In this age of shrinking profits in the real estate industry, one local company just grew by 33% and by the end of the month, the number of listings they have will double. Saint Paul Home Realty is a local boutique real estate company that specializes in St. Paul, and in downtown St. Paul. Broker/owner Bud Kleppe lives downtown and has my dream job. He walks to most of his appointments. I list and sell downtown condos and can walk, but I often drive and park at meters and I have the tickets to prove it.
Last week I joined Saint Paul Home Realty and that is what caused the phenomenal growth. The company went from two agents to 3 in a single day.
It was an easy move for me, and it happened while I was in my car last Friday. My office is in my home and I own everything associated with my business so the move involved an electronic license transfer and a bunch of logo changes. My contact information doesn’t change. How appointments are made on my listings and how the phone is answered doesn’t change either. I have been using an excellent service called Showing Solutions for a few years now. They always answer the phone, and the cost of the service more than pays for itself, because they offer much more than just answering the phone.
The large real estate companies have a bigger market share than we do because they have more agents. The more agents a company has the more sales they have. Real estate companies don’t sell any real estate, the agents do and we are all self employed independent contractors. As a consumer you want to list with a big company because they have _________I can’t fill in the blank on that one because I have everything they have. . . even the agent networking. The internet is the great equalizer when it comes to networking and I am not limited by any brand. I network with the agents who know people no matter what color their logos are.
I have never met a buyer who will only buy real estate if it is listed by a certain company and since I can show listings listed by any company I could still help that buyer. All of the listings can be found on the internet.
The internet has changed the real estate industry, especially in the past few years and it has become the great equalizer. The bigger the company, the more they sell, and that is how St. Paul Home Realty just got bigger and all Bud had to do is tell me about his company. I have known Bud for years and because we work in the same areas I have more contact with him than I do with any other agent.
We both got our brokers licenses the same year. Mine is dusty, Bud put his to good use and started a company. Realtors have to either have a brokers license or work under a broker, so I joined as an associate broker, and my license is under his.
I am very excited about this and happy too. I now have a St. Paul address and even though I still work in my home office and write most of my contracts in coffee shops, I like having a St. Paul mailing address. I am also excited about working with Bud. He has a very nice little company. We even have an intranet. These days a company just has to have an intranet. We probably won’t be able to have a company softball team but maybe we can have a company picnic they can come over and I’ll have my husband grill something.
Real estate really is local and so is Saint Paul Home Realty, and I am still all that AND a bag of chips.
Congrats T!! They are lucky to have you and know you will rock it no matter where you are! looking forward to hearing more great things 🙂
T- you have always been all that and a bag of chips. Bud’s bag of chips just got supersized! As always, I wish you all the best!!
Congratulations Teresa, I am not surprised. This will not change anything because clients do business with you and not a big company.
Someday I will have the courage you do!
thanks ladies. You are a big part of my network both as friends and colleagues, and since I know that won’t change, life is good.
It’s a whole new world! I hope Bud knows how lucky he is!
PS Can I come to a company picnic?
@tboard Great news! I am partial to independent, boutique brokerages because I also have one. I will be retweeting and facebooking your article–thank you for being so concise and articulate.
I love this article! I love my independent brokerage. The energy and teamwork between the four of us there is phenomenal. The internet has been the great equalizer, except now, we are not just equal, we are pulling past the big names.
Congratulations on your new venture, Teresa. With you, it will soar!
Congratulations on your exciting news! It’s really cool that your company advertises on park benches :p
thanks all. Sarah just let us know if you are coming and I’ll have Boomer grill an extra burger.
Congrats T! 2009 is shaping up to be a good year for many reasons!
Thanks Aaron and yes it is. Reminds me of the spring of 05 when I was so busy I didn’t have time to eat or sleep. The only difference . . the prices. 🙂
I was wondering why you were in my psychic radar recently. Good for you. Make yourself happy. Best wishes for both you and Bud.
Congratulations! Change takes courage then once it is done you wonder why it took so long.
This looks like the beginning of a beautiful relationship! Congrats Theresa on the move.
Teresa…Bud is one lucky broker! 🙂 Congrats!
I suppose this is where I should write something of meaning… I am very excited to have Teresa on board, and I think she’s a great fit for the vision of our little company. Teresa says it best “Real estate is local, and so are we!”
Curtis you said it all. I am an idiot! I have been able to go out on my own since 2007 and I didn’t. I guess that is good in a way. I wouldn’t be with Bud if I had.
Bud – LOL hard to write anything of meaning that is why it took me 5 days to write this. I love your little company and I would be a perfect fit if my signs were 24 X 36 instead of 23 X 36, like they are supposed to be.
Elaine – that is my bench. I Invented, or maybe I should say created the virtual bus bench in 2007. If Bud wants one I can make one for him too.
Did I agree to making all those burgers?
Congratulations, Teresa! Local Realty Rocks! I just joined a local company this week myself. I think we may be on to something! Best of luck.
Laura 🙂
Good stuff. I am partial to the ’boutique’ model, but then again, I’ve never known anything different.
Just like a bedroom without a closet, you’re non-conforming. And I mean that in the best way possible…
Hi T,
I once interviewed for a high end brokerage in the Twin Cities a few years back. They didn’t like it when I told them my philosophy is more targeted on the agent, then the real estate company. Like you said, what buyer decides to buy a home based on the Listing Company? My new office is also a boutique size model. So much more relaxing and inviting. Congrats on the move!
Hi Teresa,
First, congratulations on your new venture. I have also changed to a smaller company and love it. Nothing better than being able to live and work in the same neighbourhood, for a boutique agency. Best wishes with your new broker!
Hurray for you on the new move. I’m also unable to fill in that blank. I’m enjoying myself and my clients are still getting top notch me. St Paul will still get top notch you, lucky them.
T, you’ve entered the future of the real estate professional. Welcome to what is my professional world for some time now, experienced and independent.
Larry – I have been working the same way for three years now. On my own and from home.