One year ago, we at C21JFC were planning another great year of real estate across Dallas/Fort Worth. Then COVID-19 arrived mid-March, and all of our plans were suddenly turned upside down.
As we reflect upon 2020, we are in awe of our people’s resilience. The Judge Fite family of real estate professionals and staff provided heart-driven service and supported our communities. Despite the challenges we faced, we worked hard through last-minute changes and new initiatives to meet our clients’ needs.
Better Serving You
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company began 2020 with the goal of better serving our clients and real estate professionals. With safety and service at the forefront, we shifted to virtual operations company-wide to respond to the global pandemic mid-march. Our real estate professionals didn’t slow down and showed their relentless spirit by continuing to help their clients find where they feel at home. We promoted home evaluations throughout the company with increased requests by consumers for a licensed REALTOR® home evaluation. (Get a free market analysis today – ask us here and see how your house value has changed for 2021.) We closed out the 2020 year with increased sales and exceeded expectations. Consumer confidence remained strong, allowing the real estate industry to continue business.
This year we rolled out two new programs to make the selling and moving processes easier. In March, we introduced Instant Move: a program that allows our real estate professionals to provide clients instant offers from big-name iBuyers* in the market. Our agents provided the selling experience the client wants with a variety of options.
We also recognized the organizational stress moving could bring our clients. C21JFC rose to the challenge to provide white-glove service to assist our clients by launching Judge Fite Concierge. Our clients have access to a post-transaction moving concierge platform that offers a one-stop-shop for all of their moving needs for life.
While the Metroplex shifted to work from home, we increased our training efforts to ensure our real estate professionals remained at the top of their game. From technology to career development, we served our clients despite the uncertainty. We stayed in contact, checked on their well-being and offered virtual real estate services to keep them safe.
In order to provide even more resources for the real estate community, we launched Judge Fite Cares. With an emphasis around staying focused on business, real estate dreams and overall health, we provided important information for all. Finally, we closed the year by hosting NAR’s At Home with Diversity course, certifying more than 80 real estate professionals.
Remaining Connected
Despite COVID-19 changing our plans for in-person celebrations and activities, we moved our work to virtual options. We hosted virtual open houses, presented offers virtually and kept progress flowing for our agents and the consumer. We also honored our real estate professionals virtually during our Awards Celebration to recognize all of our people, multi-million producers, anniversaries, CENTURY 21® Award winners, and Top Company Award winners.
2019 Award Winners:
- Sarah Lyons – Judge B. Fite Award for top individual volume and AGC
- The Sarah Padgett Team – Judge B. Fite Award for top team volume and AGC
- Miogene Alexander – Dene Fite Quality Service Award
- The Sarah Padgett Team – Jan Fite Miller Award for Top Team (Units)
- The Wickliffe Team – Jan Fite Miller Award for Top Team (Volume)
- Shaley Morgan – Jan Fite Miller Award for Top Individual (Units)
- Jim Duncan – Jan Fite Miller Award for Top Individual (Volume)
While many fundraising events were canceled this year, C21JFC launched the first “Month of Giving” to support Easterseals North Texas. Through company-wide virtual events including virtual concerts, happy hours, t-shirt & raffle ticket sales and gathering donations, we raised over $100k. All monies raised stay local and help people in the communities we serve. The Judge Fite Charitable Foundation continued the momentum and raised money to provide relief for victims of life-changing occurrences.
Family culture was a focus throughout our communications in 2020. Our CEO Jim Fite called every company employee and real estate professional to offer support. Our leadership team reached out regularly, giving our people one-on-one opportunities to share their experiences and learn about how our Judge Fite family can help. We also hosted many virtual gatherings, played games, learned from one another, and continued supporting one another professionally and personally. With a dedication to our clients, profession and community, we worked to give our people the support they needed.
Recognized Locally & Nationally
Thanks to the dedication of our real estate professionals and staff, C21JFC continued to be recognized locally and nationally. As a company, we again topped the Texas rankings as the #1 CENTURY 21® Franchise for closed units and commissions, were named the #3 CENTURY 21® Franchise in the U.S. for closed units and the #6 Franchise in the U.S. for gross closed commissions. CENTURY 21® recognized our commercial division as the #2 Commercial Investment Broker amongst franchises across the United States. CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company was also nationally recognized as a Top 500 Brokerage by REAL Trends.
Our in-house relocation and business development team partnered with the Realogy Advantage Broker Network, formally Cartus Broker Network, to provide corporate relocation services for residential and commercial projects in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They additionally offer relocation services to affinity clients as well as more than twenty other relocation companies.
For the past seven years, our relocation team received the Realogy Advantage Broker Network’s Platinum Award and Five Star Award. They successfully demonstrated outstanding performance in addressing consumer needs, understanding local conditions, and executing best practices for the benefit of buyers and sellers.
Continuing Judge B. Fite’s legacy of heart-driven service, more than 50 of our top real estate professionals (REPs) and producers were recognized by major publications in 2020, including the D Magazine’s D Best List, 360 West Magazine Top Realtors and Fort Worth Magazine Top Realtors recognition.
Since our founding in 1937, C21JFC has built a foundation upon exceptional training and a strong family culture. 2020 reflected this commitment as the Dallas Business Journal awarded us the #3 Best Place to Work (Large Company category), #14 Woman-Owned Business in North Texas and #33 North Texas Family-Owned Business. In addition, the Dallas Morning News named us the #3 Top 100 Place to Work (Large Company category).
Turning the Key Virtually
In addition to home buying and selling, our extended Judge Fite family of companies adapted their business to continue providing exceptional turn-key services from a virtual setting.
As the need for title companies grew, Designated Title stepped up to the challenge to expand their business. We added escrow officers to the team, introduced more technology for secure document preparation and increased mobile closures across DFW.
The staff of Judge Fite Insurance continued the commitment to service despite the unprecedented challenges of 2020. With a focus on building strong client relationships and the online client portal, business increased, and we served more people with insurance services in our DFW communities.
After launching Judge Fite Concierge earlier in the year, our vendor network, the Connections Network, focused on adding new vendors to the program for our clients and REPs. In addition, we modified partnership level benefits for top-tier vendors that increase their digital presence. These initiatives allow us to provide world-class service to our buyers and sellers and minimize the stress and time they would typically invest in moving.
Our mortgage partner, Cardinal Financial, delivered quality service to real estate professionals and clients. With the increased demand for new home loans, refinance loans and home improvement, the mortgage team delivered despite their plate being full. Get prequalified here today as 2021 is looking to be another busy year.
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Property Management never ceased to operate under the constraints of a shutdown. While the rental industry was changing, our landlord clients received rental payments without interruption during the pandemic. Our people continued world-class service and delivered on the promises made to clients. We implemented a new system with more data storage to document property conditions and protect our owners and tenants.
From our Judge Fite family to yours, we sincerely thank you for your continued loyalty and support throughout 2020. We look forward to providing you even more world-class service this year as we continue to be #relentless in all we do.
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*An iBuyer is typically an investor or company that will quickly make an offer on your house, sight unseen, based on a proprietary valuation model. If you choose to accept the price, you can close quickly.