Engel & Völkers is redefining the real estate experience for its clients—from Milan to the Mid-Atlantic to the Eastern Shore
Written by Kristen Hampshire
Team Portrait by Dana Marie Photography
Eastern Shore-minded and rooted in the region with VIP access to pros in Milan, Seattle, Park City, Miami and beyond, Engel & Völkers’ distinct real estate model offers clients the reach they expect—both close to home and afar.
Rick Foster, Esq., is the managing broker and licensed partner for the firm’s Annapolis, Washington, D.C., Ocean City, and now Richmond locations, which he refers to as shops. It’s a nod to the idea of building, fine-tuning and delivering a product people demand. The shops are hubs for realty specialists the firm calls advisors because their role extends beyond scouting for listings, booking showings and closing deals.
“We are big on culture, and we love to get the right people that fit our vibe,” Foster says.
The firm is invested in people, not properties.
And they’re getting noticed on a national stage. When Engel & Völkers hosted its annual EVX conference last year, the Annapolis office earned the firm’s highest accolade: the Engel & Völkers Cup. The recognition has nothing to do with revenue or profit margins.
“It’s all about how we use the brand, how we leverage the network, and how consistent we are in our results and our client reviews,” Foster says. “It was a shared victory for all of our shops and it’s completely about culture, which is what makes me proud to be a part of the Engel & Völkers brand.”
Hubs Near Home and Afar
With shops in Annapolis, Ocean City, Washington, D.C., and now Richmond, Engel & Völkers offers clients extraordinary reach.
Everyone, All In
Nurturing a culture of knowledge, support and understanding is a major pivot from transactional, fast-lane organizations, and a point of pride for Foster and his team.
“We layer on a lot of leadership and support,” Foster says. “We know real estate is a 24/7 business, and we structure our support accordingly. I want our advisors to know they will always have someone to reach out to for insight or to help solve a problem.”
They share a common concern: the client.
“We tend to go deeper and really make sure we’re understanding what our clients want,” Foster says. “And we support our advisors with the same sense of urgency that they express with their clients.”
Foster is quick to add, “We go as fast or as slow as our clients desire.”
This goes back to delivering concierge service. “It’s about being sensitive toward your clients’ needs,” Foster explains, noting how this philosophy extends to communication preferences, contract delivery, and how real estate searches are pursued in the first place.
For these reasons, Foster says, “The type of advisor our firm attracts has those built-in characteristics of empathy, sensitivity and integrity.”
Foster points to an internal support team member who manages the firm’s Zillow business. “She runs that team and was a teacher—and still is,” he says. “Part of being a teacher involves providing learning opportunities and support. She’s a natural.”
The same goes for each of the firm’s staff members and its expanding network of advisors, Foster relates. Each brings an area of expertise to the table that broadens the team’s knowledge and capacity to do more for clients.
Foster and the team welcome suggestions. He set up an anonymous feedback Google form for advisors and team members. “I’m constantly reviewing those,” he says.
Much of the feedback consists of kudos recognizing team members in local shops. Then Foster will inquire, “Which location?” This way, he can celebrate the team and give credit where it’s due.
And as the “boots on the ground” for Engel & Völkers on the Eastern Shore, Foster says the corporation encourages local license holders to call the shots that will benefit their communities. He says, “If someone in our firm or an advisor has a great idea, I can implement that in a couple of weeks rather than years.”
“We know real estate is a 24/7 business, and we structure our support accordingly. I want our advisors to know they will always have someone
to reach out to for insight or to help solve a problem.” — Rick Foster, Esq.
Scaling Opportunity
Thoughtful growth will continue the local Engel & Völkers shops’ capacity to help clients. “We are at a point in our growth where now is an opportunity to say, ‘How do we do better? How do the systems we built work on a larger scale?’”
Foster is planning for more, strategic expansion—and perhaps another Engel & Völkers Cup—as the organization continues offering a home where advisors can plug into resources and opportunities.
He says, “Everyone here is there to help and share.” CS
TEAM PHOTO AT TOP:
Front left to right: Chantal Apple, Jeanna Terzano, Lisa Lebow, Kara Hawkins and Mary Rice.
Back left to right: Kevin Heselbach, Rick Foster and Lisa Jackson.
Engel & Völkers Ocean City
5909 Coastal Highway, Suite 2
Ocean City, MD 21842
410-524-4555
oceancity.evrealestate.com
Email: Info@CoastalStyleMag.com
Phone: 410-205-MAGS
Terms of Use
