The most treasured asset of any real estate organization is trust; the trust of its people, of others within the brokerage community and, above all, of consumers. At Coldwell Banker Real Estate, trust is one of five key core values which serve as the foundation of our brand and belief system.
Trust is the origin of our story, with a 24-year-old entrepreneur striking out on his own in 1906 to create a new kind of real estate company. Years before the National Association of REALTORS® created the Code of Ethics, Colbert Coldwell decided there was a more ethical and professional way to represent the interests of customers in an era of rampant speculation and unscrupulous real estate practices. His total insistence on high ethical standards and doing business the right way earned the trust of consumers in San Francisco and is our compass to this day.
Trust is elemental. The true value of any brand, regardless of industry, is found in the degree of trust it elicits. Individual companies may ultimately build a brand over many years and invest countless dollars, or companies may elect to instead focus on building their business and leverage a powerful existing brand, which affords a halo of trust for their entire organization that resonates with buyers, sellers and agents.
Affiliation with a real estate franchise brand is an election based on trust. It’s why Coldwell Banker companies average 21 years of affiliation, and why we consistently retain 97 percent of the GCI on an annual basis as agreements come up for expiration and owners have the option of alternatives. Trust is not granted, but rather, earned through performance, and our success is attributable to our ability to elevate a company, open new market opportunities, create new sources of business and referrals, and fund the ongoing growth of our broker/owners.
Real estate remains a relationship business, so trust is not just imperative at an organizational level, but also on a personal one. Our network can trust the individual members of our support team to be passionate about their success, to be highly engaged and responsive and forward looking. Our vision of “The trusted source of innovative real estate solutions, creating exceptional experiences for all we serve” is a mantra we live by daily.
Ford, the automobile company founded in 1903, which remains highly relevant today, has a futurist on staff who annually creates a highly respected report on consumer and business trends. A key observation in the report was that “Trust is the new black.” At Coldwell Banker, we couldn’t agree more.
Budge Huskey is president and CEO, Coldwell Banker Real Estate.
For more information, visit www.coldwellbanker.com/franchising.
