In every industry, there are always little rivalries; the kind that keep managers, owners, and statisticians awake at night. When you’re on the receiving end of the latest corporate dig, or you’ve paid your dues as the “New Kid on the Block”, the ribbing can occasionally get a little personal. And of course some personalities just don’t deal with defeat too well.
Which is why it has been so amusing to watch the latest blogflares going up as Keller Williams announced at the annual “Family Reunion” in Austin, TX this week, that they’ve taken some of the air out of RE/Max’s balloon. Surpassing RE/Max’s national agent count ( to take the spot as the nation’s 3rd largest real estate company) is especially gratifying to us here at Pickett Street, as we joined the Keller family in early 2008, after 3 years with a local RE/Max agency.
To be fair, RE/Max was very good to us, and we cherish the relationships we made there. However, we have learned that Keller’s culture is more suitable to our way of business: we love the supportive, cooperative, family & community-oriented, values-based team atmosphere.
Another significant piece of the business decision puzzle for us was their progressive stance on technology. As most know, the internet plays a significant role in the modern home search, and younger buyers are typically early adopters. Recognizing this, we were excited to align ourselves with a company whose philosophy supported our own. This was recently recognized on the national scene by Swanpoel Trends, who declared that Keller Williams ranked 3rd on the list of Top 10 Real Estate Trendsetters for 2009.
Ultimately, we are in business. Being a “for-profit'” enterprise, we’ve learned that the Keller model of “lead with revenue” is especially critical in today’s business environment. Despite their growth, Keller has shrewdly managed to get to the #3 slot without incurring any debt. In the world we now inhabit, that’s almost unheard of. An enviable position for any business, and one we’re happy to be a part of.