“Windermere has always emphasized professionalism. Our
associates are the primary component to our success and growth. We’ve worked
very hard over the years to build our reputation as a company whose
representatives are fair, honest, knowledgeable and genuinely care about their
communities.”
– Geoff Wood, Chief Executive Officer, Windermere Real Estate
When John Jacobi
founded Windermere Real Estate in 1972, he had a vision for the way real
estate should be handled: Anticipate and respond to the real estate needs of
buyers and sellers, and support the communities you serve. What he didn’t know
is that he would also significantly change the way real estate is practiced.
This began with the purchase of an eight-agent office in the Seattle
neighborhood of Windermere. The company has grown exponentially each year
since, setting the benchmark for the practice of real estate nationwide.
Windermere pioneered an aggressive commission structure, offers unique agent
benefits and was the first to have a searchable database of homes on its Web
site.
Because of these innovations and paradigm shifts, Windermere has grown to
become the leading real estate company in the West, building on its
commitments to professionalism, integrity and service to the communities of
which it is a part. The Windermere network now has more than 290 offices
serving communities in Arizona, British Columbia, California, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The Realty Alliance and REAL Trends, two leading industry organizations, have
recognized Windermere Real Estate as the top regional real estate firm in the
United States.
Hire the best people. Give them the best
tools. Create a professional approach.
This founding philosophy of Windermere has been implemented through the introduction of new programs that have set industry standards which have given agents the knowledge they need to meet the needs of buyers and sellers.
The Best People
Windermere’s sales force is the company’s greatest asset. Windermere's associates include experts in all areas of real estate. While residential real estate is the mainstay of its business, Windermere also has offices and associates who specialize in new construction, commercial real estate, relocation and property management. To further facilitate the home buying process, Windermere has affiliated resources in certain regions to provide mortgage, title and escrow services.
The Best Tools
Windermere's
structure allows offices to operate independently while retaining the
benefits of being associated with a respected brand–benefits such as
advertising buying power, agent benefits and powerful technology tools. At
the same time, agents are intimately familiar with their local communities,
allowing them to provide knowledgeable and high-caliber real estate services
tailored to the client’s needs.
As part of the Windermere network, agents may also take advantage of a
variety of programs and innovative services including technology, marketing
and education that they can put to work in their local market. These
innovative tools allow them to serve homebuyers and homesellers in a way that
is unique to Windermere.
Community Commitment
Supporting the communities Windermere serves
has been a core element of the company’s formation and growth. As a company
born and raised in the Puget Sound region of Washington state, Windermere
sponsors the annual Windermere Cup Regatta, which is a premier rowing regatta
featuring teams from around the globe. Windermere also sponsors similar
community events in other regions, including the Windermere Collegiate Crew
Classic in partnership with Stanford University.
Windermere Foundation: Since finding homes for people is Windermere’s
business, fighting homelessness is a natural fit for the Windermere
Foundation. Through the creation of the Windermere Foundation in 1989,
Windermere provides housing and services for homeless and low-income families
throughout the West by funding nonprofit organizations dedicated to the same
cause. Every time an agent completes a transaction, a donation is made to the
Foundation, and Windermere agents and employees also contribute to the fund
individually.
Community Service Day: Windermere's 8,000 agents in its offices around
the West spend one day each year away from the office to participate in the
annual Windermere Community Service Day. The agents decide on a
community-based project, and provide hands-on assistance for the day.
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
1972
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John W. Jacobi founds Windermere Real Estate
with the purchase of an eight-agent office in the Seattle neighborhood of
Windermere. This area still serves as the company’s headquarters today.
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1975
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Jacobi purchases the first Windermere
satellite office in Seattle.
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1983
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With nine offices in the Seattle area,
Windermere Services is created to provide marketing, legal, financial and
technology development services for the Windermere network.
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1984
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Windermere pioneers a sliding commission
scale, giving sales associates as much as 80 percent. Windermere establishes
its first affiliate relationship with a one-office company on Bainbridge
Island, WA. Windermere conducts its first-ever Community Service Day.
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1987
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Windermere begins its sponsorship of the
annual Windermere Cup crew races.
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1989
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The Windermere Foundation, a nonprofit
organization designed to fight homelessness, is created.
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1990
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The Premier PropertiesTM program is created
to give agents special tools to market luxury homes and estates.
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1992
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Windermere adds its first affiliate office
in Eastern Washington to the group of 77 offices. Windermere is the first
real estate company to offer a system-wide agent retirement plan.
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1993
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Windermere grows to 100 offices.
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1994
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Windermere expands to Idaho and Western
Canada.
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1995
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Windermere expands to Oregon, adding offices
in the Portland metro area and Oregon coast, and later moves into southern
Oregon.
