VanDyke Agency Opens Olean Location
VanDyke Agency Opens Olean Location
Husband and wife team of Great Valley acquire Chamberlain Home Realty/On Point Property Management
Pictured L-R: Joe and Sherry Chamberlain with Ciji and Todd VanDyke
Timing is everything; it’s an adage that’s been applied to everything from landing a joke to a business deal. For Todd and Ciji VanDyke, perfect timing is what transformed a seemingly impossible pre-pandemic dream for their real estate agency into a reality just a couple of weeks ago.
Since 2015, the VanDyke Agency has been making a name for itself as a trusted real estate agency throughout the Southern Tier. “We started with a very small office in Salamanca,” Ciji explained. “In 2017, we purchased the Great Valley office; we had more agents who were joining us and we needed more space.”
Shortly after opening, the VanDyke Agency grew their business to include property management and long-term rentals, in addition to real estate sales. “We have about 85 units that we manage in and around Salamanca,” she said. “We also began doing vacation rentals in Ellicottville, and in 2018 we had the opportunity to do some rentals in Chautauqua.”
The VanDykes always wanted to expand into the Olean area, and in 2020, they were about to make this dream a reality. Ciji recalled, “We were all set up with an office location in Olean - we had signs and everything. It was January of 2020; we were ready to hit the ground running, and then COVID hit. That halted that plan!”
2020 and 2021 were such unpredictable years for the VanDykes and their three children, who were involved in remote learning for much of that time. “We just couldn’t commit to being in Olean in 2021,” Ciji explained. “Todd or I - one of us - always had to stay with the kids, and I can’t tell you how many times we did remote learning in the office because of no high-speed internet at home!”
As if the challenges of educating three children at home during a pandemic weren’t enough, the real estate industry faced several restrictions in the spring of 2020. For the VanDykes, March 20, 2020 will forever be an unforgettable day. “The government said real estate is now considered non-essential as of March 22,” Ciji recalled. “From that point on, we had absolutely no idea what the future held. It was a really scary time to not know when our business could operate moving forward. Fortunately, that only lasted for 10 days before we were considered essential and could offer limited services.”
Over the next several months of 2020, the VanDykes worked through a variety of limitations that gradually eased. “First it was no in-person showings allowed, but we could Facetime a client. This is one of the reasons why we invested so heavily in virtual tours!” Over time, restrictions were lifted to include two people on a tour for a certain length of time, and gradually expanded to relatively normal practices.
Despite the changing COVID regulations, the VanDykes were thrilled to see that the real estate market not only survived the pandemic, but actually grew. “Real estate is just absolutely phenomenal,” said Ciji. “I’ve been in so many multiple offers in the last 18 months - it’s great if you’re a seller!” She added that those who are in the market to buy a house are competing with many more people than pre-pandemic times due to supply and demand. “Right now in the Great Valley area, there are nine houses on the market, and normally we’d have over 30.”
All over the country, the real estate market has been hot, Ciji pointed out, and the reasons are varied but mainly pandemic-related. Since March of 2020, “People’s criteria have changed,” she explained. Not only has she seen people looking to get out of densely populated cities, but she’s also noticed people in rural areas looking to move closer to town. “Some people want to be in the country, but their home has to have high-speed internet access and cell service because they’re working remotely or their kids are learning at home. Other people need bigger spaces or different layouts because they now need a home office.”
While initially, the pandemic put the brakes on the VanDyke’s dream of opening an Olean office, it also gave them the capital to invest in an exciting opportunity. On Feb. 1 (this month!), the VanDykes acquired Olean-based Chamberlain Home Realty and On Point Property Management - two companies formerly owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Joe and Sherry Chamberlain. “Their business was very similar to ours,” Ciji explained of the Chamberlains’ real estate and property management companies. “They opened in 2006 and have grown to include almost 200 rental units that they manage in the area. Joe and Sherry have done an incredible job, and there is so much mutual respect and admiration from one husband and wife team to another.”
The VanDykes purchased the Chamberlains’ building and acquired both companies, though they still own and maintain their Great Valley location. “I’m continuing to work in Great Valley where we have five agents, and Todd has been focusing on Olean. Right now, Joe and Sherry are still onboard for the time being during this transition. This is a husband and wife team who built this from the ground up and now they’re handing this huge portfolio to another husband and wife team. Everyone wants to make sure that everyone is taken care of. I think it was just a perfect fit and the right timing for everyone!”
Those who are interested in buying, selling, rentals, or property management can learn more about the VanDyke Agency at www.vandykeagency.com or call 716-265-2062. “We love what we do,” said Ciji. “We’re so excited to expand into Olean and begin this next chapter of our business.”