Real estate veteran Mara Navaretta believes in pounding the pavement on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean a top notch headquarters isn’t equally important for a licensed firm.
Navaretta’s firm, Homes By Mara, is investing time, money and effort in relocating its current digs on Jericho Turnpike for a brand new, two-story office at the former site of Italian eatery Angelina’s II on Berry Hill Road in Syosset. Navaretta said the move is out of necessity, as her firm has grown to 40 agents since its inception in 2010.
“Our move to this comprehensively renovated and expanded property is indicative of the continual growth that Homes By Mara has seen over the last five years,” said Navaretta, a Woodbury resident who grew up in Plainview. “Since first opening my own agency, it has been my mission to recruit quality agents and to ensure that Long Island home buyers and sellers are provided with personalized, hands-on, quality attention as well as representation.”
Construction at the former restaurant began this past January and it’s slated for completion this May. The location upgrade will give Homes By Mara 4,000 square-feet to work with, up from 2,000 square-feet at its current location. The full first floor will feature Homes By Mara agent offices and its full second floor will be outfitted with a contemporary Realtor Lounge, equipped with fireplace along with offices of real estate law firm Navaretta & Howard LLP, which is co-headed by Navaretta’s husband, John, who is also her CEO.
While giving her agents more space to work, the new surroundings will not change the high standards to which they are held. Navaretta said that besides their abilities as realtors, agents are hired based on honesty and integrity—the main tenets of Navaretta’s brand of real estate.
“For a lot of companies, it’s all about the bottom line. But I believe the money will come if you do the right thing,” she said. “With my agents, if I find out they are doing something strictly for the money, they are done. I’ve had to say no to agents who wanted to work for us because I didn’t believe they shared my philosophy.”
Part of Navaretta’s philosophy is using her resources to help others in the community. Recently, Navaretta’s firm helped warm the hearts of children suffering chronic illnesses through a participation in the Ashley Wade Foundation’s Jake’s Jammies pajama drive. Navaretta and her agency collected more than 300 pajamas that were then given to children in hospitals over the holidays.
“If you can do it, you do it,” Navaretta said about helping people in the community and beyond. “For me, it’s easy, but it means so much. I have the means and the ability to spread the word of charities with advertising. It’s what I love.”
Having the means and the ability to help others was one of Navaretta’s many goals during the infancy of her company, when many days she found herself working out of her car. Even back then, Navaretta said it didn’t matter whether or not she had an office—people knew who she was, mainly because she wasn’t shy about it.
“Even when I’m getting my nails done, I’m talking to the person next to me,” she said. “A lot of agents start out very shy because they don’t want people to think they are too sales-y. But you have to create a network.”
But being on the clock as a realtor seven days a week does not mean sacrificing family time, according to Navaretta. Among her many meetings and responsibilities, Navaretta has a standing appointment every day at 3 p.m. to be there for her daughter when she gets off the school bus.
That appointment is specifically carved out, set in her day planner—no matter what.
“It’s one of the best decisions I ever made,” said Navaretta, who has three children. “A lot of times, we’re out there hustling, doing our work, but we can’t forget to carve out time for family.”
Meanwhile, Navaretta is carving out a solid real estate foundation on Long Island as she and her team gets set to turn the key at their new headquarters, pounding the pavement along the way.
“If you don’t know us, you should know us,” she said. “It’s been an incredible ride.”
