Brad Eldridge, realtor, Re/Max House of Brokers

Tell me about the team that you work with.
I work for the Kay Van Kampen team. She’s been in real estate for 18 years here in the Springfield, Ozark, Nixa area, and she is very well-respected in the real estate market in this area. That’s one of the reasons why I chose to go with her with my career change. I wanted somebody who was honest, who had integrity and someone who had a good work ethic, from a standpoint of getting out there and building their business up from the ground floor, because that’s what I love to do.

People are apt to recognize your name, as you were previously the general manager for the Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks and then the executive director of the Greater Springfield Area Sports Commission. Have you ever been in real estate before?
Real estate is very new to me. It’s very scary to go with a change like this, but the more I’m in it, the same principles apply. It’s relationships with your customers. It’s customer service and marketing and promotions. So I’m taking those principles that I used with the Mountain Ducks baseball team and with the Sports Commission of building good relationships with people, and earning their trust, and having credibility. I’m trying to bring those to real estate.

Why was this a good time for you to make a career change?
It was a situation where I’m looking at my future. I’m looking at down the road. I’ve always somewhat looked at controlling my own destiny, if you will, and this is a great opportunity and a great business to try to do that. As a Realtor, you are your own boss. You control your destiny. I hope that this can be something that I can retire from.

What has been your biggest surprise or challenge since making the switch to real estate?
The competition. There are almost 2,000 licensed Realtors in the Springfield market, and it’s very tough. There are so many good Realtors out there, and real estate companies, and it’s tough. You have to hustle. Now, that’s a challenge, (but) I’ve done that before, so I’m trying to take the same work ethic and do the same types of things that I did in those two previous positions – working hard, meeting people, getting my name out, and then, customer service. Treating my clients like they’re gold, because that’s totally what makes the difference in real estate, just like it (did) with sports.

So what type of real estate is your focus?
Right now I’m focusing on residential. I’d like to build some business down the road in the commercial area, if possible. But right now, I’m trying to focus and learn in the residential area. There are so many things to learn. I’ve gained a lot of respect … for Realtors and other real estate companies out there, because there’s a lot out there, with learning, with the competition and things like that. I don’t take it for granted, that’s for sure.

What about the market locally would make this a good time for someone to buy a house?
We’ve experienced a growth period over the last three to five years, and it really is a buyer’s market out there. There are a lot of options out there of homes available. Plus, the interest rates are still very favorable, and you can find just about anything you’re looking for out there, whether it be in a community, acreage to build on, things like that. It’s a good time to look at getting into a new home or upgrading to a bigger home.

What goal do you have for your first year in real estate?
I would like to develop 20 new clients. Basically, that means get 20 sales, but I’d like to develop 20 new clients out there in my first year, through either listing their homes or helping them buy their homes. So far, I’ve got one new listing, and I hope, one buyer, here in basically my first two months.

So what’s going on these days with the Kay Van Kampen team?
In January, we moved from Carol Jones, Realtors to Re/Max House of Brokers.
Hopefully within the month of March, we should be opening a brand-new office through Re/Max House of Brokers in Ozark, out on Highway 65 and CC, across from Lambert’s.

That’s not too far from the vacant ball field where you worked as GM of the Ducks.
Well, we’re working on that. I’m on City Council in Ozark, and we are trying to salvage the ballpark. What we’re talking to Mr. Chen about is a management contract, to hopefully operate the ballpark and to bring in some more events. I really feel we could do 30 to 50 events in there per year.

What types of events?
Good concerts. We could have car shows out there, boat shows, chili cook-offs, barbecue cook-offs. We could do a circus. We could do a carnival. We could have a business meeting. We could do … a festival, a community gathering, a revival. If you get aggressive and go after things … you can find things. Horse shows. Dog shows.

Tell me about your family and your spare-time interests.
I have two great kids in Wichita, that I miss a lot, but I see them whatever chance I can. I have a senior in high school. His name’s Cale, and a daughter that’s a freshman in high school, Sarah. They are both great kids. They both started on the high school basketball teams this last year. I’m real proud of their accomplishments.
In my spare time, I get involved with things. I’m involved with about five different charities right now, helping with some fund-raisers and helping with events and trying to use the assets that I have to help them.
I’m not a couch potato. I don’t even have a TV right now, and it doesn’t bother me. I get out and get involved in events and charities, things like that.
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