Keller Williams: Elevating Erie Real Estate with Purposeful Growth

Jessica Hunter

The local Keller Williams team, pictured here outside their office on Zuck Road, brings the ethos of the global company to Erie by embodying the mission of its founders: to build careers worth having, businesses worth owning, lives worth living, experiences worth giving, and legacies worth leaving.

Keller Williams is a unique company in the real estate industry – it is a company built by real estate agents, for real estate agents. Founded in Austin, Texas in 1983 by Gary Keller and Joe Williams, Keller Williams has expanded exponentially to become the largest real estate company in the entire world, with offices on nearly every continent and a presence in over 50 countries. While the local Keller Williams branch is not yet the biggest real estate company in Erie, local team leader Tom Jones comments, "just give us a little time."

Established in Erie in 2016 and with an office off of Zuck Road in Niagara Village, the local branch of the global company is succeeding by doing that which Keller Williams has done all along: adhering steadfastly to the company's mission. The philosophy of Keller Williams is referred to as their MVVBP (which stands for Mission, Vision, Value, Belief System, and Perspective) and is all-encompassing in its scope of supporting the real estate agent's needs above all else.

Overall their mission statement is: to build careers worth having, businesses worth owning, lives worth living, experiences worth giving, and legacies worth leaving. This statement emphasizes the holistic approach to business that Keller Williams has built: it is key that the real estate agents representing their company feel fulfilled in all aspects of their career choice and the tools they are given through Keller Williams totally support that fulfillment.

When Tom Jones, team leader of the Erie Keller Williams Group and realtor with over 35 years of experience, reflects on these values, he feels a personal and emotional connection, "As a grandparent, every time I look at our mission I see my grandchildren. We really believe that our real estate agency is a business that was built so that we can take care of our families, ourselves, and our clients. Our job is to take care of the people we work with and focus on what is important."

And for Keller Williams, many aspects of their business practice reflect this sense of importance. One major component is making sure that agents are supported in all aspects of the real estate business. Keller Williams has one of the most competitive compensation programs available, they offer ongoing, extensive training programs, and are on the cutting edge of utilizing technology in a way that streamlines all processes and makes the listing, buying, and selling of properties as smooth as possible. Within their MVVBP, Keller Williams clarifies that they are, in fact, "a technology company that provides the real estate platform that our agents, buyers, and sellers prefer." This commitment to staying on the precipice of new technology puts Keller Williams a step ahead of other real estate companies.

Inclusion is also a strong value for Keller Williams, and the company makes efforts to create space and support for veterans, LGBTQIA+, wellness, DEI, as well as over 15 other communities. Keller Williams hosts bi-monthly training sessions on how best to serve both the agents and their clients across their spectrum of needs and experiences.

Community service is another area of importance to Keller Williams. Locally, the agents of Keller Williams are always looking for ways to help those in need in the Erie area. They are currently in the midst of a partnership with the City Mission and the Upper Room of Erie for their "Blizzard of Blankets" drive. So far, Keller Williams agents, with the help of many of their clients, have collected over 500 winter coats and blankets (spearheaded by Ron Kleppick of the Fred Amendola team), that will soon be distributed to those in need by local real estate agents and the folks at the Upper Room. The agents also volunteer with local women's centers to collect "Miracle Meals," which provide full turkey dinners for distribution within women's support groups in Erie during the holidays (an activity created by Melissa East and Cherie Bishop). They're planning to host a toy drive for Toys for Tots with an appearance by the big guy in red at the Keller Williams office. They regularly host blood drives, school backpack and school supply drives, and more. They're constantly looking for ways to give back to the community.

Building a sense of community within the Keller Williams family is within their mission's scope. The group hosts a yearly "Family Reunion," that was traditionally held in the birthplace of the company, Austin, Texas, but this year, their participation rate in this event has grown and finding a venue to accommodate so many employees lands them in Las Vegas. They are expecting upwards of 30,000 people in attendance, which speaks not only of their success, but to the enthusiasm Keller Williams inspires within their employees.

Keller Williams' MVVBP statement goes on to include 10 tenants of their Belief System designated as WI4C2TES. This includes: Win-Win or no deal, which means that both the client and the agent must benefit from any real estate transaction or it is considered unsuccessful. Integrity which means always doing the right thing; Customers always come first; Commitment in all things; Communication: seeking first to understand; Creativity and seeking ideas before results; Teamwork, achieving more by coming together; Trust and establishing an honest relationship from the start; Equity, prioritizing opportunities for all; and Success which translates to results through people.

The founders of Keller Williams have gone on to publish multiple books sharing their theories on successful business practices, finding what works through real estate. Tom Jones's personal favorite is The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results which encourages readers to find that "one thing" in life that is worth working for and focus completely on the success of that thing.

For Keller Williams, that "one thing" is focusing on people above all else: satisfying the needs of the agents and clients while never sacrificing one relationship for another. And the results of this focus are clear to see: Keller Williams is one of the most successful real estate companies in the world. And here in Erie, they are growing more and more each day.

If you're interested in learning more about the local agents of Keller Williams, have questions about listing or purchasing a new property, or are interested in joining the agents of Keller Williams realtors here in Erie, please visit kellerwilliamseriepa.com.