Broker Gina Sakich jokes she came out of the womb working. By the time she was 12, she was mowing yards and washing cars, not for the money, but for the sense of accomplishment.
She tackled real estate the same way, going from agent to owner as she co-launched Real Estate Partners, which she and her partners grew from a three-person boutique to a firm with dozens of agents and a reputation for selling innovative residential projects like Loveman’s on Market.
Sakich is tackling her new project in the Chattanooga real estate market with the same energy and know-how. Based out of Ooltewah, Signature Brokers was born partly out of her desire to create a firm where she took stress out of selling real estate to allow agents to do what they do best: serve clients.
“I want to make the lives of my agents easier,” she says. “I know about the things that cause anxiety: putting signs in the ground, and processing a contract. Having people in-house take care of those things relieves a world of stress off the agent.”
The physical environment Sakich, the sole founder and owner of Signature Brokers, has fashioned certainly promotes the release of things that weigh heavy on an agent. Located at 5559 Little Debbie Parkway, Signature Brokers is about as close to a relaxing getaway as work can be. An elegant modern design awash in white and light grey define the 2,000 square foot, two-story structure built by McCoy Homes. While coffee is available in the foyer, where clients can sink into plush chairs and watch TV while waiting for an appointment, a sleekly designed kitchen and break area in the back is even more inviting. Small offices and a conference room line a hall that cuts through the middle of the downstairs space, while more offices, agent workstations, and a relaxation room make up the bulk of the second story.
Sakich is especially proud of the relaxation room, a small, quiet, enclosed space with a chair even plusher than the ones in the foyer. “Throughout the years, there have been times when I had an hour between showings, and maybe I had a headache, and if I’d been able to go home for a while, I would’ve felt much better. I’ve always wanted a place at work where I could take a deep breath.”
The light jazz playing in the background adds the right aural touch, although Sakich says the selection has more to do with the time of day than anything else. “It’s the end of day, so that’s our winding down music,” she says, laughing. “We had something more energetic playing this morning.”
Perhaps the most prominent feature of the layout is the staircase that curls behind the reception desk in the foyer and goes up to the second story. Sakich knew she wanted the eye-catching addition, but couldn’t make it work based on her boxy design for the upstairs. An architect reworked her concept, and in the process created the curves that give Signature Brokers its eye-popping quality.
For all of the pleasing aesthetics, though, Signature Brokers is not about its space but about the services its agents will provide. Sakich currently has eight agents on staff, with plans to slowly grow the company to about 25. Once she begins bringing on agents, she’ll be looking for a blend of seasoned professionals and newer blood.
“We’re not going to offer the training programs the big corporate real estate companies do,” she says, “so we’re going to want experienced agents who can handle their business.”
Sakich will be doing one-on-one mentoring of newer agents, which she would like to place in the developments throughout the Chattanooga area for which Signature Brokers is handling the sales (including Lake Breeze, Prairie Pass, and more). She says these projects can act as business incubators for agents who are great with people and already have good customer service skills.
But, the greater portion of her agent roster will consist of real estate veterans who already know the ropes and are looking for a firm where they can get the support they need and the breathing room they want. “My philosophy is to give my agents the freedom to enjoy their work,” she says.
A 20-year real estate veteran, Saatchi opened Signature Brokers in January of this year after splitting with Real Estate Partners. She says the decision to leave wasn’t easy, but it was time. “I love Real Estate Partners, and will always be proud of what we accomplished there,” she says. “But we’d reached a point where we couldn’t agree on how to grow. Sometimes, to get to where you’re supposed to be, you need a nudge in that direction.”
Sakich and her husband, David, live in Ooltewah, but that’s not the main reason she opened Signature Brokers there. Rather, she’s been impressed with the city’s growth, and felt it needed a new real estate firm that was a little out of the box in its thinking but still provided the services clients need. She stresses, however, that being based in Ooltewah doesn’t mean she and her agents are exclusive to the area. “I have listings on Elder Mountain, the Southside, East Brainerd, Harrison, and Georgia,” she says. “Sometimes, people think you’re locked into doing business where you are, but that’s not the case here.”
Sakich came out of the womb working, and by all appearances, never stopped. She doesn’t intend to now that Signature Brokers is up and running, either. After two decades in real estate, she has too much invested in her new firm to give it anything less than everything she has in her. Given that her vision and ambition remain as strong as ever, and her energy levels are still high, Signature Brokers is poised to offer agents and clients alike something out of the box for years to come.
Besides, if Sakich ever does have a day when she needs to step back, she’s only a short walk up curly stairs away from her relaxation room.