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1997
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Windermere develops an Intranet site called
Windermere Online Resource Center (WORC). Agents can access business forms
and retirement plan updates, create marketing materials and more with this
online tool. Windermere expands its presence in Oregon and Idaho.
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1998
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Windermere redesigns its Web site, www.windermere.com,
and adds a new e-mail notification feature that automatically sends new home
listings to prospective homebuyers.
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1999
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Geoff P. Wood is named president, ensuring
the future of the family-owned Windermere. More Web site innovations include
Photo Gallery and daily mortgage rates. The Sea, Sun & Snow program is
developed for marketing vacation and second-home properties. The Family
Enterprise Institute presents Windermere with the “Best in the Northwest
Family Business Award.”
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2000
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Windermere launches its Contact Management
System, a Windermere-developed customer management tool enabling agents to
manage client contact information using various marketing and communication
tools at the click of a button.
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2001
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Windermere opens its first affiliates in
Arizona, Montana and Nevada. The Windermere network expands into Southern
California, Silicon Valley, and the Monterey Peninsula. Windermere Technology
continues work on a "One-Application" technology framework:
including total transaction management for the agent, and fully customizable
tools such as saved property searches for the Windermere client.
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2002
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The inaugural Windermere Index, a leading
indicator of local residential real estate activity is published for the
Puget Sound region. Washington CEO Magazine names Windermere founder John
Jacobi to its Power 100 list of people who have shaped the region.
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2003
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Geoff Wood is elevated from President to
Chief Executive Officer of Windermere Services Company. Windermere retains
title as largest regional brand in the Western U.S., and the nation's third
largest regional brand as reported by REAL Trends. The first East Bay Area
and Wine Country (California) Windermere affiliates open. Windermere, in
partnership with Stanford University, begins sponsorship of the Windermere
Collegiate Crew Classic featuring more than 130 races between the nation's
top universities, local rowing clubs and high schools. Windermere unveils the
Home for the Holidays community program, an annual commitment to pay one year's
rent for families in critical need.
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2004
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Windermere opens its first affiliate in Las
Vegas, Nevada. The Windermere network expands into Wyoming. Windermere
Technology unveils a cutting-edge, web-based application for home buyers,
unveiling PropertyPoint, an interactive mapping tool for Windermere.com
users. Premier Living Magazine, Windermere's luxury home and lifestyle
magazine debuts in Puget Sound. The Windermere Foundation is honored as the
2004 Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation by the Association of Fundraising
Professionals. Matt Carroll is promoted from Executive Vice-President to
President of Windermere Services Company.
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2005
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The Windermere Foundation receives the
Arthur S. Langlie Award for Visionary Leadership from the Salvation Army. The
first Windermere affiliate in Los Angeles, California opens. The Windermere
network expands into Utah, bringing the entire network to more than 275
affiliates.
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Windermere came to Utah in the fall of 2005. They first opened an office in Park City and Orem. They opened the Salt Lake Office next as the Park City Office was undergoing its remodel. The Park City office reopened in March 2006. Windermere Utah bloomed fast and filled each office. Windermere opened the Downtown Gallery in January 2007. The downtown office focuses mainly on ‘The Metro Project’. The biggest condominium development in Downtown Salt Lake City. With growth came more offices. Kimball Junction a small branch office was opened in May 2007 to service Canyon Creek condo complex and still provide great service for all of Park City. The most recent addition was the Coalville Office in June of 2007.
We currently have 23 agents in Park City, 22 in Salt Lake, 22 in Orem, 2 downtown, 2 in Kimball Junction, and 2 in Coalville.
» Intro Movie
» How We Got Started
» WinUtah History
» Meet Our Brokers:
Grady and Gary
Our work is not about houses. It's about people.
We're in the business of selling houses. But more importantly, we're helping people find a place they can call home. Our commitment to service extends beyond each real estate transaction. Every year since 1984, Windermere associates have skipped work for a day to complete neighborhood improvement projects.
Not only is Community Service Day a great opportunity to give back to the communities where we live and work, it also gives us a chance to work together. We clean, landscape and repair parks, playgrounds, schools, shelters and community buildings. Each office selects a project that best serves its community needs.
After all, real estate is rooted in our communities. And an investment in our neighborhoods gives us all a better place to call home.
Past projects have included cleaning, landscaping, painting and light carpentry to benefit senior citizens centers, facilities for physically and mentally challenged children and adults, public schools, low income housing and emergency shelters, among others.
Community Service Day has been recognized by several local and national organizations for its community improvement projects.
Real estate firms across the country have adopted similar programs.
For more information or if you have ideas for a project in your neighborhood, please contact your Windermere sales associate.
Windermere Mission Statement
Windermere is a network of real estate businesses and a community of people who seek trust and mutual respect in each of our relationships.
