritage. Being a native Bostonian, I am a diehard sports fan, of course! Sox, Pats, Celtic or Bruins…I bleed red, blue, green and gold!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1177 Broadway
Somerville, MA 02144 - Website: stevebremis.com
- Phone: 6178281070
- Email: sjbremis@gmail.com
- Facebook: The Steve Bremis Team, Bremis Collection, Stephen J. Bremis
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