Elite West Realty Innovates for Success

When starting a business in a market already dominated by well-established competitors, a new enterprise needs ways to make itself stand out.

On February 1, 2017, Amanda Zaddock opened the doors of Elite West Realty in Powell. She had grown up in a family that always seemed to be buying, selling, or remodeling property. “I always joke that I kind of grew up in a construction zone,” she said.

Later, she acquired experience in the worlds of banking, property management, and real estate. She was no stranger to hard work and had lots of ideas about how to make a real estate agency successful.

But Amanda had never started her own business. If she lacked for anything, it was a means for evaluating which of her real estate sales ideas would work best in the Powell market and surrounding area.

Getting Started

Upon opening Elite West Realty, she reached out to Bruce Morse, the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network’s regional director for Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie counties. Together, they explored ways for incorporating Amanda’s ideas into a winning strategy for her fledgling firm.

Amanda decided being available anytime for clients, and at their convenience, would be important. Elite West Realty also would offer expanding open houses and first-time home buyer classes in conjunction with a local bank. While such services were available elsewhere, they had never before been offered by real estate agencies in Powell.

The Wyoming SBDC Network’s Market Research Center also took an in-depth look at Amanda’s online presence. Additionally, the center provided a wealth of demographic and psychometric information to assist Amanda in her decision-making.

“It was really helpful having someone go through our entire website, pick it apart and let us know what aspects looked great and what aspects needed help,” she said. “Online marketing is really our focus. I think that’s where the buyers and clients are, that’s where everyone goes these days.”

Experiencing Growth

After the launch of Elite West Realty, it didn’t take long for Amanda’s business to take off. Her husband, David, soon joined her in the firm. “I was getting so busy that I needed extra help, so David ended up getting his real estate license as well.”

Amanda also brought in three additional agents and moved into a larger office to accommodate the brisk growth. Halfway through 2018, Elite West Realty had almost reached goals set for the entire year.

“Going above and beyond what’s expected” turned out to be a key to Elite West Realty’s impressive start.

Homebuyer Valerie Martinez of Lovell worked with both Amanda and David. “Their professionalism and dedication to exemplary service is unsurpassed,” she said in an online review. “They respond to calls, texts, and emails promptly. They provided checklists at each stage of the process to ensure no details were left undone.”

Chris Dunks of Cody, who sold a house and bought another through Elite West Realty on the same day, was similarly impressed by the level of service. “With both negotiations, they made it painless and offered some good suggests that got it all done fast. They were amazing to deal with.”

Looking to the Future

Elite West Realty is now expanding its reach across the northern Bighorn Basin. A mid-summer snapshot of listings included properties in Powell, Byron, Cody, Greybull, Lovell, and Basin. While the agency handles houses primary, it also lists commercial and agricultural properties.

Now that Elite West Realty has become a force in the Powell real estate scene, Amanda is considering more possibilities for growth. “Expanding into the Cody market is the direction we would like to go,” she said. “But we also want to be secure with where we are, before we try to do too much.”

Whatever moves Amanda decides to make next, she knows she can count on the Wyoming SBDC Network to help ensure that her business prospers.

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