For many decades, whether it was from a television commercial, a newspaper advertisement, a yard sign, or from our signature gold blazers, CENTURY 21 Real Estate had become a household name. We’ve been sharing the stories of our #relentless, who’ve been a part of our growth and momentum, throughout the decades, and though each recount was different, there have been consistencies from every story.

As a brand, we’ve been intentional from the start, in defying mediocrity and delivering the extraordinary to those who are among our ranks. This mindset is carried throughout our affiliates and has impacted the lives of those who seek to achieve the dream of homeownership, throughout the world. We’ve looked for ways to push the bar and set the standard, and disrupt the real estate industry with unconventional partnerships, progressive marketing, and by offering tools that have helped our affiliates more than keep up with the trends in an ever-changing market.

OJ Rodriguez, of CENTURY 21 Citrus, purchased his first franchise in 1998 and then, fifteen years later,  acquired another franchise that opened in 1972. Altogether, he’s celebrating #121wins with 49 years in and CENTURY 21 Citrus topped 2020 in the top 5 for the state of California. When we spoke with OJ about what he remembers most about the 2010s, without hesitation, he shared, “A monumental moment was probably when they did the rebranding.”

OJ’s says the branding was more than just a good idea. He believes it was a strategic move, and it’s given agents an edge in today’s competitive market.

Over the decades, OJ says he’s seen the evolution and progression of the brand. Through advertisements, yard signs, and the marketing collateral made available for affiliates, OJ shared that the new branding has a modern and luxury feel that, he says, has helped him reach an extended market.

“Everyone considered the old logo tried and true. In my opinion, trying to go into luxury will be easier because the rebrand looks more like a luxury brand logo than you know.”

In the modern digital age, OJ says, the refresh was needed and helps him keep up with the times. From the colors to the wordmark, to the step and repeat patterns, he’s embraced the new design and is looking forward to the continued momentum of the brand for the next decade.

Be sure to check back in for the last decade we will cover, in this series, as we continue to share the stories of our affiliates who have experienced the evolution of the brand throughout the decades. #OurBrandofRelentless

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By the start of the 2000s, there had been numerous technological advances that changed the landscape of real estate as we knew it. In hearing some of the stories of our #relentless throughout the decades, we’ve seen how from the start of the ‘70s, through the year 1999, real estate transactions had gone from a handshake to wearing gold blazers as a form of marketing, to CENTURY 21 Real Estate becoming the official sponsor of Major League Baseball. We had many firsts in the real state game all while continuing to push the bar and not settling to just be your average real estate company.

Sandy Tams of CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises was no rookie to the industry in the 2000s. She had been in real estate for 30 years, specializing in new home sales. It was the year 2006 when Sandy began being approached by agents and managers from other real estate companies, who encouraged her to join them. Sandy considered but she was looking for a certain level of professionalism and didn’t find it with the companies who initially reached out to her. Then, a CENTURY 21 Real Estate agent encouraged her to give their office a try, and Sandy was introduced to the manager. Sandy said that as soon as she walked through the doors of CENTURY 21 Beggins, she was taken back by the level of professionalism she experienced. It was then, that Sandy left new home sales and became a real estate agent.

It may be safe to say that most agents can recall the housing crash of 2008. Just after Sandy left new home sales and started her new career as a real estate agent, she says the market crash impacted just about every agent she knew.

“It was a tough time. People were still wanting to buy and sell, and agents didn’t know how much the homes would be from the first time we took clients to view them, until the time they closed.

The struggles we all went through to survive. Commissions were cut, because the value of the property was reduced, and we had to be out there every day, finding a new client or customer. It was because I was a CENTURY 21 [real estate] agent, that I got through it. It was the strength of the brand and the name recognition that definitely helped.”

It may be safe to say that most agents can recall the housing crash of 2008. Just after Sandy left new home sales and started her new career as a real estate agent, she says the market crash impacted just about every agent she knew.

