Loretta Larson Ballard Windermere Manager

The hardest job in the world is being the managing Broker in a Real Estate office. People think of Real Estate as a commissioned sales position, kind of like stock brokerage, but it is far more complicated. Let’s set aside the legal issues, the law changes, and the attorneys to concentrate on the human aspects of Real Estate.

You have the clients of the agents who want to talk to the manager because they expected something, or didn’t know about the other thing. There are vendors, office staff, and the owners of the office that all need your attention. You have meetings with the Multiple Listing Service, the National Association of Realtors, and community events to coordinate. You are the face of the office to the outside world. That only leaves the agents left to talk about.

In the Ballard Windermere office Loretta Larson has been the manager as long as I can remember, which must be close to twenty five years now. She remains bright and fresh in a position that has got to be a pressure cooker. In most Real Estate offices there is one or two Top Producing agents, Rain Makers. Loretta has, by far, the most well rounded, self supporting set of Real Estate agents in the city.

Who would have ever thought Ballard would be a hot bed of activity, but it is. In the process this group of agents have thrived. There are more than a dozen agents in that office that any one would consider Top Producers. They have the volume, but also the high quality of transactions that make them stand out. There is also the longevity that I think is a tribute to Loretta.

Real Estate is a day to day drama. There is a high burn out rate for agents. There is also the Prima Donna syndrome when you have a bunch of people driving BMWs and dressing for an evening in a cocktail party. It’s all networking and working the network you build. These are social animals that compete for attention on a day to day basis. When you put them all into the same room there’s a certain amount of ego that needs to be checked at the door.

Through all these years Loretta has gracefully kept this group together. In the world of Real Estate you hear things about people and there has never been a bad word about Loretta. As a matter of fact you would think things work smoothly in her office and her office alone.