Bosshardt Realty Services Celebrates 30 Years in Business!

GAINESVILLE

Market Watch Spring 2017

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www.BosshardtRealty.com

GAINESVILLE

Market Watch Spring 2017

30 Years of serving Gainesville Bosshardt Realty Services was founded in 1987 with one simple philosophy…. Take care of the customer.

Carol R. Bosshardt, owner and CEO, began with three agents and a dream of building a business based on world class service and establishing strong relationships.

Carol was born in Rockford, Illinois, where she learned the real estate and new construction business from her parents. Her mother was a Realtor and her dad was a builder. Carol graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in social work. This field of study allowed her to integrate her mother’s experience and her own foundation in human services with her true passion: working with people. After working in the Real Estate business beginning in 1977, Carol decided to start her own company not only to give the customer better service, but to give back to the communities in which she did business.

In 2001, Carol received the distinguished Paul Harris Service Award, which is the culmination of her strong belief in giving back to the community in which she built her business. The Bosshardt companies have given to over 100 charities over the past 30 years. Carol was personally involved in several start-up charities or ones which needed a boost to survive. Today, with the Bosshardt Charitable Fund started by Kim and Aaron Bosshardt, this tradition is thriving. Carol’s husband, Mel Clark, is also involved in the companies and especially in the non-profit Charitable Fund.

With economic times changing Carol enrolled in

Carol Bosshardt

Owner and CEO Bosshardt Realty Services

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the University of Florida College of Business and received with high honors a Master of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. The following year she received the Distinguished Scholar award from the University of Florida School of Business.

This course of study enabled her to meet the recession years with knowledge and confidence.

Carol raised two children in Gainesville where they were educated and flourished in the public school system. Her daughter, Stacey, is an attorney in Washington, D.C. and her son, Aaron, is now the President of Bosshardt Realty. Carol’s daughterin-law, Kim Bosshardt, is also very involved in the day to day of the companies. With her legal expertise and charitable flare she has helped the Bosshardt organization move forward. Nathan Clark is Carol’s stepson and a key player as the company’s Director of Information and Technology.

Today, 30 years after the founding of Bosshardt Realty Services, Carol still feels her companies are a family business and prides herself on operating as such. It is important to Carol to maintain close personal relationships with employees, associates and the people they serve. This warm and familiar atmosphere is what sets the Bosshardt companies apart and makes for a great place to work.

Table of Contents

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30 Years of Giving

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An Interview with Carol Bosshardt

30 Years of Making Dreams Come True

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Carol merges with Mike Ryals of Southern Realty who is still with Bosshardt Commercial Division today!

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The Practice of Real Estate in 1987

1998

1987 vs. 2017

Carol begins Bosshardt Realty with herself and three other RealtorsÂŽ

1989

Starts Bosshardt Property Management with Mark Keohane, still with Bosshardt today!

1992

Carol opens the Waterford office where we are headquartered today.

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1987

Carol opens Waterford Title. Now known as Bosshardt Title Insurance.

1996

Carol opens the Haile Plantation Office. Which is still in operation today.

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Timeline of Events

30 Years in Pictures

Gainesville Corporate Office 5542 NW 43rd Street Gainesville, FL 32653 352.371.6100 Bosshardt Property Management 5522 NW 43rd Street, Suite A Gainesville, FL 32653 352.371.2118 Bosshardt Title Insurance Agency 5532 NW 43rd Street Gainesville, FL 32653 352.240.9105 Bosshardt Ocala Office 2102 SW 20th Place, Suite 402 Ocala, FL 34471 352.671.8203 Bosshardt Venice Office 1501 S. Tamiami Trail, Ste. 501 Venice, FL 34285 941.584.0889

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Carol Bosshardt What made you decide to start your own real estate brokerage?

I started my own real estate brokerage because I wanted to make the real estate industry more professional than what I had been experiencing in Alachua county for the previous 10 years.

