Marie King Levi, managing broker of Keller Williams on Premiere Drive in Chattanooga, is smiling even more than usual these days, and with good reason: her brokerage is the winner of the “20+ Agents” category of Realtor Magazine’s Brokerage Office Redesign Contest.
To celebrate the honor and thank the people who took part in the renovation, King threw a party at her office on August 30. Complete with catered food, wine, live music, and a surprise reveal by Realtor Magazine Managing Editor Wendy Cole over the phone, the event was a good test of the 7,400-foot facility’s ability to accommodate a large number of people. As dozens of the Realtors WHO work either at or through the office arrived for the event, they passed through the refurbished reception area, turned right, and made their way to the new kitchen, where wine and beer were available. None of them had a clue regarding why they were there, as King had kept the contest win a secret since learning about it in May.
Many of the agents remained in the open kitchen as they sipped their drinks and admired the wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops that came with the new design. When it was time for King to make the announcement, she called everyone into the new training center, although just as many people had to stand outside the room as were able to find a chair inside.
King then telephoned Cole, who announced the win over a speaker as King held up the issue of the magazine that features the brokerage. When Cole was done, those in attendance broke out in applause. Once the cat was out of the bag and everyone had returned to his or her refreshments and conversations, King appeared to be relieved. The moment to which she’d been looking forward for four months was over, and everyone was pleased with the news. Going back even further, it had been hard to imagine that such a moment could ever take place.
A complete makeover
Before the renovation, Levi’s brokerage was in dire need of one. As detailed in Realtor Magazine, there was not enough room to accommodate the 33 agents who rented offices in the 4,100 square foot facility, let alone the practitioners who didn’t rent space but used the facility from time to time. As a temporary solution, Keller Williams rented space on the second story of the building in which it’s housed, but this arrangement was wrought with inconveniences for the agents who worked upstairs. “Every time those agents needed to use the copy machine, turn in paperwork, pick up their mail, or get a cup of coffee, they had to go downstairs,” Cole wrote in her article, titled “Creating the Wow Factor.”
Worse, Levi told Realtor Magazine the entire staff was suffering from “aesthetic discontent,” as the décor and design of the office were outdated and lacked visual appeal.
To address the situation, the brokerage worked with an architect and an interior designer to create a new and larger layout. The judges in the contest liked the changes. From newly hung artwork, to elegantly decorated conference rooms, AND a new work area complete with seven computers for agents who don’t rent office space, the renovation is aesthetically pleasing and promotes collaboration. Cole, in comments to the Hamilton County Herald, said the contest was designed to show Realtor Magazine’s more than one million readers how brokerages of different sizes have overcome office design challenges in both the creative and practical use of their space.
“We consulted with an interior designer with significant commercial experience who helped us judge our 55 entries. All entrants provided before and after photos of the space, as well as a thorough explanation of the makeover and how it’s helped their business.
“We chose the KW office, with substantive input from our professional judge, Joan Kaufman, because of the smart and inviting way in which they transformed their space. The entry seems far more welcoming, and the open space for agents lends itself to better collaboration. Also, the new kitchen is exquisite.” The overhaul took four months to complete, with the owner of the building contributing more than one third of the cost and Keller Williams partner companies pitching in equipment. Comcast, for example, donated large screen HD televisions for use in the conference rooms.
A boon to business
The biggest measure of success for the renovation since its completion in October 2010, however, can be seen in the impact it’s had on the brokerage’s bottom line. Levi told Realtor Magazine she now enjoys bringing clients and potential recruits to the office, and that since last October, the brokerage has added 10 new agents to its roster. Cole, in the concluding paragraph of her article, wrote that the “overall wow factor has been a boon for business.” And that, more than anything else, explains the smile on Levi’s face.