Windermere Is Not For Everyone
Interesting way to start wooing you, don't you agree? But we think it's important to start right out letting you know that we made a choice to be better, not bigger. So we may not be for you if you're looking to be with the biggest company, who has the shiniest business cards and flashiest television spots.
We've found that because we're very selective, everyone is happier. Most important, if you do choose a career with Windermere, we want the experience to be everything you hope for.
If you do join us, you will find that we are a collection of interesting, passionate, committed people who truly believe in building vibrant and livable communities.
Oh, there's one other thing we should point out to you...salespeople need not apply. Yes, selling is certainly part of what we do; but it is a small part of who we are. We choose to think of ourselves as advisors, advocates, experts, counselors, friends, neighbors and the occasional gadfly. We are relentless in the pursuit of helping people realize their dreams, which is a far more interesting and ultimately rewarding notion.
If you are still reading, we should probably talk. But first, read some more about this State of Mind called Windermere.
The Windermere State of Mind
We are different from most real estate companies. We are proud and protective of our culture, and that's why we have such a high retention rate. Being a great real estate agent is really pretty simple. It's all about developing trust with your customers. We do everything we can to provide you with tools to allow you to spend valuable time with your customers. Oh, and we get out of your way. We are—most definitely—not micro-managers. We figure you know what you're doing and we respect that.
It takes somebody special to succeed at Windermere. Since we are among the largest private real estate companies in the United States, we clearly have a lot of very special people here. Since we, too, are homeowners, we never lose sight of what's important when it comes to this thing called real estate. And that has served us and our customers very well.
What we ask of our agents:
BE the smartest person in the room.
DO everything humanly possible to help your customers.
SAY what you mean and mean what you say.
Our Truths
These truths distinguish Windermere and are the foundation of our success.
- We believe that people are more important than houses.
- We always start with the client's point of view.
- We solve people's needs while fulfilling their wants.
- We know everything about our neighborhood and community.
- We understand that a house is more than a box where people do their living. (It is where memories are made and lives take place.)
- We are citizen-agents and a central part of the fabric of our community.
- We ease and guide the home buying and selling processes and transform the leap of faith to a step of faith.
- We are facilitators, counselors, experts and hand holders, which is so much more than an agent.
- We protect our clients by educating them and negotiating on their behalf.
- We are entrepreneurs.
- We are creating a cause, which is way more than building a company.
- We are creating vibrant, livable and humane communities.
- Our ability to provide consumers with an incredible experience makes us a great real estate company.
Our History
We think our story is pretty special. In 1972, John Jacobi purchased an eight-agent real estate company in Seattle called Windermere. John didn't set out to revolutionize the real estate industry, but he did see an unmet need. That need was for full-time professionals dedicated to helping people realize their dreams of home ownership.
John came from the banking business, which embraced the values of strength, stability and credibility, and gaining trust. When dealing with people's money, bankers needed to embody security and wisdom that people could believe in.
He brought those same values to Windermere and the industry. Certainly a home is for many, their largest single financial transaction. So John understood that success was directly tied to having professionals who were citizens as well. Who cared as much about the livability and vibrancy of their neighborhoods as they did about their business. It was, and is, a calling.
Thus began a journey that continues today. It's a journey in which every single Windermere "citizen-agent" believes they are making memories and dreams come true.
Our Growth
Choosing to be better not bigger, has meant that we have grown more slowly than other real estate companies. There is something to be said for organic growth—that is, growing where there is an unmet need rather than where there is a vacant lot.
So how do you go from one office to more than 350 offices and nearly 9,000 agents since 1972? We did it by finding great people who embrace our philosophy of building vibrant and livable neighborhoods. People who are citizens first. People who are passionate about putting their customers' needs first, second and third before their own.
From Spokane to Sacramento and from Surprise to Scappoose, Windermere is currently represented in 10 states across the Western United States. We are the largest regional real estate company in the West and one of the largest in the country.
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