Today, our office will slow down for a few moments and celebrate our Annual Office Thanksgiving Potluck. While Thanksgiving is still a week away (almost time to start thawing the turkey!) we thought we’d take a minute to give a bit of thanks as a company. Individually, we each have many things to be thankful for and we hope each of you will take some time to reflect over the coming days on some of the things that you have in your life to be thankful for.

First and foremost, we’d like to thank all of our clients, because without them, we’d be out of work. But it’s much more than just the money that keeps our doors open. It’s the friendships we’ve created, the laughs (and sometimes tears) we’ve shared, and the years of memories we’ve created together. Some of you have been with us since the doors opened (some of you even longer) and some of you are brand new to the Kimberly Howell Properties family, but we are truly lucky to have crossed paths and been able to work with you. Buying and selling your home is a big deal and we are privileged to be a part of a slice of your life that contains a lot of emotion and often many memories. We appreciate that you let us in to your world and allow us to be a part of it. It is a special thing to be allowed the opportunity and we vow to never take that for granted.

And of course, not all of you are immediate clients. Some of you might just be avid readers and visitors to our site. We built this site nearly 8 years ago and it has been a smashing success since day one. We had other websites before that sputtered along and never stuck. You responded to this one and it has grown every year since. We are proud of this site and thankful that you choose us when there are so many websites out there to choose from. We look forward to the day you jump from site visitor to client and we promise to give you an amazing experience.

To our agents, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude. Without you, we wouldn’t do the business we do. We’ve watched many of you grow from brand new licensees to powerhouses in the industry. The past few years has seen incredible growth amongst our agents and we couldn’t be more proud (or thankful) for it. You work hard and play hard too. We hear the stories you bring to the office and they are full of such care and compassion for your clients that those clients become part of the larger picture for all of us. We worry about your clients, not just you. They become part of our family. Thank you agents, for all you do.

In an industry like ours there are many moving parts – the inspectors, the lenders, the relocation companies, the title companies (and their reps, who are unsung heroes in our industry), photographers, the IT people working behind the scenes, and the plumbers, electricians, and all of the vendors who help us and our clients keep the homes looking great. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for always having our backs, going the extra mile for our clients, doing us favors, saving us at the last minute, and always giving us the best quality work at fair and honest prices. We appreciate all you do and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

To our small, but mighty staff, we send some gratitude your way as well. It’s not easy keeping a real estate office running and you do it day in and day out. You lean on each other and find ways of making the impossible happen. Need something that normally takes a few days done yesterday? You seem to pull it off every time. You make magic happen and keep things running smoothly in an industry known for its fast pace and penchant for needing everything “now.” Keep it up, you’re awesome.

Lastly, and I know I speak for everyone in our office when I say this, I’d like to take a moment to thank Kim Howell, the owner of the company. Kim is an incredible agent who gives so much of herself to us as an office, her clients, and everyone she meets. There are few people on earth like her. Truly a giving spirit with a huge heart, Kim embodies the company spirit and inspires us to do more every day. She is tireless and still makes it all seem effortless. She has taught us all so many things about this industry and the business, all while teaching us about ourselves and how to live a good life too. She has given us the tools and knowledge to learn and always backed it with practical reality based help to show us how she grew her business. Our success is her success too and you can see it in the time she spends helping and mentoring agents. And her graciousness extends well past office hours and even office subjects. She has been a friend, a mother, a sounding board, a trusted advisor, and so much more to each and every one of us in this office. She hates when we draw attention to her like this, but she truly deserves more than just a simple thanks. So although it may never be enough, from the bottom of our hearts Kim, thank you for all you do.

Next week, as you sit around the table with friends and family, we hope you find much in your life to be thankful for. We certainly feel lucky to be a part of it and look forward to many more years.

As a reminder, our offices will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, and the following Friday, November 23. If you need your agent they will probably still be available by phone and email as usual, but do try and give them a bit of time on Thursday to relax and be with their families…I see how hard they work and they deserve it.

Happy (early) Thanksgiving everyone!

image courtesy of marcoverch