New real estate business springs forward. Meet Genesee River Realty, founder Jonas Willson

In the market for some recreational land, or perhaps a weekend getaway spot?

A new real estate business is aiming to be the go-to source connecting buyers with their dream property.

Jonas Willson recently founded Genesee River Realty with a focus on properties in Allegany, Steuben and Cattaraugus counties.

Genesee River Realty is specializing in properties with sizeable acreage, including recreational land, hunting camps and farmland, while also taking on traditional home sales.

“You have to be able to sell or market houses being a real estate broker, but it’s not as enjoyable as going out and walking a piece of land. That’s where my niche is going to be,” said Willson, an avid outdoorsman. “That’s my focus, but I can also adequately market and sell houses.”

Opening a real estate brokerage ‘for the long haul’

Willson is no stranger to the small business hustle. He started a landscaping business before getting into real estate in the last few years. Willson worked at a Wellsville real estate office as he built towards his broker’s license, which requires a certain level of sales, testing and continuing education.

“Ultimately I wanted to be a broker and basically run my own show,” he said.

Willson hopes to bring on associate brokers in the future, possibly as early as 2025 depending on the pace of the market. Like many parts of the country, Southern Tier real estate boomed for several years fueled by low interest rates and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When I got in it was red hot, very fast paced. It has cooled off,” said Willson. “Any decent listing will go quick because there’s such a shortage, but it’s tough to get quality listings just because of how hot the market was. People made their moves.

“I don’t foresee it getting like that anytime soon again with 2-3% interest rates, but I don’t look into it too deep because I’m all in. I opened this brokerage for the long haul. I’ll play the hand that’s dealt and continue to provide quality service.”

County has strong market for second homes

Genesee River Realty currently has listings in Andover, Bolivar and Clarksville covering lots under 10 acres to over 100. Such properties often draw interest from buyers in Buffalo, Rochester and even deep into Pennsylvania in the Philadelphia area.

“I’m getting guys from down there because the price of land in Pennsylvania is so expensive,” said Willson. “The taxes are higher in Allegany County but the initial investment is more affordable and appealing to people.”

Allegany County has a high percentage of second home ownership, a trend Willson has seen reflected in property inquiries. The shift towards more work-from-home arrangements has also spurred interest in rural properties.

“A lot of people are coming down from the cities for hunting camps or just getting out of the helter skelter lifestyle,” said Willson. “With the amount of people who are able to work from home now, they’re coming down anytime, working right through the week and enjoying the weekend.

“It just opens up everyone’s schedule and they’re able to use their investment more frequently.”

Where to find Genesee River Realty

Willson purchased the former Ivan’s Antiques on Route 19 in Scio and is in the process of clearing out the property with an eye on future improvements. It currently serves as home base for Genesee River Realty, though Willson typically takes meetings on prospective properties.

The new business can be reached at (585) 808-8747, Jonas@geneseeriverrealty.com, or geneseeriverrealty.com

Related: Lack of housing holding back progress in Allegany County? IDA targets 2024 housing study

Willson also has a new billboard on Route 19 by Jack Bridge Road to help familiarize the community with Genesee River Realty.

“With any new business the struggle is getting quality listings, just because people don’t know who you are,” he said. “Once you get out and about, they start putting a name with a face. It’s a lot of word of mouth. When you do a nice job for someone, they’ll let their friends and family know.

“All of the other brokerages were very welcoming. All of my colleagues welcomed me with open arms.”

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Genesee River Realty debuts serving Allegany, Steuben, Catt counties