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Spring, 2005
 Content: • Residential fix-up Residential fix-up Property management firm appeals to outsiders NORTH ADAMS Nathan Quinones entices city dwellers to invest in Northern Berkshire apartment houses and multifamily homes through his company, Cacique Property Management and Construction. "I started this company because of the lack of quality housing in this community," said Quinones, 29, in a recent interview. "Our slogan is 'quality of living matters.' “ Quinones, who is also a sales associate for Century 21 real estate, founded Cacique Property Management more than two years ago after quitting his job as a network deployment technician for SNET in New Haven, Conn., and moving to North Adams to be closer to his parents. He wanted out of the corporate life, and a chance to operate his own business. Since he started Cacique, Quinones said, area property values have grown by 20 percent and the residential market continues to prosper in North County. "When I came here, I found a lot of people complaining about their apartments," he said. "I figured if I bought rentals and made them luxurious and clean, I'd make tons of sales and keep tenants happy. I also found that there were many people from New York and Boston interested in owning property here, and my business grew pretty fast."
Cacique, pronounced ca-se-kee, translates into "chief" in the language of the Tanio Indian tribe in Puerto Rico, said Quinones, who is a Puerto Rican Indian. He chose the name to represent the different services, or "chief" operations, of his business. Cacique remodels and manages 30 apartments for property owners. The company also owns six apartment units in the region, Quinones said. He bought his first multifamily house with help from his fiance and family. "If you own one home, it makes it easier for you to purchase a second because the banks see that you're reliable," said Quinones. The company has refurbished 18 apartments in North County over the past year, including a three-family home at 10-14 Meadow St. in North Adams. An average 1,300-square-foot home costs between $50,000 and $100,000 to refinish, depending on its condition, he said. "The majority of homes here were built from the 1890s to the early 1900s," Quinones noted, "and some of them are really in rough shape. It takes a lot of work gutting and refinishing them." The company will soon complete the remodeling of a six-family house in Adams. Cacique employs Quinones' mother, Ana Gentes, and two full-time workers, Peter Mason and Robert Reynolds. "Most of our clients come from word-of-mouth, or referrals from my office here [at Century 21]," said Quinones. "Sometimes, we just drive by neighborhoods that seem to need the most help, and offer our services." Meanwhile, Cacique also finds single- and multifamily residences for out-of-towners from metropolitan areas in New Jersey, Connecticut, Boston and New York seeking the quiet country life or a way to make extra income, said Quinones. Other interest comes from young professionals looking to buy and rent out a multifamily house to complement their income, he said. "The amount of people who've heard about this area is amazing," he said. "No one can quite put their finger on it yet, but the Berkshires has like a mystique to it. It has nice wooded areas, mountain views, culture and a small metro feel in some places like North Adams that people just find appealing."  RETURN TO TOP |
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