Having a college degree and living in Madison, Wisconsin, there was a difference in the level of training professional service in the real estate industry here in Alachua County.

I wanted my company to be more like a corporation which gave back to the community from which I was deriving my income. Real estate companies did not give back. I would make sure that Bosshardt Realty was different- as we are.

When one reads on any given website, that a company wants “to give the highest level of professional service”, this sounds like a platitude- just words. To me this is not a slogan but rather the true spirit of how I have operated my business. Our training never stops! (How about that for a slogan). We are always striving to become better, not richer.

When my family purchased and moved into our home in Gainesville on December 31, 1975, we

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found that the furnace had no oil. It was freezing and due to the oil embargo, no oil was available.

Our young family with children 2 and 4 years old all huddled together for 10 days before we got heat.

There were no inspection laws then, no walk throughs, and neither our Realtor nor her broker cared. I NEVER wanted to let this happen to any home buyer again.

It was not necessarily the seller’s fault; there just weren’t professional systems nor protocol in place.

Our Realtor, broker, and anyone else we approached had no solution nor really cared.

They had moved on the the next transaction. In 1977 I entered the real estate industry and tried to change it. The way I changed the industry was to step out and set an example. I wasn’t taken seriously at first, but I attracted Realtors to my company with the same philosophy on professionalism. As we grew, we led the way to reset the standards.

Today Bosshardt Realty is a “standout” in the real estate industry. We have the Bosshardt Charitable Fund which has donated monies to over 100 local charities, but we also have a culture of giving among our Realtors and Staff. In 2015 our Realtors and staff volunteered for

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more than 4,500 hours! This is really not unheard of in our company, it is a driving force of who we are.

Other ways Bosshardt is unique is that we have a large marketing department and intense training programs right here in our offices. Our training never stops!

How did that morph into an empire of real estate services?

I really wanted to give my customers superb service like no other realty company has done.

There were times when a seller needed to rent their property when it did not sell in the selling season. They had moved and couldn’t make two payments.

I found renters for them, and I managed it myself! Similarly when a potential buyer came to town and wanted to rent for a few months to learn the area before buying, I would show rentals to them. Soon I had properties for rent and renters who needed properties. That is basically how my property management company came into existence. Mark Keohane came on board and assisted me with building this division. This was in 1989 and to this day Mark manages commercial rental property. Most other Realtors wouldn’t do this because the money isn’t as good as sales;

however, I was only thinking about helping the person who called me. Garry Griffin manages both the property management, maintenance and community association management division now. He has been with me for almost 29 years. I had no plan of opening a property management division but wanting to serve the customer/client, this sort of started itself!

Same with Builders. I had a skill and a desire to help builders market their properties. In hard times they struggled and it was costly for them. I started a successful new home and community division and did full service for builders to sell their properties. We got certifications to teach courses and put ourself out there- rightfully so- as the builder’s Realtor. Anne Koterba, Patti Glenn, and Karen Blatt were strong forces in helping to accomplish this. We dominated that business. Now we are even building some houses and doing some land development.

There was became a need for us to have commercial, investment and land division. Mike Ryals of Southern Realty and I merged in 1989 to satisfy this void. Mike and his staff are still here today taking care of the commercial division. This has really rounded us out to be fully diversified in real estate services.

This was a natural progression, and then all of a sudden I realized that economy of scales took over. It was a lot more efficient to put more services under one roof. In 1998 I started Waterford Title Company- now Bosshardt Title Insurance. Then 34th Street Mini storage. All of these companies are related in serving the customer. You might call it “one stop shop”. It all started from my not thinking of the money but taking care of the customer. With that way of thinking, the mon-

ey couldn’t help but come. We started Bosshardt Design Group in 2005 to help sellers stage their homes. In 2007 I opened Smart Media creative, a full service marketing company. We also have Future Realty for Realtors who want to get a supplemental income from real estate referrals but don’t want to pay fees and dues. Our retiring agents join in order to maintain income but not pay high fees or work full time.

