Great Offices: The Aloha Spirit Shines in Hawaii

On a tree-lined street adjacent to Waikiki and its famed Ala Moana shopping center, and minutes from the lapping waves of the Pacific Ocean, sits the 20-agent flagship RE/MAX Honolulu office in Honolulu.

Twenty-two miles away in Kapolei, on another tree-lined street – this is Hawaii after all – lies the second RE/MAX Honolulu office, home to an additional 23 Sales Associates.

And it’s in this lush and idyllic land of vacation seekers, businesspeople, military members and island dwellers that Broker/Owner John Harris and his team have made it their mission to provide the best real estate service to all who inhabit it – or wish to.

“We have a strong network of relationships in place and the intimate local knowledge to assist anyone looking to make a move,” Harris says. “We’re homegrown yet connected to more than 95 countries worldwide.”

It takes a certain insight to understand what potential buyers and sellers are looking for when it comes to Hawaiian real estate. Luckily for their clients, the local-born Harris and his Associates know that a move to Hawaii comes with some special considerations, like avoiding a six-week pet quarantine, coordinating logistics from a remote location or simply adjusting expectations due to the higher cost of living.

“The scarcity of land here drives up home prices and lowers the amount of interior square footage compared to much of Mainland U.S. To mitigate ‘sticker shock,’ our Associates remind new residents that it’s a give and take,” he says. “Most homes here don’t have basements, for instance, but they also don’t require furnaces. Or a formal dining room, for that matter, since most meals are enjoyed outside on the lanai in our beautiful, tropical weather.”

Though the eight-island archipelago of Hawaii is one of the most isolated landmasses on Earth, it’s also home to an incredibly diverse population. Harris, recognizing the value of those ethnic and cultural differences, has built a staff of Associates that mirrors the diversity of the islands.

“Just like visitors to the global.remax.com site appreciate seeing homes priced in their native currency, I believe having an array of professionals able to help our clients in their own language is very important,” he says. “We currently have 16 different languages and dialects represented by our 43 agents, who also understand subtleties with respect to negotiation, spiritual beliefs and other important factors.”

GROWTH TRAJECTORY
Opened in 1994, RE/MAX Honolulu has been successful for the last 20 years in part because of its ideal locations but also, more importantly, because of its Associates’ strong work ethic and collaborative culture. That collaboration is strengthened by the fact that Associates, who sell properties all across the 597-square-mile island of Oahu, are able to use both office locations for client meetings.

“The spirit of abundance is alive and well here,” Harris says. “Our Associates are experienced, ethical people who aren’t afraid to share, and our model promotes professionalism.”

llustrating that point, Harris recounts – proudly – that one longtime agent shares his personal listing presentation with new Associates because it makes him sharper and invigorates him.

“Our competitors outnumber us in agents by three to 10 times,” Harris says. “But, as with most RE/MAX brokerages, the high productivity of our Associates delivers greater results. In fact, RE/MAX Honolulu has consistently placed in the top three to five Oahu brokerages since 1997, its third full year in business.”

Sales Associate Michele Taan, a 100 Percent Club member who joined the brokerage in 2008, credits a portion of her success to RE/MAX Honolulu allowing Associates to run their businesses with freedom – and without constraints.

“RE/MAX lets you build your business around the brand,” Taan says. “The logo stands behind the agents, not in front of us.”

Noting that Harris isn’t just a great Broker/Owner but also a friend and mentor, Taan says RE/MAX Honolulu offers support, education, marketing and opportunities competitors can’t match.

“One of the reasons I left my last brokerage for RE/MAX was that I like to help people through rough times,” she says. “It’s nice to be able to say to a friend, family member or someone going through a foreclosure that I have the flexibility to set their fee at my discretion.”

Office Manager Michelle Reid, Director of People Operations for the RE/MAX Honolulu office in Kapolei, exudes the warm spirit that personifies the office’s sense of ohana, or family. She echoes Taan’s sentiment.

“I worked for 15 years at another corporate real estate company on the island before joining RE/MAX Honolulu four years ago,” Reid says. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the differences between the companies.”

Those differences, says the real estate veteran, include the fact that Associates are encouraged to pursue educational opportunities – ensuring they are current with legislation and zoning concerns, for example, and their licensing credentials. She also cites the brokerage’s unwavering, foundational approach to business as the key to thriving in any market, no matter the current conditions.

“A Seth Godin quote comes to mind that I think expresses John’s philosophy quite well,” she says. “‘Change is not a threat; it’s an opportunity. Survival is not the goal; transformative success is.'”

IN GOOD COMPANY
Personable and friendly, Harris embodies the Aloha Spirit with a firm handshake, a warm smile and a sincerity that puts everyone he encounters at ease. It’s important to the gregarious and gracious Broker/Owner to not only meet the needs of his customer base, but also to extend that service-based attitude beyond the brokerage’s walls.

“When you’re part of a community – especially on a small island like ours – it’s important to connect with people,” Harris says. “We try to be cognizant of our responsibility to give back.”

RE/MAX Honolulu supports Susan G. Komen Hawaii, is a Miracle Office, and raised more than $1,200 for the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals affiliate during the brokerage’s 20th anniversary gala in September.

“If you forget who’s helped you get somewhere, you’re not going to stay there very long,” says Harris, who joined RE/MAX Honolulu in 1995 and became sole Broker/Owner in 2004.

In a state where after three years with a real estate firm agents can earn their broker license and open up shop, Harris says about half of his Associates could go out on their own if they wanted to, but the value in networking with fellow agents and support staff proves too appealing to give up. Manager Vincent Daubenspeck, who joined the brokerage in 2006, has certainly found this to be the case.

“I joined RE/MAX Honolulu when I was eligible to take my brokers examination,” Daubenspeck says. “John welcomed me and allowed me to grow and try out my leadership wings. I appreciate his willingness and desire to have me on board, and will always be grateful for the opportunities he has offered me to grow my business as well as his. I can’t picture myself anywhere else.”

Whether it’s across networks or across the desk, Harris asserts that investing in relationships, specifically professional ones, is the lifeblood of anyone’s business.

“It’s lonely out there for an independent agent,” he says. “Our Associates create a synergy. They attend networking breakfasts, bond with other agents, work on transactions together, participate in training sessions, and even organize pau hana (after-hours cocktail parties).”

Then, as if to summarize the secret to two decades of success, Harris confidently and succinctly reveals one of his favorite mantras – one he says empowers everyone at RE/MAX Honolulu: “Not everybody gets to work here.”