Happy New Year!  We have lots to celebrate as we begin the 14th YEAR OF CINCINNATIMODERN!  It’s hard to believe what started as a whim and a passion in December of 2003 has turned into the most popular real estate agent website in Cincinnati.  For that we are humbled and grateful.  We have a loyal following with a combined love of modern and architecture.  What could be better?   But looking back on the past 13 years, I can’t help but notice how much the real estate industry has progressed.  Reminisce with me how much has changed:

•  I started cincinnatimodern as a newly licensed solo agent, with the tagline cincinnati: modern where you’d least expect it.  At that time, there was NO local market for modern architecture, and the names of the local MCM architects were largely unknown to the public, as was the term “MCM,”  Agents routinely ‘covered up’ the fact that listings were ‘contemporary,’ thinking it made them unsaleable.

• The public had to search for MLS listings on local company websites.  There was no Zillow, Trulia, etc.  Open houses were published in the Saturday print newspaper.

• Contracts were hand written on triplicate paper and hand delivered.  Or faxed.  Dotloop, a worldwide company with Cincinnati roots has changed all that!  We were early adopters and for the past 8 years, all of our contracts are paperless with online signing and instantaneous delivery.  Luckily, the days of illegible 3rd generation contracts are over!!

• Now we can ‘sign’ dotloop contracts on our phones.  In 2003, there were no smartphones.  Now we use our phones to open electronic lockboxes (keeping our sellers homes safe and secure, because we know the exact minute an agent opens a lockbox and who it is), set appointments via Showingtime (in 2003 we had to call each office to schedule every appointment), and access the MLS.  Sellers now OK showing appointments via text, instead of recieving calls.  And feedback is sent out to sellers immediately on their phones.  No more calling agents and waiting for feedback.

• Digital photography has progressed tremendously in the last 13 years, and the MLS has gone from 6 listing photos to 25.  A click through an online listing has replaced many first showings.

• Charley Harper, our longtime friend and hero, has become a household name.  Not exatcly RE related, but I just had to throw it in because I am so proud of his legacy 🙂

• “Flipping,” once a derogatory term, is now an aspiration of many (thanks to HGTV).

• cf3, cincinnati’s modern architecture advocacy group that I co-founded with Chris Magee in 2005, has educated hundreds about Cincinnati modern architects and the ‘care and feeding’ of aging modern homes, making owning one of these marvels a little less daunting.

• While the appreciation for Midcentury Modern has grown, and mass merchandizers such as Ikea and Target have jumped on the bandwagon with new retro inspired design (with no end in sight), the appreciation for vintage MCM has grown, too.  Homes that have been though ‘remodels’ in the 80’s and 90’s are a cautionary tale.  People are now much more likely to appreciate original quality features in midcentury homes, and work to save or restore them.

• I cannot overlook the fact that my life has changed a lot, too.  When I started the business, I had a first grader.  As the business grew, I took on a partner, who also happened to be my husband, Arlen (because it’s easer to teach real estate to someone than to teach modern).  And as we continued to grow the business, we took on another modern expert, David Smith.  Arlen and I are now empty nesters, and are beyond blessed that cincinnatimodern is one of the top real estate teams in the Cincinnati market!

• Part of what makes our team so successful is that we have fabulous housing stock to sell in Cincinnati.  And after 13 years in the business, we have a tremendous amount of invaluable experience.  Been there, done it, seen it.  We know how to get the job done, and done right.  Honesty, integrity and disclosure are our core team values.

But of course, none of this would be possible without YOU, our valued clients, fellow modern aficionados and architecture geeks.  THANK YOU for believing in me in the beginning, enabling us to create this modern market, and grow a business and clientele that we love and are so proud of.  Onward!!