21 Years with the CENTURY 21® model

When Jamie Skeen boldly bought his city’s largest brokerage after fewer than two years as an agent and simply two years out of school, some thought he was loopy. However this game-changing transfer kicked off an illustrious skilled path because the dealer/proprietor of CENTURY 21 Legacy in Northeast Tennessee.

In his (fairly fittingly) 21^st yr with the CENTURY 21® model, it’s no shock that Jamie has been named to the 2022 RealTrends Recreation Changers checklist. Honoring those that have dramatically grown their brokerage prior to now 5 years – a time when the true property {industry} was shuttered by a world pandemic and the digital halting of the financial system – Jamie considerably grew his brokerage.

CENTURY 21 Legacy is nestled within the Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, boasting 10 workplaces that stretch from Athens, simply north of Chattanooga via Maryville to Knoxville, the vacationer meccas of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Townsend, and as much as Greeneville, Johnson Metropolis and Kingsport, simply south of the Virginia border. A Greeneville native, Jamie is passionate concerning the native communities and the picturesque mountains, which he explores on his two American Quarter horses.

Beginning with simply 24 brokers in 2003, CENTURY 21 Legacy has skyrocketed to 330 brokers. Final yr, CENTURY 21 Legacy was the #1 CENTURY 21 firm in Tennessee in items, and the #8 CENTURY 21 firm in items within the US.

Finest Factor That’s Ever Occurred to My Enterprise

After buying the previous CENTURY 21 Billy Williams & Associates, Jamie continued to promote actual property personally whereas managing his rising brokerage. Simply 5 years into enterprise, the subprime mortgage disaster hit, forcing him to rapidly change his priorities. He discovered essentially the most essential want was teaching nervous brokers on methods to deal with the difficult market and recession. However in disaster, he discovered a brand new goal. He give up private manufacturing and started devoting all his time to working the brokerage and offering the providers, teaching, instruments and coaching brokers wanted to deal with the difficult market and recession. Making certain brokers had the flexibility to be relentless and succeed grew to become his prime precedence.

“It was a troublesome time, however it was in all probability one of the best factor that’s ever occurred to my enterprise. I noticed I couldn’t proceed to run an organization that dimension and proceed to promote. You get to the purpose the place you ask your self: am I going to work in my enterprise or on my enterprise? It was a giant change in mindset, however I knew I couldn’t do all of it and do it nicely.”

Jamie’s expertise has taught him that every market has its personal distinctive set of circumstances. In 2008, stock was excessive and sellers have been determined, however there have been few consumers. In the present day, consumers are plentiful however exhausted by the low stock, and competitors for listings is fierce. Regardless of the 2 markets being nearly full opposites, the impression on brokers may be fairly related.

“No matter how the market is performing, brokers need the identical issues — help, providers, extra leads, higher coaching and a helpful cut up.”

That’s when working with the CENTURY 21 model, essentially the most acknowledged title in actual property and essentially the most revered model within the {industry}* is invaluable. Jamie exhibits brokers how the C21® model provides high quality leads, industry-leading instruments that assist brokers work extra effectively, in addition to worthwhile help and training, which brokers can use to considerably impression their success. In the long run, Jamie is aware of these assets can place an agent to relentlessly handle any market.

One Large Household

After 21 years with the CENTURY 21 model – appreciable longevity for any dealer, however particularly one who joined so early in his skilled – Jamie says it’s had an amazing impression on his enterprise.

“It’s like one massive household. From the model group to the brokers, they care and are all the time keen to assist. From day one, I’ve had nice studying alternatives and the help to assist me succeed as I grew in my career. I can nonetheless name the model group or different C21 affiliated brokers, they usually’re all the time accessible to supply recommendation and reply questions. The C21 model has given me what I would like, and the collaboration has helped me a lot.”

Jamie significantly values the sharing tradition, particularly among the many dealer/house owners. From the beginning, he centered on constructing relationships with bigger C21 affiliated brokers to ask questions and listen to their views on challenges and alternatives. It’s one thing he continues right now, and he additionally readily passes on what he’s realized to different brokers who’re beginning out.

Making a Legacy

All through his skilled progress, Jamie’s enterprise philosophy has been easy – do the precise factor.

“If you give attention to doing the precise factor in your brokers to succeed, customers will obtain their homeownership desires. By working a enterprise primarily based on stable ethics, you normally win in the long run.”

It’s clear that giving again is baked into the brokerage’s DNA. Jamie created a ”Leaving a Legacy” fund, which allows brokers to contribute a part of their commissions as a charitable donation, and Jamie matches a portion. On the finish of the yr, a part of the fund is donated to Easterseals by the brokerage — the CENTURY 21 model has supported Easterseals since 1979. Then every workplace will get to decide on a local people charity to donate the remainder of the funds raised, in order that they make an area impression.

By this program, CENTURY 21 Legacy is the #1 contributing CENTURY 21 firm in Tennessee for Easterseals and has donated greater than $200,000 {dollars} to Easterseals and native charities since 2017.

With CENTURY 21 Legacy’s give attention to giving again, you may assume the title CENTURY 21 Legacy was chosen as a result of Jamie needed to create a legacy of charitable giving. However it was truly impressed by the earlier proprietor.

“Billy Williams was somebody I actually seemed as much as. He was one of many first brokers in Tennessee to begin a franchise, the president of the Tennessee Affiliation of REALTORS® and was all the time simply essentially the most skilled, progressive man. I noticed he was leaving a legacy in our group, the true property {industry} and throughout the CENTURY 21 community, and I needed to proceed that legacy.”

It have to be working, as a result of Billy’s son, Mark Williams, stays affiliated with CENTURY 21 Legacy and is a top-producing and CENTURY 21 Corridor of Fame agent. “He’s simply as stable as his dad, too.”

Jamie has a message to any brokers contemplating changing into a CENTURY 21 franchisee: “That is in all probability the primary transfer you may make for your online business. The extent of help is unimaginable, and the instruments and methods will make a big distinction.” 

Would he ever think about leaving the C21 household? Jamie admits that in one renewal, he did store round with different manufacturers, and he’s glad that he did.

“It was an necessary enterprise resolution, so I needed to ensure that I used to be making the precise alternative. And what I discovered simply strengthened that I used to be in the precise place. There was no comparability, so I ran again and renewed. I didn’t actually notice how far forward the C21 model was, till I seemed!”