People “get into” real estate at all stages of life. In Houlihan Lawrence agent Jan Vinikoor’s case, she was an early bloomer. 

 

By Robin Jovanovich

 

 

 

 

 

People “get into” real estate at all stages of life. In Houlihan Lawrence agent Jan Vinikoor’s case, she was an early bloomer. Her parents were in the home building business. “My mother was very active in the business and my brother and I used to be on the job. We’d hand out brochures on model homes. I was often the greeter!”

 

Mark Vinikoor worked in the construction business for 34 years of the 41 years they’ve been married. “It’s a young person’s business,” he said. Seven years ago, he joined forces with Jan in real estate.

 

They’ve got a great working relationship. “I can see where the problems are with a house before the inspector,” says Mark. Jan, a Dwell magazine devotee, goes right to the redesign possibilities of a home.

 

“Jan sets up my schedule,” says Mark. “We rely on each other and complement one another,” says Jan.

 

They not only love showing houses, they also love showing buyers the community — the parks, the library, the schools, the nature and art centers.

 

While they are happy to sell someone coming out from the city a big home, the older they get the more they appreciate keeping it simple.

 

“A lot of our clients — empty nesters and young families — are going smaller,” says Jan. “They want to have space, but not an overabundance of it for economic and environmental reasons.” She adds, “Apartment living makes for a richer experience, too.”

 

Just this week the Vinikoors closed deals on two units in Rye Colony on Peck Avenue.

 

“Jan looks at what the ‘walk score’ of a home is,” notes Mark, “and walking distance to train, town, school scores high with many buyers.”

 

While the big news is typically that such and such a listing “went to sealed bids and the sale price was in the millions,” the Vinikoors point to the healthy co-op and condo market.

 

The City Assessor’s office was helpful in providing the actual number of apartments in Rye — a surprising 1,298.

 

The Vinikoors point to the fact that you can have pets at Water’s Edge, the complex near Rye Town Park, walk to everything from Blind Brook Lodge, and have a view of the harbor from Milton Harbor House. And other complexes offer a multitude of appealing options.

 

The couple hasn’t lived in an apartment in sometime. They live in a house in Harrison that they’ve renovated four times.

 

“We have the best of both worlds — we live in Harrison and work in Rye.”