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2002 in Review
Wishing For Peace This Holiday Season!
Dear Friends, Clients and Prospects:
The year 2003 is Mavrik Realty’s 5th Anniversary (1998-2003) and my 9th year loving
the real estate business. What a terrific time I’ve had and I owe my success to all of
you. As this year comes to a close and another is set to begin, I am excited to recount
my amazing accomplishments in 2002 and share with you a few of my goals for 2003.
Anyway you cut it, 2002 has been a year of firsts for me and Mavrik Realty. Here are
some of the highlights:
Had my biggest year ever, exceeding $6.5 million in sales! That’s a whopping 38%
increase over 2001 sales.
Closed the most transactions ever (37).
Had the most repeat customers (8) and 13 referrals (one less than last year).
Clearly repeat business and referrals are accounting for a much larger share of my
business than advertising (which was my mainstay in the early years). I guess this
means I have arrived and it feels great!
Sold my first home priced over $400,000.
Sold my first co-op unit, thanks to Rebecca (oh, brave soul).
Scored my highest average homes sales ($176,717) and highest medium home sales
($157,000). See separate enclosure with sales performance results and synopsis of
my client demographics for 2002.
Mavrik Realty doubled in size and capacity when we took on our first real estate
agent on June 28th (see enclosed reprint of Mavrik Realty’s Community Business
Profile in Lavender, August 9-22, 2002). Unfortunately, the experiment in
management didn’t work out, despite my grand expectations and lofty hopes. Six
weeks later, the agent left to go to work for one of the BIG real estate companies.
Although dishearten by this experience, I try to remind myself that “if first you
don’t succeed, try, try again!”
Took two weeks off in early August and fulfilled a lifelong dream to visit the 49th
state, Alaska, and took my first cruise. Traveled with my mother again (our 3rd trip
together) and we had a fabulous time. I can highly recommend Cruise West for
the small boat cruise experience and getting up close and personal with wildlife
and nature. It was breathtaking to see glaciers calving less than a half mile from
our boat and whales performing synchronized swimming and diving off our bow
(and stern). Am I getting too nautical for you?
Went river rafting for the first time in Alaska’s Denali Park. Was going to use that
photo for the calendar cover this year, but I looked too much like the Pillsbury
“Dough Boy” in my wetsuit and life-preserver.
Failed to hold my annual customer appreciation BBQ in August. No, your
invitation did not get lost in the mail. Will make it up to you in 2003, I promise.
Refinanced my own home along with 12 zillion other American homeowners.
Produced my first full-color calendar (enclosed) without one single solitary
business ad (of the real estate fairy or baby ann). Instead, this year's calendar
features YOU, my past clients, having fun at closings, posing in front of your new
homes, or taking in a MN Lynx home game (back page). The last two months of
the year are devoted to some very special home additions (and I'm not talking
bricks and mortar). I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I had fun making it. I’m
just sorry I couldn’t squeeze all of you into it.
Breaking with tradition, choose not to include an original song or poem of mine
this year. Instead, I decided to share with you Phil Ochs’ song “When I’m Gone”
(enclosed). I, like many Minnesotans and Americans, was deeply shaken by the
untimely and traffic death of Senator Paul Wellstone on October 25, 2002. Ochs’
song “When I’m Gone” can be a reminder to all of us that “We must stand up and
keep fighting to make the world a better place.” Our time on earth is precious and
limited. We must make good use of it.
It seems that I can never quite accomplish everything I want to in a year. Surprise,
Surprise! So, much of my to-do list for 2003 is carryover from 2002. Here are a few of
my goals for 2003:
Get my WI real estate license by July 1, 2003.
Hire a personal real estate assistant and/or recruit at least one seasoned real
estate agent by yesterday.
Enter into reciprocal agreements with at least 2 agents or brokerages for vacation
or emergency coverage. That’s so I can leave town with a clean conscience
knowing that my clients will be well-cared for and spoiled in my absence.
Update my website(s), replace old fairy tales with new fairy tales from more
recent sales, complete the sections “under construction” on buying and selling a
home and add my favorite links.
Host two annual customer appreciation parties: one in February, one in August.
Reserve a suite at the Target Center for one or two MN Lynx home games and
invite my clients to be my guests (in lieu of getting 4 season tickets).
Produce my 3rd promotional t-shirt, featuring one of my Baby Ann ads. Probably
the one that reads "Homeownership advocate. Tinker Toy activist."
Wishing you a holiday season filled with beauty and wonder!
