Sharing in the Sunbelt

Century 21 Sunbelt Realty Inc., Cape Coral, Fla.

When Century 21 Sunbelt Realty Inc. (No. 65, sides; No. 145, sales*) ranked as the top-producing office in the franchise last March, CEO Barbara Watt, CIPS, threw a party—and gave away $25,000 in bonuses in a drawing. It’s that kind of generosity and drive that has helped the brokerage increase its sides by 79 percent and sales by 74 percent in 2004.

“Nothing sits still at Century 21 Sunbelt. We’re always among the first. Our company had a Web site even before the franchise,” says Terri Lodge, broker at the company’s Fort Myers office. The latest high-tech addition is a sophisticated telephone system from Selpan Interactive, Inc. that allows calls made to any office to be seamlessly routed to the correct location through a blind transfer. “I’m always looking out for what’s new,” says Watt, who spent six months researching phone systems.

Often what’s new at Century 21 Sunbelt is yet another office. Under the direction of Dan Pearce, chief operating officer, the company has been rolling out three or four new offices a year in southwest Florida since 2003. Pearce, who’s a partner in seven of the 11 offices, says the decision to build rather than buy is a cultural one. “It’s harder to change the culture of an existing company. So much of our success depends on the culture Barbara has developed that it’s easier to start from scratch.”

Watt’s giving personality and high visibility play a key role in the company’s marketing. “Everyone knows Barbara. They see her name in the paper associated with so many worthwhile causes,” says Lodge. In 2004, even with five of her offices damaged by the hurricanes that swept the area, Watt loaded up portable kitchens with food, drove to sites where people had no water or power, and cooked until the food ran out. “People appreciated it,” she says, “and people remember.”

Source : Realtor Magazine Online

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