Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 50th Anniversary

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate has always taken the long view. Founded in 1961 by four partners, it grew under the leadership of two of those founding members, William D. Patterson and Charles E. Schwartz, Sr. Today, the locally owned company can claim both a long history and a majority of the local market share in an increasingly challenging business. If there's a secret to their success, it lies with strict allegiance to a core philosophy focused on integrity and service.

"The founders of the company believed that the people you're helping today will build your business tomorrow, and that reputation is everything," says Charlie Schwartz, who's been following his father's example since 1974, when he joined the company roster. "The company has always been a family; it's just larger today," he adds.

Indeed, the first office, at Washington and 10th Streets in downtown Wilmington, opened with just 10 people. Since then, Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate has swelled to more than 400, including agents and support staff, in seven locations that stretch from Greenville to Dover.

Dick Christopher, who started as a sales agent in 1961 and has served as company president for the past 30 years, concurs that the Golden Rule has been the guiding principle from the beginning. "You can never go wrong by treating people with respect," he says. "We also subscribe to the inverted pyramid concept of organization, which puts the president at the bottom. The president adds value by helping everyone else, by drawing on what he knows. Putting customers first is a natural extension of that."

Looking back, Christopher acknowledges that the early challenges in the business were minor compared to what the company faces today. "In 1961, you could basically put together a transaction with a handshake-or on one page," he explains. "There was a lot more trust." What hasn't changed, Christopher adds, is that Patterson- Schwartz is committed to making sure that both buyers and sellers get exactly what they want.

The company takes its commitment to customer satisfaction very seriously and reviews each survey returned after every transaction. Every Monday, like clockwork, Dick Christopher personally calls each agent surveyed that week to share the accolades. Agents consistently earn a 99 percent approval rating because they always exceed customer expectations

Chris Patterson, the other legacy player on this team, joined the company in 1977 after returning from Australia, where he and three friends from Delaware had founded a plant nursery business. "I decided to give real estate a try when I came back to the States for a wedding," he says. "I discovered that I enjoyed it, and that helping people is very gratifying." Not that the business hasn't also been demanding.

"I remember when interest rates were 17 percent; that was a challenge, but there was also an energy that kept the market vibrant," Patterson says. "Today the challenge is to provide knowledge. We have to convince sellers that value is determined by the market as opposed to being determined by the past. Fortunately we live in a wonderful, location. Delaware is the heart of the East Coast, and as we all know, the key factor with the sale of real estate is location, location, location."

The backbone of the business is dedicated agents who love what they do and bring an element of passion to the game. Jan Patrick is one of them. A former school teacher who left the classroom 25 years ago, she has never stopped being an educator. "I really believe knowledge is power, and that success is getting the client to the finish line with the least amount of stress and in a reasonable amount of time," she says. She also believes that integrity is the bedrock on which the company is built, and that integrity comes from the leaders.

Steve Crifasi concurs. His tenure as a Patterson-Schwartz agent began in 1976, and the company's cutting-edge technology and support have kept him loyal. "They're constantly improving the technological support," Crifasi says. "I'm not sure what other company comes close. We have our own in-house multi-list system, so if TReND goes down we aren't inconvenienced."

He adds that the management team is very consistent, and that the company is constantly reaching out to buyers and sellers with new programs for marketing more productively, more efficiently. "Today, buyers can access online information from our signs; we were the first to offer that facility. We always seem to be first. Buyers also get new-listing alerts as soon as I do; they know immediately when a property that meets their criteria hits the market."

As Director of Marketing and Technology, Donna Greenspan is charged with maintaining that cutting edge. "We strive to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technology," she says. "Ultimately, our goal is to be creative with our technology strategies to encourage consumers to engage with our brand and agents in new and different ways.

"This year we've invested heavily in developing a robust mobile platform," she says. "Consumers can access detailed listing information from their mobile device by accessing our mobile Web site, www.m.pattersonschwartz.com . We also introduced QR code technology on our lawn signs, which provides consumers with listing details and photos instantly, while on the go."

General Manager Joe Pluscht is a 25-year veteran whose job is to focus on the future of the company while making sure all the layers of personnel are in sync. "We're not so big that we can't all work together," he says. "And while technology has enhanced information gathering, this is still a people business. Our direction is continued recognition of the increasing dependence on mobile devices, but we also continue to recruit people who want to help others."

As manager of the Hockessin office, Jason Giles looks for that attribute when recruiting new agents. "Realtors are not sales people, they're educators. I look for compassion and dedication, for people who exemplify our core values," he explains. Giles' father worked for the company as a manager for 30 years, so the legacy standard applies here as well.

New recruits are getting younger, Giles reports with some satisfaction. Twenty-five-year-old Kristen Schoenbeck-Rosaio is one of them. When she joined the firm two years ago it was because she wanted to begin her career with a top-notch company. "The real estate course teaches you the rules but not how to become an agent, to actually do the job," she says. "Patterson-Schwartz takes the time to jump start your career; I can go to any other person in the company for advice and that's been a huge source of support. It's like knowledge sharing, where I draw on the experience of others."

Dick Christopher sees only good things ahead, even while conceding that today's market is unprecedented in the challenges it presents. PSRE has a perpetually positive mindset and a 50-year track record of putting people and service first. It was the first local company to have a dedicated relocation office and director and the first to incorporate the ASK computer facility to identify listings by buyer criteria. Charlie Schwartz adds that PSRE did their own video tours to show agents in order to save time and money long before they were common on the Internet. "Our philosophy of selling is that good salespeople approach the process with the heart of a teacher; we educate more than we sell by providing organized information so clients can make informed decisions."

According to Christopher, the mission for the future is to continue to give back to the larger community by actively supporting charitable organizations and other worthy causes - more than 40 to date. The goal is also to protect the company's core values and value its people. "That's what we bring forward after 50 years; it's a real myopic focus on people."

Source: c Copyright 2011, The News Journal, A Gannett Company


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