AUSTIN, Texas - (Business Wire) An economy on the verge of total collapse. Residential real estate markets are either stagnant or in great decline across the country. The public is in dire need of promising news about real estate. If you ask Chad Goldwasser, the timing is perfect to start a new real estate venture. And his venture is dramatically different than anything the industry has ever seen before.
Formerly Keller Williams Realty’s number one real estate agent, locally and worldwide, Goldwasser announced today he has launched his own independent company, Goldwasser Real Estate, and along with it, a brand new business model for success in residential real estate.
“The natural evolution of Goldwasser Real Estate helped us discover that a dramatic philosophical shift was needed in order to serve our clients at the highest level. As a result, we’re bringing Fortune 500 business practices, technology and discipline to a struggling and fragmented industry,” said Chad Goldwasser, CEO, Goldwasser Real Estate. “Relationships aren’t enough to sell real estate anymore. Competency standards must be pushed higher, and companies need to provide better support so agents can be free to focus on what they do best: advising clients.”
Over the past 10 years, the real estate industry has been hurt by an influx of under-qualified agents looking to make a quick buck in a profession that emphasized volume and commissions over quality service to their clients. Consequently, many home buyers and sellers have been frustrated with the lack of consistency, service and market knowledge of real estate agents, ranking them just above used car salesmen. Goldwasser Real Estate seeks to transform the industry by moving away from the prevalent franchise-based brokerage structure to a service-based model that offers agents unprecedented training, revamped compensation packages, and powerful tools and technology that enable them to provide extraordinary value to home buyers and sellers.
“We want to be the Nordstrom of the real estate world in terms of quality and service and the General Electric in terms of systemization,” said Goldwasser. “Goldwasser Real Estate balances these two ideals to create a unique value proposition for our clients, partners, agents and employees.”
Introducing a New Industry Model
“The Goldwasser mission for serving our clients best is to elevate the art of selling real estate to a science. The way we do that is by nurturing the best trained, best prepared, and most informed real estate professionals in the world,” said Greg Cooper, Goldwasser co-founder and partner. “We’re not about growth; we’re about attracting and developing service-minded superstars who want to be part of something unique – something that will raise business standards in every market we enter.”
World-Class Training
At the peak of the real estate boom in 2006, there were 1.3 million realtors, or one of every 138 working adults in the U.S. Since then, quality of agent representation has continued to suffer from inconsistent and sometimes non-existent training of agents beyond the rudimentary skills gained in real estate licensing academies. Goldwasser Real Estate is reversing that trend by providing its agents the advanced training needed to understand the complexities of real estate transactions, which ultimately provides unmatched customer service.
“For our agents, training is not an option. It’s mandatory,” said Goldwasser. “Goldwasser training is similar to getting your MBA in real estate.”
Cutting-Edge Business Systems and Operations
Goldwasser Real Estate subscribes to the Maximum Value Home Selling System®, a solution from business systems consulting partner MaxAvenue® that only a handful of elite realtors are licensed to use. This system enables Goldwasser agents to ensure their clients’ homes sell for up to five to 15 percent more than traditional realtors. The system allows agents to proactively understand and manage the factors that drive maximum home value. These factors range from the staging of the property to executing solid negotiating expertise when determining final sale price.
To achieve superior customer service, Goldwasser has developed a cohesive IT system utilizing best-in-class technology and software systems. The system helps the company segment both new and existing clients so that relevant communication can be delivered based on customer needs. The system also provides seamless transaction management, and, ultimately, high-quality customer service experiences.
“One crucial difference between Goldwasser and other real estate companies is that we integrate the latest high-tech systems and programs into our operations,” said Tara Goldwasser, Chief Operating Officer, Goldwasser Real Estate. “In the past, agents who had great ideas just didn’t have the means or the time to implement them. Goldwasser Real Estate takes away the burden of implementation and administrative overhead so our agents can focus on selling and providing the best customer experience possible.”
To provide consistent customer service, every Goldwasser agent subscribes to the company’s customer service values and systems, including the Lifetime Client Connection® program, another addition from consulting partner, MaxAvenue®. This program enables agents to stay in touch and proactively market to current and past clients over their lifetime. Goldwasser’s customized databases allow each client to receive targeted, relevant communications that specifically meets their needs – a first in the industry.
Online tools help constantly monitor Goldwasser’s customer service and customer satisfaction levels. Monitoring involves a series of surveys and calls from customer service reps to track every transaction. This tool integrates agent responsiveness with client satisfaction to rate agent performance.
Inside Sales/Call Center
Another of Goldwasser’s industry firsts is the establishment of an inside sales department to ensure all inquiries and customers are quickly and efficiently responded to and matched to the best agent to serve their needs. Goldwasser intensely trains inside sales agents to adhere to the company’s proprietary customer service modules. Psychologist-designed rules of protocol have been refined by the company to maximize agents’ chances of setting appointments. By having an inside sales force manage the flow of customer needs, the company maintains better control, making sure new clients are matched with the ideal agent for their home buying or selling process.
The Impact to the Consumer
Goldwasser’s unique business model focuses on providing the highest quality customer service:
- Access to innovative value providing programs, i.e., MaxAvenue tools
- Agents with MBA-style training and up-to-date market knowledge
- Most current technology and sales tools
- “All about you” customer experience
- Lifetime connection and ongoing relationship with agent
Agent Support
Goldwasser Real Estate is strengthening and supporting agents with the best training, benefits, and information technology in the industry:
- Customer-centric training
- Standardized selling methodologies (first real estate company ever to require this)
- Comprehensive administrative, transactional, information systems and marketing support, including maintenance of all databases
- Actual implementation and execution of all systems by company support staff
- Continual monitoring of every transaction, survey and evaluation
- Consistent and measurable quality standards.
Agent Compensation:
- Group healthcare benefits
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Stock option plan
- Profit sharing
- Continuing education and professional certification expense reimbursements.
Paying Homage to an Industry Giant
Goldwasser Real Estate builds upon invaluable experience Chad Goldwasser gained during his years with Keller Williams. The entrepreneurial spirit and value of teamwork emphasized in the Keller Williams culture ultimately inspired Goldwasser to strike out on his own.
“There is no doubt I owe Gary Keller a tremendous amount of gratitude for helping me become the businessman and real estate entrepreneur I am today,” said Goldwasser. “He gave so much of his time offering me guidance, critical perspective and, most of all, opportunity. I will always be thankful for his leadership and mentoring.”
About Goldwasser Real Estate
Goldwasser Real Estate LLC, is a full-service, residential real estate company providing world-class experience and quality service to clients, agents and associates. The Company’s mission is to be the world leader at delivering revolutionary value and innovation to the buyers and sellers of residential real estate. Before officially launching as the independent Goldwasser Real Estate, Chad and Tara Goldwasser assembled their sales team in 1997, and grew it into the number one residential real estate team in Austin for 2006 and 2007 (as ranked by the Austin Business Journal), as well as the number one sales team in the Keller Williams Realty International system for units sold in 2007. This represented 543 units sold in 2007 for a sales volume in excess of $120M. In 2005, the Austin Home Builders Association named the Goldwasser team Realtor of the Year. In 2008, they launched The Goldwasser Institute, a teaching and advanced real estate training subsidiary designed to educate and inspire others to follow their dreams and realize their own potential. For more information, please visit www.goldwasserrealestate.com.
For Goldwasser Real Estate LLC
Karen Frost, 512-451-7770
kfrost@frostmedia.com
