This week we spotlight Annie Kruger, our newest recruit from our Southport office. In the interview, she shares why she made the leap to BHS from William Raveis, what she’s seeing in the Southern Fairfield County market, her interesting career background, and much more.
You recently joined BHS’s brand new Southport Office after being at Raveis…why did you decide BHS was best for your business?
After meeting with Chris Halstead and researching the company, I was so impressed with the quality of leadership and agent support at BHS. I was blown away by the marketing and the tools offered to every agent and have woken up every single day since joining BHS grateful to be here and excited to be the best version of myself for my clients, with BHS' support.
How do you see the Southern Fairfield County market in general performing right now based on your recent client experiences?
Our market here in lower Fairfield County is still incredibly competitive and every single one of my recent transactions, on both the buying and selling side, has gone to multiple, competitive offers, where both price and terms matter. While we are seeing an uptick in inventory, it is not enough to satiate the buyer pool, most of whom are well qualified and ready to go. The price of a listing is powerful where a well-priced home will attract an enormous buyer pool, in turn creating multiple offers, driving up the offer prices and commanding excellent terms. Conversely, a poorly priced home will grossly underperform.
You were previously a communications head at Stamford's own WWE, one of the most profitable Connecticut based businesses, can you share with us an important tip on proper communication strategy that you gathered from that previous experience that helps you in your real estate career?
While my two careers were quite different, communication of information is obviously critical in both. I learned early in my first career that controlling the narrative, specifically in a calm, confident and comprehensive way, was the most important key to success, and that couldn't be truer in real estate. The second thing I carried over from my PR days is that it is crucially important to be blunt and direct when the stakes get high, and while it may be uncomfortable at times, I will always be very honest and direct with my clients (and often other agents) so they know exactly what needs to be done to achieve their desired outcome.
Favorite thing to do in Southport and why?
We love the beach! Whether it be a quiet walk alone, taking the kids for pizza at sunset or looking for shells at low tide, we always have so much fun.
Where is your favorite place to take your 3 kids and husband to in Connecticut and why?
Along the same lines as the beach in Southport, we love Mystic! It is a fantastic seaport town with an amazing aquarium, quaint shops and restaurants and easy for us to go for the day or stay overnight.
Share something few know about you.
Those close to me know my passion for tennis but I'm not sure most in the real estate world know. Two years ago I decided I needed something for me so I joined a USTA team and I absolutely love it!
Share a photo on your camera roll that means a lot to you and share why?
This is a photo of my husband, Gary, and two daughters (Amelia age 9 and Hadley age 7) at their District All Star Softball semi-final playoff game — Gary as their head coach and the girls playing their hearts out. As you can imagine, this mama was BEAMING with pride.
Share one of your goals in 2025 that you aim to accomplish.
I'm a working mom so my goal is always to find the right balance but let's be serious, that will never happen! But I embrace that and I'm driven by that. In 2025, my goal is to continue to grow my business and expand my network, reaching milestones within BHS as a top agent.
