Tapping Into the Market of New Obama Appointees

Here’s how you get the incoming Obama appointees to check out your property:

First, you obtain a secret number that connects you with the third assistant for transition team co-chair John Podesta.

Then, said assistant will forward your information onto the official housing relocation team (they’re sort of like the Men in Black), who will visit your property and decide if it is Obama appointee-worthy.

Then, the real fun begins…or not. Last week, I started making calls about this very topic, asking essentially: Is there any particular way for real estate agents to start tapping into the incoming group of presidential appointees? Some of them, surely, will need homes right? 

One agent said that a few in her profession had taken to depositing their cards, plastering flyers and leaving other materials by the transition offices. But that didn’t really work, said the agent. Mostly, you just wait for calls. If you’re good, people will recommend you. 

Earlier today, I spoke with Lynn Hackney, president of sales group Urban Pace. “I had a meeting with someone on the transition team [with the FCC] just yesterday. She’s in charge of just a certain segment of it,” says Hackney. The woman is a friend and already lives here, says Hackney. “My approach to talking with her was to say hey—I mean, she already knows about our company and what we do—but just to remind her: Hey, if you run across anybody as just part of what you do on the transition team, just keep in mind we have this available.” Ultimately, a lot of people involved with transition are already residing in D.C., and the entire network spread throughout the city is very “fragmented,” says Hackney.  Hackney’s company is currently selling 12 new projects, and doing 20 resale listings. Urban Pace represents Landmark Lofts on Capitol Hill, as well as new boutique condo building 2501 Pennsylvania Ave.