44°
Even as a kid, Peter Raider, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, White Plains Office, was interested in houses. He used to draw plans to see if he could expand his bedroom. "I came up with a cantilevered addition to the house on stilts," he said with a laugh.
When he wasn't thinking about architecture, Raider worked at the family button business in New York's garment district. At the age of eight, he started spending summers helping his father with the stamp pads and labels at the business his grandfather had founded. Later, he sold everything from McDonald's uniform buttons to closures for high-end women's clothing.
Raider first started in real estate in 1990 after a friend suggested he try it part-time. He worked weekends and weekday evenings, and learned the ropes from a top agent who helped him develop a strong work ethic.
Raider takes his profession very seriously, especially when it comes to the less pleasant aspects of his job. Giving clients bad news is never easy but he does it with understanding and respect. "I try to be truthful in an uncompromising way," he said. Recently, he's found himself helping homeowners navigate short sales and foreclosures. He said the process is tough for all involved but he enjoys the rewards of helping people who are in real trouble.
Being a real estate agent offers Raider flexibility allowing him to be at every family event or milestone when his three children were young. His flexible hours enable him to get out on the golf course, and in the winter he enjoys traveling and skiing with his kids.
What Raider finds most rewarding is seeing people's dreams come true. He loves matching people with their homes. "I am always humbled when I am invited into someone's home," he said.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Armonk and receive free news updates.
