Founded in 1976, WK Real Estate is based on a philosophy that extends far beyond simply building relationships with clients. “It’s not just the personalized experience, but the value we place on every single relationship,” says Dan Kingdom, Managing Broker/Owner of WK Real Estate. “Our agents take the time to get to know you personally, to find out about your hopes and dreams, to help those dreams come true.”
This relationship-focused philosophy has been recognized and appreciated by the community. WK Real Estate received the Boulder County Gold People’s Choice Award for Best Real Estate company for the 19th year in 2019. In February, WKRE was awarded both the Crown of Excellence and the Sapphire Awards from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. The company’s accolades also include the Longmont Times-Call Readers’ Choice award for Best Real Estate Company, and the Boulder County Gold award for Best Customer Service. This legacy of love demonstrates WK Real Estate’s commitment to and appreciation of its clients and the surrounding community.
WK Real Estate is always striving to be better, in both the knowledge and expertise of its agents and staff and its role in the community. Buying or selling a home or investment property is a landmark event in one’s life, and WK Real Estate takes their involvement in that event very seriously.
An award-winning website
“Technology has always been a big part of who we are,” says Kingdom. “Dating back to the mid-1990s, we were the first local company to have a real web presence and we have maintained that on the forefront. It allows us to be a player in the local market and compete with the national brands.”
WK Real Estate launched a brand new website this past September, which has increased functionality in almost every way. The new website allows consumers to access a wealth of timely, accurate market information. Advanced search capabilities allow buyers to find homes based on school districts, communities, cities and more. The website just won an award from REAL Trends for its excellent property detail pages. Website visitors can sign up for detailed monthly reports that provide a snapshot of the community’s real estate, including average home prices, sold and new listings, median days a home is on the market, and other information that will help both buyers and sellers. The website also accommodates those considering a move to a new area. The updated community pages feature area-specific information like school details, market statistics, local lifestyle amenities, and, of course, home listings.
Furthermore, the new site provides back-end tools and systems that support WK agents, ensuring that all clients receive the best service possible.
A well-prepared team of talented associates
In addition to providing all of their broker associates with
the most updated technology, WK Real Estate makes a significant investment in the continuing education of its broker associates so that each one of them is able to serve their customers with the highest level of skill and expertise. WK Real Estate believes that, when agents are informed and supported with resources, the customer wins.
Continuing education opportunities are provided regularly on a variety of topics, such as reverse mortgages, building and remodeling regulations in Boulder, updates to the Colorado contract to buy and sell real estate, the new Homesnap consumer mobile application, new digital Sentrilock lockboxes for homes, and special taxing districts. The team also reviews local real estate market statistics as a group in monthly sales meetings, so all associates are up-to-date on current trends and market dynamics.
At the recent WK Real Estate annual retreat in Estes Park, associates attended sessions with a noted leadership training expert and the General Counsel for the Colorado Association of Realtors®. The agents also conducted roundtable sessions to refine and update the company’s best practices.
The spirit of service
WK Real Estate has worked hard for 43 years to become well-liked, trusted and recognized for their focus on inclusivity and service.“The spirit of giving back is fundamental to everything we do here at WK Real Estate,” says Kingdom. “We live and work in these communities and, for us, it’s not just a ‘community event’ we choose to sponsor – it’s the place where we met the love of our life, or found the perfect four-footed hiking companion.”
2019 has been a busy year for WK Real Estate’s community involvement. The company awarded two separate $2,500 scholarships to promising students at CU Leeds School of Business. An annual tradition for the company, WK Real Estate sponsored the fireworks show and entertainment at Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast on July 4 at Folsom Field. The company also acts as transportation sponsor for Longmont’s Rhythm on the River event in July, and they sponsor The Boulder Timeline at The Museum of Boulder.
While financial support is important for local non-profits and community events, the WK Real Estate team prioritizes a more hands-on approach, working alongside their neighbors at various events throughout the year. The company appreciates that these in-person experiences result in a deeper and more meaningful contribution. In 2019, the team donated days to volunteer at Bridge House, Habitat for Humanity and Community Foodshare. WK Real Estate also hosted a cook-out fundraiser and food drive for Community Foodshare in April. At the organization’s annual awards, WK Real Estate was recognized by Community Foodshare for providing the most social media support during its Corporate Challenge.
WK Real Estate employees are involved in the community on individual levels as well.
The WK Real Estate team has demonstrated a profound passion for the communities in which it operates. The company is proud to have followed through on their motto for 2018: #DoMore.
For 2019, the motto is #theWKway. Real estate companies play a unique role in shaping a community’s future, and at WK Real Estate, this is seen as both a privilege and a responsibility. The core philosophy of building relationships initiates a cycle: stronger relationships create a stronger business which can better support those it serves. In 2020, WK Real Estate will continue to give and serve, and to fortify the deep local bonds that have made it Boulder’s most well-loved real estate company for more than four decades. Kingdom sums it up simply: “The bottom line is that we care – about our company, our clients and, most of all, our community.”
WK Real Estate, 4875 Pearl East Circle, Suite 100, Boulder, 303.443.2240; 2101 Ken Pratt Blvd., Suite 100, Longmont, wkre.com.
By Emma Castleberry, for At Home. Photos by WK Real Estate and Timothy Seibert.
