2016 Best Real Estate Company: Windermere Real Estate/Tri-Cities & Windermere Group One (tie)
Windermere Real Estate, Tri-Cities, Kennewick
For the last five years, each individual city in the community, including the outlying areas, have chosen Windermere Real Estate Tri-Cities in Kennewick to represent more existing home sellers than any other real estate office in the Tri-Cities.
Dave Retter, owner and founder of the Kennewick real estate office, believes the success of their office comes from the quality of their agents and staff.
“For the last 23 years I have had the privilege of leading an incredible group of realtors and staff, many of whom started with me right after we opened our doors,” he said.
Despite being busy selling homes, the team at Windermere Tri-Cities finds time to support their community’s various charities and organizations through sponsorships.
A handful of those organizations include the Kennewick Police Foundation, Gesa Carousel of Dreams, Safe Harbor Crisis Center, the Boys and Girls Club and the Toyota Center’s Windermere Theater.
“For the last three years the Kennewick office has been the sole supporter of the theater. I have had so many people tell me how they appreciate us for our loyalty to the venue,” Retter said.
People appreciate the real estate office’s loyalty to their clients as well, as this is the fourth year Windermere has been voted the top winner.
“Everyone at Windermere Real Estate Tri-Cities would like to thank the Tri-City community for honoring us with the People’s Choice Award again this year. The highest compliment to our real estate office however, comes from the community trusting us to help them achieve the great American dream: homeownership.”
Windermere Group One, Richland
Windermere Group One founder Jeff Thompson has been a Windermere owner since 1997, and saw opportunity to expand to a new branch in 2010. The agency, which has close to 65 agents, is set to open a second location in the Southridge area late this spring.
“That’s a growing market over there, and it’s expanding further and further south,” said Patti Thompson. “Right now there’s no other large real estate companies over there that can really serve those people. Corporate said expand, and we did indeed.”
Their expansion comes at an ideal time, as 2016 has been a busy year for real estate agents in this area.
“The market is very swift, and it is, in most price ranges, a seller’s market. Meaning you’re going to get top dollar for your house and in a lot of price points, you may get multiple offers,” said Jeff Thompson.
The agency offers a unique opportunity for all of their realtors to become stockholders in the company.
“Our motto is unlocking the power of ownership. Agents are partners with us as owners of the company, so they have the opportunity to be more involved than just listing and selling real estate. They’re shareholders in our company,” Patti Thompson said.
Group One provides continuous training for all their agents, regardless of tenure.
“Our training is nonstop, on a daily basis. And it’s not just new agents, it’s everybody,” Jeff Thompson said. “Our job is to make sure that our people are educated and they know how to handle things.”
1. Windermere Real Estate/Tri-Cities
329 N. Kellogg St., Kennewick, 509-783-8811
windermeretricities.com
tied first
Four in a row winner - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
1. Windermere Group One
490 Bradley Blvd., Richland, 509-946-1188
grouponetricities.com
tied first
Four in a row winner - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
2. Century 21
1020 N. Center Pkwy., Ste. A, Kennewick, 509-572-2456
century21tri-cities.com
3. Coldwell Banker
8836 Gage Blvd., Ste. 101-B, Kennewick, 509-783-4147
cbtabs.com
This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 7:10 PM.