We serve neighborhoods throughout the West and, through our affiliations with related firms, we can link to neighborhoods and services around the world.
We are committed to:
Awards
Arthur S. Langlie Award for Visionary Leadership
Windermere Named Top Family Business
1998 READY Award
Good Works Award
KEPA Award
Rankings
Puget Sound Business Journal - 2005 Corporate Philanthropists
Windermere Places Near the Top of Washington State’s Top 150 Private Companies
REAL Trends
Puget Sound Business Journal Recognition
National Relocation and Real Estate magazine
The Realty Alliance
Windermere Named Top Family Business
Windermere Real Estate took top honors in the "Large Business" category of "1999 Best in the Northwest Washington Family Business Award", given annually by the Family Enterprise Institute.
"The Jacobi family has successfully built Windermere Real Estate into a unique firm and are innovative pioneers in their industry. Windermere exemplifies family values, service, and contributions to the community and the industry,"said Catherine Pratt, assistant dean and director of the Family Enterprise Institute.
Currently, two generations of the Jacobi family are involved in running Windermere's day-to-day operations. In all, eight Jacobi family members work for the company, including its founder and chairman, John Jacobi; president Geoff Wood (John Jacobi's son-in-law); and vice president Jill Jacobi-Wood (John Jacobi's daughter).
Other Jacobi family members working at Windermere include sales associate OB Jacobi (John Jacobi's son), property management agent Andrea Jacobi (John Jacobi's daughter-in-law), Windermere Foundation special projects coordinator Cathy Jacobi-Sherris (John Jacobi's daughter), graphic designer Molly Jacobi (John Jacobi's daughter), and lead coordinator Victoria Sullivan (John Jacobi's stepdaughter).
The Washington Family Business Awards were created six years ago by the Family Enterprise Institute to recognize and honor outstanding Northwest family businesses. The award criteria include innovative business strategies and practices, succession planning, family values in business, contributions to the community and industry, number of generations involved and business performance.
The Family Enterprise Institute is an organization created by Pacific Lutheran University to preserve and promote family enterprises within the Northwest.
1998 READY Award
Windermere Real Estate has been nationally recognized by the Newspaper Association of America with a 1998 READY (Real Estate Advertising of Distinction) Award.
Windermere received a READY Award in the "Product Ad, Display, Black-and-White" category for its Sunday classified display that runs each week in Seattle's daily newspaper, The Seattle Times. The ad features properties for sale in the Seattle area and is distributed to more than 500,000 households throughout the Northwest.
Windermere uses a similar advertising design in dozens of newspapers throughout the Northwest, reaching nearly 3 million households each week.
KEPA Award
The Windermere Cup races, the world's largest international rowing spectator event, have been honored with a "Best Sports Event in 1997" KEPA (King County Event Producers Award) by the Sports and Events Council of Seattle/King County.
Windermere, which has sponsored the University of Washington's annual Windermere Cup races over the past 11 years, accepted the award on behalf of the University of Washington. The free community, family-oriented event annually draws tens of thousands of spectators along the shores of Lake Washington and aboard the yachts that line the race course each year. Since 1987, teams from around the world including the former Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, and South Africa, as well as top-caliber teams from the United States, have visited the Northwest to compete in this prestigious rowing event.
KEPA entries were judged for innovation and creativity, benefit to the community, participant satisfaction, and entertainment and educational value, and for elevating the standards for nonprofit events.
Good Works Award
Windermere Real Estate was named a winner in the 1998 Pacific Northwest Good Works Award, honoring exemplary acts of business philanthropy and public service.
PNW Good Works award entries were judged for innovation in corporate philanthropy, commitment to employee involvement in community service, creativity in public/private partnerships and positive values in everyday business. Good Works judges cited two Windermere programs as meeting these criteria-the Windermere Foundation and the company's Community Service Day.
The Windermere Foundation, founded in 1989, is a nonprofit organization that has raised more than $3 million to help communities, families and children break the pattern of homelessness. Windermere's philosophy is that providing housing and related services to help homeless families is a natural extension of its business.
Community Service Day, established in 1984, is a direct result of Windermere's sales associates' desire to give back to the communities that support their business. Once a year agents, owners, managers and staff roll up their sleeves to assist community organizations, neighborhoods and individuals with projects that might otherwise not be completed.
Arthur S. Langlie Award for Visionary Leadership
The Windermere Foundation has been awarded The Arthur S. Langlie Award for Visionary Leadership by the Salvation Army for its creation and sponsorship of the Home for the Holidays program which pays one year's rent for families in critical need.
In 2004, its second year of existence, Windermere's Home for the Holidays program was able to double its donation to the Salvation Army: raising sufficient funds to pay the rent for fourteen deserving Puget Sound families. Illness, job loss and other catastrophic events can quickly propel a low-income family to an impoverished one.
