Eric Cudmore is a perennial top producer not easily impressed. He’s also not one to become complacent. That’s why, despite ranking No. 1 for sales volume among all EXIT Realty teams in Massachusetts for 2018, his Cudmore & Associates team joined RE/MAX On the River in Middleton, 20 miles north of Boston, in April.
“The biggest draw was professionalism,” says Cudmore, whose team closed more than $30 million in sales volume in 2018. “And RE/MAX is the biggest name in the industry, so it’s nice being with a company that is very well-known globally.”
Checking All the Boxes
Welcoming Cudmore and his team to RE/MAX On the River has been a big win for Broker/Owner Sharon Cronin. She says the high achiever was looking for in-office support, a bigger social media presence and a network with a globally known brand.
“It’s a pleasure to have a top-notch professional team with abounding positive energy join our brokerage,” says Cronin. “They sell a lot of real estate, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. They know how to laugh and have fun while delivering outstanding service to their clients.”
It also didn’t hurt that RE/MAX On the River, with about 50 agents and offices in Newburyport, Middleton and Amesbury, has been a market leader for nearly two decades. Cronin co-founded the brokerage 23 years ago.
“Sharon is very on her game,” Cudmore says. “I really like that. That was probably the main reason I joined.”
Cronin, for her part, took the time to understand the team’s needs and was able to offer the sort of personalized touch and extra value Cudmore was looking for.
Going above and beyond, Cronin even helped hire and train an assistant for Cudmore prior to his arrival.
“They took it upon themselves to interview people and narrow it down,” says Cudmore. “We all thought (the candidate selected) was a really good fit. Then Sharon and her team trained her for several weeks prior to me coming over. It made for a lot easier transition.”
Master of Many Markets
Cudmore’s 16-year real estate career has been one of continuous improvement, a trajectory he expects to continue.
“My first year in real estate I made next to nothing,” he says. “My second year I earned six figures, and it’s just gone up from there.”
Cudmore says he was the top agent in Middleton eight of his nine years as a solo agent. His team began taking shape about three years ago when he brought on Jamie Tveter. They work together on listing presentations, open houses and managing listings. Gregg Quimby works with buyers.
Cudmore says his “bread and butter” business is in the $700,000 to $900,000 range, but he points out that in a downturn, “That’s the first sector of the real estate market that slows down. So you need to be in all markets. I will take a $150,000 listing or a $1.1 million listing. It does not matter to me. They just need to be treated the same.”
He also works often with area developers, helping them find land. That includes developments such as senior living communities as well as single-family homes.
“With a lot of the builders I work with, I’ll sit down and design the house with them,” he says. “I’ll pick out the kitchen, the paint colors, all the lights, the tile, the type of hardwood floors.”
As he elaborates, it becomes clear why his business continues to grow, and he keeps setting the bar higher.
“When you’re on these sites, you see how things are being built,” he says. “So if you pay attention and ask questions, you never stop learning. I learn every day.”
That mindset is one that Cudmore is likely to find in abundance at RE/MAX On the River.
“Meeting the level of higher expectations coming from the prestige in the company and level of professionalism in my colleagues is the added drive I need to excel in my personal business,” he says.
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Eric Cudmore’s 5 Tips for Nonstop Growth
Answer your phone. “That’s the biggest key to being successful. People want immediate service. The first person to answer the phone often gets the job. I missed a call while on vacation and when I returned it, I learned it was about an $800,000 listing they’d already given to someone else. That’s the perfect example of why I always answer the phone. I look at that like a $16,000 course from Harvard that I learned a lot from.”
Be willing to sacrifice. “If you’re not willing to sacrifice in this business, forget it. You’ll never make it. To be successful in this business, you’re going to be working all different hours, you’re not going to have a set schedule, and there are going to be plans that you’re going to have to break. If you don’t understand that, you will lose business.”
Remember, fortune favors the bold. “Don’t be afraid to ask for the work. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to give you a try.”
Respect your colleagues. “Even if someone doesn’t work for the same company, if they’re in this business, respect them. I have a reputation that I’ll work with everybody. I always tell people, ‘Call me anytime, I’d be glad to co-broker.’ I’m not a greedy agent. If you don’t have your colleagues, you’ve got nothing; you’re in this business alone.”
Know your product. “I’ve never used a lock box in my whole career. I like to be on-hand to explain the listing. To sell anybody real estate, you have to show value. Most people are looking at the pretty colors on the walls. They’re not looking at what’s behind the walls or what’s under the concrete. You have to know the product you’re selling.”
Written by MIKE TAYLOR