Not all of these divisions have high margins or profits. But having them helps our customer base and again, that is what it is all about.

What was the biggest hurdle you over came as a woman starting your own company back in the 80’s?

There were too many hurdles to list from being a woman business owner. If you look back the only women who could make it had male partners/counterparts. I was always on the short end of the stick in almost everything I attempted. In relationships with the University the see saw was always tipped in the favor of the male.

I finally figured out that developing friendships and strong business relationships with strong males in the community was the way to gain more balance. These men opened some doors for me and I am forever grateful.

It did work except not so much with the University. I hope to be writing a book on this topic.

Another factor is that men didn’t support women, and neither did other women. It was bizarre, but the women were my fiercest critics. It was just “shooting themselves in the feet!” We won’t make it with so little support. I am afraid this phenomena hasn’t changed much in my 40 years of real estate.

What are the underlying values of running a very successful 30-year business… or in other words… what are the core beliefs that you feel have made you successful?

Being humble; I don’t think I am better than anyone else that works for me or anyone else at all. If I pass someone by and don’t speak it is because my brain is in high gear.

I worked so hard every day for so many years and I was totally driven to be successful. I did not have access to family money or other people’s money when I started.

I “bootstrapped” all the way.

It was NEVER first about making money to me, but about doing a good job knowing that the money would then come. Many times I let go of dollars when I thought I shouldn’t. I just marked it up to “marketing dollars”

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I want everyone to be happy, to succeed, and to think they were treated right. I know it is not 100% that way but when it is not, it really bothers me. I always try to help people and am always thinking of a solution for them.

on a big sale. Also I was so thin as a preteen and teenager, that I had to take supplements to gain weight!

my real estate businesses. I have enjoyed these challenges and with my cohorts we have done well.

What accomplishment have you been proudest of?

On a financial note; you must forgo instant gratification for the long term. I had to manage my money well or I wouldn’t have made it to 30 years. I have watched many an agent who worked for me, make and spend more money than I could, but I had to save for the recessions or other emergencies that happened along the way.

My proudest accomplishment is raising great children, and two of which are instrumental in growing a successful company. Aaron Bosshardt is the President of Bosshardt Realty Services and Nathan Clark, my stepson is the Director of IT Services. They have helped where I couldn’t have done it without them. My daughter, Stacey Bosshardt, works for the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. as Senior Counsel.

Another interest related to this is investing in the stock market.

I have built a nice portfolio over the past 25 years and enjoy the daily challenge.

What’s your favorite or most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is helping the people who work at Bosshardt reap the benefits of what I did right and also what I could have done better. I love training them and see them blossom.

How are things different now, compared to things over the last three decades?

The most unbelievable change over the past three decades is using the computer to sell real estate. Technology has taken over the simple delivery of the MLS book every two weeks and making appointments from this book. Our contract for purchase were many, many pages long.

What is something interesting about you that most people wouldn’t know?

That my parents were immigrants as children from Eastern EuropePoland and Russia separately not together. They were very poor and I was raised never having a piece of clothing that was not

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Other than that, I believe my greatest accomplishment is building a successful company being a woman working in a man’s world.

It has been a constant battle at so many levels. Every frustration one might have in business, for me has been compounded because I am a woman. Lots of anguish and bitter tears. I can’t even begin to relate it all; I truly could write a book. Even in our 30th Anniversary year, there is still tremendous discrimination against the female entrepreneur.

I think I have seen it all.

Do you ever have time to relax? And what do you do to relax?

Another interest I have as well as my time to relax is the farm my husband and I purchased in 2015.

We moved and are raising chickens, horses, blueberries, and lots of crops. My grandchildren love the farm and it is so relaxing for my family.

What is the oddest job you’ve ever had?

The oddest job I have ever had, and one of the most fun, was a short order counter cook at S.S. Kresge’s when I was very young.

I loved this job; and as usual love the customer’s response to eating good freshly cooked food. S.S. Kresge was sold to the K-Mart corporation in 1977.