Ann Leviton (aka the real estate fairy)
Broker/Owner – MAVRIK REALTY
December 20, 2002
Sales Performance Results
| Year |
Total Volume |
Transactions |
Average Price |
Median Price |
| 1994 |
$83,500 |
1 |
$83,500 |
$83,500 |
| 1995 |
$1,036,681 |
14 |
$74,049 |
$68,750 |
| 1996 |
$1,976,600 |
22 |
$88,845 |
$88,550 |
| 1997 |
$1,909,975 |
21 |
$90,951 |
$87,900 |
| 1998 |
$2,113,870 |
18 |
$117,437 |
$110,950 |
| 1999 |
$3,413,682 |
32 |
$106,678 |
$106,700 |
| 2000 |
$4,265,212 |
33 |
$129,249 |
$119,900 |
| 2001 |
$4,752,777 |
29 |
$163,889 |
$156,000 |
| 2002 |
$6,538,534 |
37 |
$176,717 |
$157,000 |
| Cumulative Results |
$26,090,831 |
207 |
$126,043 |
$119,900 |
Here’s a brief synopsis of my client demographics for 2002, including
What and Where they bought or sold:
In 2002, 35% of my clients were sellers and 65% were buyers.
In 2002, 7 out of 10 of my buyers were first-time homebuyers
(72%), compared to 8 out of 10 in 2001.
In 2002, more than half (54%) of my clients were gays or
lesbians, which is not surprising since much of my advertising
targets this population.
In 2002, over half of my clients (51%) were single, of which
two-thirds (68%) were females. Lesbian couples made up 19%
of my clientele in 2002, gay couples made up 8% and straight
couples made up 22%. Single women and lesbian couples
combined made up 54% of my clientele in 2002.
In 2002, 35% of my clients came from referrals compared to
nearly half (48%) in 2001. Repeat customers accounted for 22%
of my clientele in 2002, compared to 17% in 2001. About onefourth
(24%) of my clients came from ad calls last year,
compared to 27% in 2002.
In 2002, 70% of my ad calls resulting in sales came from
Lavender Magazine and the other 30% came from the Minnesota
Women’s Press.
In 2002, 73% of my clients purchased or sold single family
homes, 16% purchased or sold condo or co-op units, and the
other 11% purchased or sold duplexes.
In 2002, 62% of my clients purchased properties in Hennepin
County, 30% in Ramsey County, 5% in Dakota County and the
remaining 3% in Washington County.
When I’m Gone
By Phil Ochs (from Phil Ochs In Concert, 1966)
There's no place in this world where I'll belong when I'm gone
And I won't know the right from the wrong when I'm gone
And you won't find me singin' on this song when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
And I won't feel the flowing of the time when I'm gone
All the pleasures of love will not be mine when I'm gone
My pen won't pour out a lyric line when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
And I won't breathe the bracing air when I'm gone
And I can't even worry 'bout my cares when I'm gone
Won't be asked to do my share when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
And I won't be running from the rain when I'm gone
And I can't even suffer from the pain when I'm gone
Can't say who's to praise and who's to blame when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
Won't see the golden of the sun when I'm gone
And the evenings and the mornings will be one when I'm gone
Can't be singing louder than the guns when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
All my days won't be dances of delight when I'm gone
And the sands will be shifting from my sight when I'm gone
Can't add my name into the fight while I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone
Can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here
Remembering Two Outspoken Liberals:
Phil and Paul
Phil Ochs was a singer/songwriter during the 1960's (variously categorized as "topical",
"protest" and "folk"). He was a contemporary (and friend) of Bob Dylan. He was a
prolific writer of protest songs such as "Draft Dodger Rag," "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore"
and "Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends." His output diminished at the end of the 60's
after putting out 7 albums. He wrote little in the 70's and, sadly, took his own life in 1976.
Ochs addressed all manner of anti-war, civil rights, labor, and social justice issues on his
first albums, the best of which was In Concert (1966). Ochs' social criticism was
deepening in acuity, as heard on "Canons of Christianity," "Cops of the World," and the
satirical "Love Me, I'm a Liberal." But he also began to move into non-political subjects
with equal or greater effect, as on "There But for Fortune" and "Changes," his most
famous love song.
Phil Ochs was one of my favorite songwriters in the 60’s. He undoubtedly influenced my
songwriting when I began composing songs in 1965. Ochs’ song "When I’m Gone" rose
to my consciousness as I grieved the loss of our beloved Senator Paul Wellstone (our
troubadour for the underdog), who was killed in a tragic plane crash in northern
Minnesota on October 25, 2002, along with his wife and co-campaigner, Sheila, their
daughter, Marsha, staff members Will McLaughlin, Tom Lapic and Mary McEvoy and
the two pilots. I don’t know if Paul was familiar with Ochs’ music, but knowing his
political leanings and passion for justice, I imagine he was. It is in remembrance of Paul,
and the others, that I chose to include this song with my annual greeting for 2002-2003.
It has become my daily reminder that “We must stand up and keep fighting to make
the world a better place.”
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