The Tribune

Bahamas Realty broker Silvina M. Andrews scored a hat-trick after becoming the realtor’s Top Producer for the third time in 2012.

Having won this honour in 2007 and 2010, Mrs Andrews said: “Purchasing a home should be fun and exciting. I try very hard to take on the stress so the client doesn’t have to.

“Real Estate is a service industry and clients will remember the entire experience. So I take the time to step out of the box and make theirvexperience memorable.”

Fluent in English and Spanish, she added: “The biggest challenge this past year was simply not having the number of clients that I would usually see through referrals and advertising. Also, with the instability of the market, buyers have difficulty making the commitment.

“During these difficult times it has also been difficult for buyers to find financing. I’ve had a couple of experiences this year in the luxury market where financing fell through time and time again but, thankfully, I have built some relationships during my time in this business. With the clients’ trust, we managed to make it work.”

When Mrs Andrews started at Bahamas Realty there were only three sales agents. Now there are 14 in Nassau alone.

She said: “When I started, there were no computers, no cell phones. I spent several hours a day with my head in a file cabinet looking for listing files. They had to be filed back at the end of the day (yuck), but it somehow seemed simpler then.

“I have seen Bahamas Realty evolve through many ups and downs in the economy, a growth of about a 1000 per cent in the sales department, and too much new technology to even count. ”

Mrs Andrews joined Bahamas Realty in 1996 and received her Real Estate Broker’s License from the Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) in 1999.

Now a Bahamian citizen, she has a thorough knowledge and love of the islands, most of which she has seen up close while boating with her family.

Her professional affiliations include: Luxury Portfolio, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Whitten Caribbean, Luxury Real Estate, and NAI Bahamas.

Mrs Andrews said: “Real estate really allows you to use all your talents and experience. In this business, it’s important to work smart and not spread yourself thin.

“It doesn’t take many big sales to turn our tiny luxury market around. I see my career as a business and I try to make every actual working minute count for me and for my clients.”