What are your interests outside of real estate?

My interest over the past 20 years has been financial, but a different type - financial institutions. I have co-founded two local community banks in Gainesville/Ocala, Florida. The first one began in 1997 and opened in 1998- The Millennium Bank. After selling in 2003, I co-founded Alarion Bank which sold in 2014.

Finally in 2015, I am a co-founder of Prime Mortgage Group, specializing in residential mortgages.

I find the financial arm fascinating and banking does relate to

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Cheers to 30 years Carol!

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The Practice of REAL ESTATE IN 1987 Written by: Patrick Currie

It’s always interesting to look back several decades and remember how things used to be. What once seemed so normal, now seems archaic. Today, everything is so advanced as compared to 1987.

Here are just some of the ways Real Estate was conducted in 1987.

NO CELLPHONES: Cellphone use, for most of us, occurred in the early 90’s. Realtors® used their home phone numbers (land lines) and office numbers in all advertising.

Also as a Realtor®, you had to know where all the “good” pay phones were located around Gainesville. These were the ones that still had the ‘mouth/earpiece’ connected to the phone and still had the phone book attached. In addition, it was important to always have a roll of quarters in your car- because most gas station clerks refused to make change unless you purchased something first.

NO COMPUTERS: We received a new paper copy of the MLS book every two weeks. You would search the book for properties you wanted to show. It was not uncommon for a property to be listed as vacant, but when you showed up to see it with your clients, there would be a person at the door telling you “I bought this home and closed on it last week!”

NO ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES: It would take 90+ days on average to close a transaction “IF” everything went smoothly. When a buyer missed signing/initialing an area on the contract, the Realtor® would have to track down that person to get the document completed or would have to mail (snail mail) the paperwork for to them to sign. This would delay closing by at least a week!

PROSPECTS RODE IN REALTORS® CAR: When showing property, the prospects usually rode in the Realtors® car since there was no way

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to communicate with someone in another vehicle.

You didn’t want to risk ‘losing’ your clients driving from one listing to another.

NO VOICE MAIL: There was no such thing as voice mail. Clients called the office and the receptionist at the front desk would take the message and place it in your “cubby hole”. Realtors® would call in (either from a pay phone or from their home) and the receptionist would read them their messages.

30 year mortgage rate in March 1987: 10.29% Cost of a gallon of gas: $0.95 cents per gallon Cost of a first class stamp: $0.22 cents FHA Mortgages were fully assumable without qualifying You could buy a 3BR/2BA home in Northwest Gainesville for $49,900, or one in Southwest Gainesville for $53,000!

As we continue with advancements it is a good possibility that 30 years from now the current technology we use and enjoy today will seem so “old school”!!

It’s hard to imagine what changes that will occur in the next 30 years and how future Realtors® will view the way we conducted business in 2017 when: “Realtors® actually had to drive to a listing!”

“They had to physically ‘dial’ their cell phones” “Computers sat on their desks!”

No matter what happens- one thing for sure is that it will be exciting!!

1987 vs. 2017

Carol Bosshardt, Owner and CEO

Garry Griffin, Pres. Bosshardt PM

Aaron Bosshardt, President

Trina Christensen, REALTOR®

Dan Drotos, CCIM Commercial

Mike Ryals, Commercial Division

MIssie Schneider, REALTOR®

Cindy Harrington, REALTOR®

Michele Loeffler, REALTOR®

Bruce Rider, CCIM Commercial

Stacey Aasved, Marketing Dept.