For such families, the program's mission is to add some key stability to the household, enabling recipients to take crucial first steps towards self-sufficiency.
The award was accepted on Windermere's behalf by Geoff Wood and Jill Jacobi Wood at the Salvation Army's 2005 Soup Line Benefit Luncheon.
Puget Sound Business Journal Salutes Geoff Wood
Windermere Real Estate President Geoff Wood was recently highlighted in Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” publication - a profile of highly successful young entrepreneurs.
PSBJ honored Geoff for his leadership vision which emphasizes steadfast commitment to sustaining the reliability of the Windermere name. Geoff fully appreciates the crucial role of personal integrity in the ongoing success of Windermere Real Estate.
“In the real estate business somebody’s word is very important. If you say you’re going to do something, you’ve got to do it,” notes Geoff.
Geoff joined Windermere in 1993, after earning a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington. In 1999, Geoff was named President of Windermere Real Estate and Windermere Services Company. Geoff oversees marketing, legal, financial and Internet development services throughout the Windermere network spanning seven western states.
Windermere Places Near the Top of Washington State’s Top 150 Private Companies
Washington CEO magazine has again placed Windermere Real Estate near the top of their 15th Annual Top Private 150 Companies in Washington State.
The monthly salutes the firms on the Private 150, calling them "the backbone" of the Washington business community, and acknowledging their core contribution to "building Washington State into an economic leader." Family-based Windermere nabs No. 22 on the list, based on 3,500 employees in the state, and revenue growth within Washington of 38 million from 2003-2004.
Windermere Real Estate has successfully transitioned from one office in Seattle in 1972 to the company of today: with over 160 locally-owned offices in Washington, and 100 more affiliates throughout Arizona, California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.
REAL Trends Ranking - Leading the West
The prestigious REAL Trends trade publication has designated Windermere Real Estate as the largest regional real estate network in the western United States. REAL Trends 500 is a benchmark industry report analyzing growth and productivity of leading national real estate firms. REAL Trends 500 incorporates 15 individual reports that independently rank top producers among the over 80,000 U.S. real estate firms.
REAL Trends also awarded Windermere a third place standing in the entire nation based on 2001 sales of $16.7 billion.
Windermere Real Estate could not have achieved these impressive rankings if not for the dedication of its almost 6,000 sales associates, who continually strive to deliver Windermere’s celebrated customer service to new and existing clients in the neighborhoods they serve.
Windermere Real Estate company has evolved from one office serving a Seattle neighborhood in 1972 to over 200 offices throughout the West in 2002. Windermere is currently represented in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The company looks forward to many promising new relationships as expansion continues in the western United States.
Windermere Ranked Second Largest in the U.S. by The Realty Alliance
For the second consecutive year, Windermere Real Estate was ranked the second largest regional real estate firm in the country by The Realty Alliance, a national real estate trade organization. Windermere was ranked second in residential sales volume ($8.5 billion) and closed residential transactions (34,941).
Windermere was the only Northwest firm to rank in the top five of all the Alliance's rating categories. The company ranked third in number of agents (2,278*) and number of offices (68*), well ahead of its Northwest competitors.
* These numbers do not include Windermere's 116 franchise offices, with their 2,722 agents.
Windermere Only Northwest Real Estate Company Ranked in Top 10 in 1999 Power Broker Report
Windermere Real Estate was ranked the fourth largest real estate company in the nation by National Relocation and Real Estate magazine. Windermere was the only Northwest firm ranked in the top 10 in the publication's 1999 Power Broker Report, claiming the fourth spot in both residential transactions (34,941) and sales volume ($8.5 billion) in 1998.
The annual Power Broker Report provides an in-depth look at the nation's top 300 brokers, including the size of the organization, the number of closed transactions and the sales volume. The report was published in National Relocation and Real Estate's May 1999 issue.
Puget Sound Business Journal - 2005 Corporate Philanthropists
The Puget Sound Business Journal repeatedly recognizes Windermere Real Estate as a major philanthropist in the Puget Sound area. Windermere is ranked at No.11 in the 2005 Corporate Philanthropists listing, based on $1,685,048 of total giving in 2004.
Windermere's charitable dollars go to multiple agencies serving low-income or homeless families in Puget Sound neighborhoods via the Windermere Foundation. One of the Foundation's primary focuses continues to be the nurturing of "at-risk" children and youth who are currently living on the fringes of poverty.
Recipient social service organizations use Windermere Foundation grants on a broad variety of programs offering: food and clothing basics, summer camps, scholarships and after-school enrichment programs. A few beneficiaries include: multiple Puget Sound public school districts; The Children's Home Society; The YMCA/YWCA; and The Salvation Army.