Maureen Atkinson is a real estate broker in paradise. But not just one.
Atkinson, a founding member of REALM, sells property in the Palm Springs Valley and in Hawaii.
"The Valley is a desert utopia, Hawaii is a tropical paradise,” Atkinson recently told Desert Magazine. “They both offer the luxury lifestyle. While both states are expensive to live (in), they provide life qualities that are dreamed of by many.”
Atkinson left Hawaii in 2010 and lives full-time in the California desert.
“Living here allows me to service my clients in the desert and the Southern California coastal communities,” she said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been referring her Hawaii clients to other members of REALM's global real estate platform, which uses artificial intelligence to match buyers with properties based on lifestyle and location.
“REALM is brand agnostic," she said. "It is by invitation only and is comprised of the most elite luxury real estate professionals globally."
The market for high-end homes is strong right now, Atkinson said. Demand is up, supply is down.
“I recently sold an $8.5 million home at the Madison Club in La Quinta to a high-profile client from Beverly Hills,” she said. “It was a new construction desert contemporary, and the home sold before completion. At the end of October 2020, I was again at the Madison Club with a client from the coast, but there is little inventory available as many homes are sold before they hit the market. To this day, I continue to receive calls from clients and real estate brokers from the coast to see what I have coming to market.”
COVID-19 actually contributed to the stronger market, Atkinson said.
“As 2020 was the year of transition, the wealthy relocated to markets with personal appeal based on lifestyle,” she said. “The affluent moved away from cities looking for space, wellness, and safety. Soon after the pandemic started, we had an initial surge of high net worth buyers from the California coast looking for properties in the desert. Since then, we have seen interest at all price levels, and our inventory has diminished quickly.”
Atkinson is a strong believer in giving back to the communities where she works. She donated nearly $100,000 to the Maui Preparatory Academy when the school was in its infancy.
“My donation was to help develop much-needed programs and to assist deserving children an opportunity to attend such an academy,” she said. “I continue to donate a portion of my commissions to charities, and it's usually always client’s choice.”
An earlier career in the corporate sector prepared Atkinson for a career in luxury real estate, she said.
“Early in my career, I was in a very prominent position, had many responsibilities and reported directly to the founding partner of a company that handled portfolios for affluent families and businesses with large real estate holdings,” she said. “My corporate background allowed me a smooth transition into the higher end of luxury real estate.”
