Chic Spotlight: EXIT Realty's Shari and Chuck Thompson

Heading up the first local franchise of the fastest growing national real estate company in history - EXIT Realty Corp. International - are Shari and Chuck Thompson. Cincy Chic sets down with them to find out more about EXIT and the local housing market.

Cincy Chic: What is EXIT Realty?
Shari and Chuck Thompson: EXIT is a full service international real estate broker providing realtors with the most attractive and innovative compensation and business opportunity ever available in the real estate industry. EXIT is the fastest growing national real estate company in history with an annual growth rate of 77 percent. EXIT projects to be the largest real estate company in North America by the end of 2010.

Cincy Chic: How did you get involved with it?
Thompsons: The individual who purchased the franchise rights to Ohio is a personal friend of mine. He was telling me about EXIT and its phenomenal growth and unique approach in helping realtors build a business formula and based upon my business and human resources experience, I decided that this was a concept who's time has come.

Cincy Chic: When buying a home, what's the benefit to the buyer if they go with someone from EXIT?
Thompsons: I believe that an EXIT associate by nature will be more entrepreneurial and motivated. EXIT associates keep a much larger percentage of the commission and as a result is motivated to provide the best service to their client. EXIT associates have an incentive to share information between each other as well. EXIT's growing franchise network (adding a new franchise every day) provides nationwide referrals of buyers and sellers to EXIT associates.

Cincy Chic: What's the greatest thing about working for EXIT?
Thompsons: Only at EXIT can an agent earn more than 100 percent of his or her gross commision. Only EXIT provides multiple significant revenue streams to its agents. Retirement income and beneficiary income are unique to EXIT. EXIT provides high commission splits with no desk fees. The real EXIT advantage is that at EXIT, realtors have a real estate business, not just a job selling real estate for someone else.

Cincy Chic: What's the greatest thing about being a real estate agent in general?
Thompsons: Real estate agents are independent contractors who essentially have their own business. They determine their work hours, effort and - as a result - level of income. You are assisting your client in making their most important purchase or helping them protect the sale value of their largest asset.

Cincy Chic: You are a couple in business together. How's that?
Thompsons: We compliment each other well. As with all partners in a business, there are things that we each do well. Shari works primarily from home in more of a support role, so we are not together all day. After 25 years in corporate jobs, we know that this works best for us. We each also have a few individuals interests outside EXIT Realty Corporation International.

Cincy Chic: What's the next big trend in Tri-State real estate?
Thompsons: Housing prices will remain stable to climbing in the Cincinnati area. Cincinnati is not susceptible to the rapid increases and decreases in prices that are evident on the coasts and vacation destinations. Communities with outstanding city services and school systems will continue to attract buyers. There seems to be a recent growth in the building of luxury condos on both sides of the river. The retirement of baby boomers points to a continued of availability of single family homes and growth in the condo market.

Cincy Chic: What's the most unique thing you've seen in a home?
Thompsons: I have not seen this myself, but there is a classic car collector in Northern Kentucky that has part of his collection built into his house. Classic cars are visible in various places of his house.

Cincy Chic: What's your favorite free time spot in Greater Cincinnati?
Thompsons: We like to visit the Dairy Bar in Silver Grove in our 1958 Corvette in the summers.

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