“I build relationships one home at a time,” said Chris S. Kappmeyer, founder of All Hands Real Estate.
It’s a philosophy that has shaped his real estate business since the early 1990s. He made his first sale 45 days after being licensed and earned $2,800. “It seemed like a fortune!” he recalled.
Three decades later, Chris has leveraged his relationships — and his love of systems — to grow a robust business in the Austin suburbs.
Process leads to performance
Chris S. Kappmeyer
These days, Kappmeyer’s market is as hot as the Texas sun. But he is rising to meet the challenges of this market by working according to strict protocols he’s put in place himself. “I’m a huge believer in process,” he said. “Some 85 percent of what we do as REALTORS® can be repeatable processes to streamline our business. Systems work when you work the system.”
The cornerstone of his business is a proprietary listing system that he credits for consistently capturing 5 to 15 percent higher returns than a traditional agent. He has also established dedicated processes for appraisals, handling multiple offers, and more.
These unique systems have helped him transform his business — making his way from an agent feeling the excitement of his first close to the Broker/Owner of Broker Network Realty in 1995. Fast forward to today and Kappmeyer is taking his business to new heights yet again as the founder and owner of All Hands Real Estate: a $20 million/year business with plenty of upside yet to come.
Freeing up time to pursue growth
Casey Chapman Ross Photography
Kappmeyer loves running his own business, but being an independent broker was not without its disadvantages.
“So many tasks took me away from my core business-building activities,” he told us. “I had to independently vet and negotiate with contractors for marketing, branding and web design. I needed a forward-looking analysis of the market and industry, but couldn’t really make time for that kind of work. And that made it harder to manage my business’s future when the industry changes so fast.”
Add to that the need to constantly update technology to keep from falling behind, Kappmeyer was ready for a solution. He found it in Side.
Now, he’s connected with a dedicated brand manager and marketing team that manage all the behind-the-scenes work to ensure his business is always on trend. He’s also equipped with best-in-class technology that not only elevates his team’s experience, but their clients’ experiences as well.
“When I discovered I could have all this support without having to change my brand, I knew Side was the right partner for me,” he said.
That brand, All Hands Real Estate, couldn’t be more meaningful to Kappmeyer. He explained: “I named the brand All Hands because we take an all-hands-on-deck approach to real estate. Everyone pitches in.”
Today, Kappmeyer is all-in on his partnership with Side — even looking to leverage the Side Expansion arm to add more agents and grow his business.
“I know Side only works with the ‘best of the best’ agents, and I use that partnership as a way of differentiating myself and building trust in my market. I also know I can recruit the right agents; those who will best reflect our philosophy and who will be just as committed to our community as I am.”