Mitchell Martin, REALTOR®

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30 Years of Giving Back

Cooking at The Ronald McDonald House

American Heart Walk

Meals on Wheels route

PALS Leadership Council

The Roast of Storm Roberts Alachua Habitat for Humanity

Children’s Miracle Network

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American Heart Assoc. Heart Ball

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Build a House for the House

CHS Holiday Angels

Belle’s and Bow Ties

MDA Lockup

UF Health PALS Thrive Program

Puttin’ on the Ritz

Donated Gainesville’s First Narcotic Detection K-9 “Boss”

Hearts and Handbags

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1987 vs. 2017

Genile Morris, REALTOR®

Jahnava Rico, REALTOR®

Ciara Hudleston, REALTOR®

Peggy Anderson, REALTOR®

Adrian Campbell, REALTOR®

Adriana Maayan, Cricket Club II

Rainbow Young, REALTOR®

Ken and Angela Cornell, REALTORS®

Mike Stanton, Director of Marketing

Russell Bowen, REALTOR®

Marc Miller, REALTOR®

Nancy Turbyfill, MBA, REALTOR

Michelle Schibuola, Marketing

Gary Schneider, REALTOR®

Chris Handy, REALTOR®

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1988 Carol merges with Mike Ryals of Southern Realty who is still with Bosshardt Commercial Division today!

1987 Carol begins Bosshardt Realty with herself and three other Realtors® 1989 Starts Bosshardt Property Management with Mark Keohane, still with Bosshardt today!

30 Years Ago...

Real Estate:

Carol Bosshardt opened Bosshardt Realty!

Average cost of a New House: $92,000 Median price of existing home: $85,500 Average monthly rent: $395

Consumables:

Gallon of gas: $.089 1lb of bacon: $1.80 US postage stamp: $0.24 Dozen eggs: $0.65

1992 Carol opens the Waterford office where we are headquartered today.

1998 Carol opens Waterford Title. Now known as Bosshardt Title Insurance.

Top Selling US Autos: 1996 Carol opens the Haile Plantation Office. Which is still in operation today.

2001 Carol received the distinguished Paul Harris Service Award.

2002 Carol started Bosshardt Realty and Property Management in Venice, FL which is still operational today.

2011 Carol opens 34th Street Mini Storage.

2012 Aaron Bosshardt named President of Bosshardt Realty.

2016 Bosshardt received the Corporate Legacy Award, and is named Gainesville Sun’s Readers Choice Award winner for Best Real Estate Company.

2006 Carol started Bosshardt Realty and Property Management in Ocala, FL which is still operational today.

charitable fund

2013 Aaron Bosshardt starts the Bosshardt Charitable Fund.

2017 Celebrate 30 Years of Bosshardt Realty!

Ford Taurus: $11,808 Honda Accord: $10,925 Chevrolet Celebrity: $11,010 Oldsmobile Ciera: $11,420 Nissan Sentra: $6,449 Pontiac Grand AM: $10,269 Toyota Camry: $11,248 Chevrolet Caprice: $12,510 Honda Civic: $6,195 Ford Mustang: $9,209

In the News:

• The first “naked-eye” supernova since 1604 • Time Magazine Man of the Year: Mikhail Gorbachev • Aretha Franklin becomes first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame • Contact lenses available for commercial distribution • Microsoft introduces Windows 2.0 • No-smoking rules take effect in US federal buildings • #1 in the music charts “Didn’t We Almost Have it All” by Whitney Houston • Unabomber bombings • 1st military use of trained dolphins (Persian Gulf) • Jessica McClure rescued 58hrs after falling into well • FDA approves sale of AZT (AIDS treatment)

In Sports:

World Series Champions: Minnesota Twins Superbowl XXI Champions: New York Giants NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers Stanley Cup: Edmonton Oilers U.S. Open Golf: Scott Simpson Wimbledon Men: Pat Cash Wimbledon Women: Martina Navratilova NCAA Football Champions: Miami NCAA Basketball Champions: Indiana Kentucky Derby: Alysheba 37th NASCAR Sprint Cup: Dale Earnhardt

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30 Years of Making Dreams Come True

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Celebrating

30 YEARS

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Bosshardt 30 Years

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THANK YOU

Gainesville

With Love, Bosshardt Realty Services, LLC.

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5542 NW 43rd Street Gainesville, FL 32653 BosshardtRealty.com

2016 Legacy Awards Corporate Award Winner- Bosshardt Realty