Above: Seated, left to right: Tammy Blocker, Director of Agent Services; Shawn Thomas, Director of Operations Standing: Taylor Motley, Director of Marketing; Yvette Kugelmann, Northshore Office Coordinator, Tom Bookhardt, Managing Broker/CEO; Debbie M. Long, Associate Broker, Director of Northshore Division.
Not pictured: Gayle Jenkins, COO, Managing Broker
Tom Bookhardt
Managing Broker/CEO
United Real Estate | Partners
New Orleans, Louisiana
https://www.UnitedRealEstatePartners.com
Region served: Greater New Orleans
Years in real estate: 17
Number of offices: 3
Number of agents: 200
Key to continued growth and success: You can’t be great without the greatness of others. We’ve built a culture of collaboration and support, and the brokerage thrives because of the incredible team beside me.
Favorite part of working in real estate: The community we encounter—from sellers and buyers to the families of the agents. While there are many different moving parts in real estate, people helping one another achieve their goals is what drives and energizes me.
How did you get into real estate and transition to owning and growing a brokerage?
Half of my family is deeply rooted in the real estate sector and restaurants in New Orleans, in addition to commercial properties, so real estate has always been part of my life. A top-producing agent at my previous brokerage, while I brought in significant revenue, I only received a fraction of it, which limited my ability to build my brand and reach my goals. After researching different brokerage models, I began looking into transaction-fee brokerage models in 2015 and discovered United Real Estate, which offered a balance of full support and financial freedom through a transaction-fee model. This led to meeting with the team in 2016 and buying the franchise in 2017. At the heart of it all is the mission to provide agents the tools they need to thrive while delivering the best possible service to clients.
What were the most important considerations for selecting United Real Estate as your brokerage partner?
I wanted a brokerage model that empowered agents to grow their businesses without sacrificing earnings. While many brokerages either take too much commission or offer little support, United was the first that I found (and I looked a lot) that combined full-service support with the transaction fee-based model, which is just as important. I wanted a culture that prioritizes integrity, innovation and community. United’s commitment to the agent’s success and the local leadership really stood out, providing the best foundation to build United Real Estate | Partners into what it is today.
How has your experience been?
It’s been a great marriage. Our agents were initially skeptical about the 100%-commission model and full-service brokerage support because a lot of them were used to traditional brokerage models. We have brands in the New Orleans area with roots dating back 100 years, and so forth. Now, eight-plus years into it, more agents are realizing that they don’t have to choose between support and profitability. They can have both. The growth we’ve experienced with mergers and acquisitions has really expanded our presence. The proof is that the model isn’t just sustainable, it’s the future of real estate.
You completed two mergers in the past 12 months, with more opportunities in the making. Why is this important, and how has United facilitated those for you?
The mergers have been key to our growth. They’ve allowed us to expand our reach while providing agents the best tools and financial structures to thrive. Not only do we preserve their legacies, but the industry-leading commission model and the national support we have has made the transitions seamless. Mergers enable us to scale while maintaining a strong local leadership. Our goal isn’t just growth, it’s about elevating agent careers, ensuring they have a strong foundation for success. With the help I got from United, it’s been tremendous.
How does United support your business and your profitability?
United has been a vital partner in growing the business and supporting agent profitability. Their model offers powerful technology and marketing platforms, allowing agents to reinvest in their business. Looking back on my experience of utilizing third-party tech when working at a different realty brand, their technology, marketing and support really didn’t do much for me. That was perhaps the biggest push to conduct a deep dive into United’s tools and supports during my search process. And the result is wonderful. The balance between the resources and profitability enables my brokerage and our agents to succeed and focus on client relationships. It ultimately empowered the building of a sustainable agent-focused brokerage that supports both personal and financial success.
Where do you see your company in five years?
I see United Real Estate | Partners continuing to grow and evolve, expanding its position as one of the leading brokerages in the greater New Orleans area and beyond. I’m very excited about the path we’re on with expanding our market presence. We have a solid team of experienced agents and a growing network of office locations.
Adapting to the change in the real estate market has been a strength of United Real Estate today, and it’s going to continue to be a strength tomorrow. I envision having additional office locations across the region, further solidifying the firm’s position as the go-to for transaction-fee brokerages. The success of our mergers shows that we’re not just attracting top talent, but also providing a platform that allows agents to grow in their success. I expect this momentum to continue.
What’s the New Orleans market like today?
It’s pretty difficult right now, especially in certain zip codes. We have an insurance crisis on our hands. While the price per square foot has come down because vacancy rates have gone up, the insurance has impacted a lot of investors. I’m interested to see what’s going to happen in the next 12 months because all of these five-year balloon payments at 4% or 5% are going to go up. So, it’s a more challenging market for real estate. Home values have pretty much stayed consistent in certain areas. The condo market was hit really hard, but ultimately, New Orleans is a place to call home. It has everything someone wants.
For more information, please visit https://www.GrowWithUnited.com.