“It was a tough time. People were still wanting to buy and sell, and agents didn’t know how much the homes would be from the first time we took clients to view them, until the time they closed.

The struggles we all went through to survive. Commissions were cut, because the value of the property was reduced, and we had to be out there every day, finding a new client or customer. It was because I was a CENTURY 21 [real estate] agent, that I got through it. It was the strength of the brand and the name recognition that definitely helped.

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In October of 2020, David Walsh and Juan Sanchez set out to launch CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty in Denver, Colorado. They met over 20 years ago, while both in real estate. David and Juan are both passionate about the empowerment of others, with strong beliefs in the importance of representation and inclusivity. Setting their intentions early on, both David and Juan have had their sights on building culture from the ground up.

After only 8 months, David and Juan have attracted over 20 agents from diverse backgrounds. They’ve taken their knowledge and experience to fill what they call gaps in the market for those who are underrepresented. They believe that knowing and understanding their agents, and what they’re trying to do with their businesses, will help them provide more tailored and customized training to fit each of their agent’s individual needs. David and Juan have strong beliefs that it’s very important to affiliate people who represent, look like, sound like, and think like the clients they are serving in the marketplace, across a broad spectrum of life.

“It has been inspiring to see the growth of our new office since October 2020. As a diversity-based, Latin-owned and LGBT-run new business Juan and I felt strongly about our role in the community and the importance of our agent family being as representative of the broad spectrum of clients they serve.”- David Walsh, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty is a 2020 Inclusive Ownership Organization, and when we asked David what that means to him and Juan, he spoke to the bigger picture of how he foresees making an impact outside the four walls of their brand-new office. With a heart for community outreach, the agents of C21 Bear Facts Realty are intentional about reaching out to volunteer and serve others in their market, and to work with other LGBTQ+ and minority-owned businesses to create more representation, and community, as a larger entity.

“Our agent count has grown rather quickly and we have professionals who can serve clients in English, Spanish, German, Czech, Russian, and even Southern Drawl. We have affiliated amazing gay and straight agents in roughly equal numbers and created a collaborative and supportive office environment that values and respects everyone, regardless of their background and lifestyle.” – David Walsh, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

Juan is the networker, out of the two, and by David’s own account, Juan has never met a committee he didn’t like. Juan is a part of NAHREP and belongs to the Gay Alliance of Real Estate, and he’s intentional about building those meaningful connections with various organizations to further their efforts of LGBTQ+ representation in real estate.

David and Juan hold to their authenticity and decided on a more tactical approach to building their team. What’s their secret? When we asked David and Juan, their answer was simple. David says, “We decided to take more of a grassroots approach. It’s about building and helping others grow their LGBTQ+ businesses. We are allies with the LGBTQ+ community and other less-represented markets. The companies we partner with, the photographer all the way down to the closing gifts our agents provide to their clients are other LGBTQ+ businesses. This is an effort to cross-market and build partnerships for broader SEO efforts.”

Juan, having previously owned a brokerage, shared that since affiliating with CENTURY 21 Real Estate, he’s felt more empowered and supported, by the brand, to help other agents recognize their potential. Juan shared that being a part of C21 has given him an additional value proposition when connecting with agents who, he feels, are the right fit for their office. Leveraging the brand power of CENTURY 21 Real Estate, Juan feels, the tools provided help bring out and empower who they are.

“Real Estate is a very personal business; you make your business your own. If you’re not really being your true self, how can you succeed in your business?” – Juan Sanchez, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

David believes that as the country looks different, lives different, and talks different, that it’s important to be capable of helping others achieve the dream of homeownership.

“Less than a year into our fledgling business and partnership with Century 21 [Real Estate], we have already made a difference to a wide swath of the Denver real estate market, learned a lot, and had a great time doing it. This is exactly why Juan and I started this endeavor and this is just the beginning! We can’t wait to grow into what comes next for our team and our business.”– David Walsh, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

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