Gene and Susan Arant and the Gene Arant Team partner with PLACE to grow their team to new heights
Gene and Susan Arant, new PLACE Partners, have built an incredible business in and around Austin. Partnering with PLACE was a natural step in their growth as they work to expand their team, tap into the best technology, and provide more opportunity for local real estate professionals.AUSTIN, Tex., November 2022?— PLACE, the industry’s only all-in-one business services and technology platform for top teams at any brokerage, announced today that Gene and Susan Arant and the Gene Arant Team are now powered by PLACE. PLACE improves profitability and production to make running a real estate business easier, and currently supports over 150 real estate businesses across the United States and Canada.
Over the course of their incredible careers, the Gent Arant Team has helped more than 2,700 families achieve the dream of homeownership. In the process, they’ve become an integral part of their community. Gene credits this fantastic success to prioritizing knowledge and value, showing up consistently, and committing to their mission of changing lives through real estate. In 2021, the Gene Arant Team sold $145 million in sales volume, helping 191 Austin-area families buy and sell real estate.
Gene and Susan made their first step into real estate early in life, buying their first home in their early 20s. At the time, Gene was attending community college to learn what career he should pursue. He realized that the people he considered to be most successful and wealthy were heavily involved in real estate.
“We started investigating how we could buy investment properties with basically no money,” said Gene. While looking at potential investment properties, Gene’s agent, also a local broker, asked if he had ever considered getting his license, and offered to sponsor him if he did. “After 10 hours a day for 10 days straight, I had a real estate license.” The rapid-fire pace he moved at highlights the determination and worth ethic that have served him well throughout his career.As Gene set his sights on becoming known as a waterfront expert, he knew he would need to work hard to gain credibility, especially as a young agent just starting in the industry. Gene first dug in with data and facts. He studied every property on Lake Travis inside and out, whether they were on the market with an agent or listed as for sale by owner. In 2000, after six years of success within the luxury real estate sector, Gene was offered the opportunity to open a new real estate office.
Following the tumultuous changes in the market in 2008, Arant credits good coaching, accountability, strong back-office support, and serious lead generation for allowing him to double his business in 2009, 2010, and 2011. With strong support systems provided by Keller Williams, he continued to soar. The mentorships and training he received there impacted the trajectory of not just his business but also his family. The Austin Business Journal has ranked his namesake team a leader in the Austin market every single year since 2010. Gene’s experience owning and growing a real estate brokerage office also served as an asset as he began the Gene Arant Team.
“The framework, systems, models, training, and coaching is already there with PLACE. It’s plug and play.”
Gene is always looking for ways to add value and is known as someone who understands the market inside and out. The Arants want to be an all-encompassing resource for their clients, whether they need a pickup truck, a power washer, ladders, notaries, and even conference rooms their sellers can use as a place to work during showings. “It’s about being resourceful and making sure that our clients understand that we’re not just here for a one-time transaction. We’re here to be a resource for them throughout the year and throughout their lives.” One of the endearing ways that the Gene Arant Team demonstrates their care for their community is through old-fashioned handwritten notes. Gene got in the habit of following up conversations and interactions with handwritten notes over a decade ago and continues this nearly lost artform today.Susan has folded in and out of the business in a way that aligns with how the needs of their family have evolved overtime. She was involved early-on when they had small kids at home, and as they’ve grown, she’s grown into a more central role. Several years ago, with the help of a mentor, Susan and Gene realized their business was too listing heavy, and Susan stepped in to help balance things out. She transitioned from playing a behind the scenes operations role to growing their buyer business from 80% listings and 20% buyers to 60% listings and 40% buyers today.
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Now, the Arants are ready for their evolution as a team. The path to growth for business owners often comes in spurts, with steps forward, and then back. Susan said that they tried to put the puzzle pieces in place that were needed to grow and alleviate their pain points. “We were finding different people and solutions, but it was always this puzzle that was slightly ajar. You can only try to make it work for so long, and then you’re exhausted.”
The Arants feel that joining PLACE lightens their load, and will allow Gene and Susan to refocus their attention on selling real estate and developing their team members. “It’s a no brainer for us to look up and ask, ‘Why are we spending so much energy and time trying to create everything ourselves and hope it works when there’s already a proven track record here?’ It’s been executed at a way higher level than we’ve even thought about,” Gene said. “The framework, systems, models, training, and coaching is already there with PLACE. It’s plug and play.”
When it comes to the future, this duo has their eyes set on growth. They have the track record, database, leads, and listings. Growing through people is the next step to reaching their potential. Leveraging PLACE’s framework for recruiting, evaluating, and retaining talent was a major draw for the Arants. “PLACE’s value proposition allows us to give team members more opportunities and encourage retention. The ability for them to grow a business within a business is huge.” Through PLACE, they’re excited to offer future hires benefits like 401k, insurance, and revenue share which small business owners typically struggle to offer on their own.
“I am thrilled that Gene and Susan are joining PLACE,” said Ben Kinney, co-founder of PLACE. “They have enjoyed the success that comes from consistent action and following models at high level. I am excited to see how PLACE will help them attract the right people to grow their team. Having partners with long term vision like the Arants is an honor.”
“Gene and Susan, I welcome you to PLACE,” said Chris Suarez, co-founder of PLACE. “Your mission of changing lives through real estate aligns with the values we hold at PLACE. I am delighted to see how your already thriving business will soar to new heights. We deeply appreciate the care and thought that you bring to making a big decision like this.”