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Published on 06/19/1995 All articles from this issue

Eckert: A real estate company with a different outlook

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By Clyde Noel / Town Crier Staff Writer

Paul Eckert will tell you that real estate sales is a misnomer, and selling real estate is an inapplicable designation. It's a service business!

"I have never had a sales course because when real estate is properly practiced you work with your clients to achieve their goals," Eckert said. "I take that approach to the utmost of my ability."

That approach to real estate comes naturally because Eckert was dean of students at University of Colorado in 1978-1980, where he managed more than 600 undergraduate students in one of the university divisions of study. He also has his master's degree in personnel management from Michigan State University.

Eckert and Company Properties was formed in 1985 for Eckert to follow his ambition to create a real estate company that is sharply differentiated from other companies. He never planned to get in the real estate business, but now that he's in it, he displays honesty and hard work to remain one of Los Altos area's leading real estate brokers. Over the last 10 years, Eckert has received recognition awards from the Los Altos Board of Realtors.

In a year noted for dawdling real estate transactions, Eckert is recorded as being the most active real estate professional in Los Altos for the first six months. That takes in consideration transactions and volume of business among all the real estate agents in the Los Altos District of the Pen West membership.

On first impression, you notice Eckert does not wear a tie like other men in real estate. He is different, and he doesn't follow the formal dress real estate stereotype. "Most of the time I work with clients after hours and on weekends, and they don't wear a tie when I work with them," Eckert said.

One of the advantages Eckert has over competition is his knowledge of construction. A large part of today's real estate business is the inspection period during the time the buyer buys and the seller sells.

By law, the different disclosure policies and inspections before any sale is completed can be complicated and opinionated. Because of Eckert's background in construction he feels he can separate fact from fantasy and accurately reflect the condition of any property.

"Two inspection reports on the same property will have dissimilar reports, and the homeowner needs the expertise of someone who can analyze the report for validity," Eckert said. "To help my client during this period I am present for the inspection and visit any contractor working on the client's property before the closing."

Eckert & Co. remains small by design. Eckert feels he can provide more personal attention for the client. He believes in quality and not quantity in real estate, and in that way he can personally observe all the safeguards that are necessary and required by law.

Eckert has watched the local real estate market go through good and bad economic cycles. Starting in 1988, Los Altos values went up at the rate of 25 percent a year. By June of 1989 there was more than 40 percent appreciation on all kinds of properties, and many buyers were then priced out of the market.

Talk of unlimited prosperity brought speculators into the housing market and about that time Eckert could pick the day when appreciation would stop. There weren't many buyers around and the outlook changed after the Loma Prieta earthquake. Downward escalation started and continued until 1994.

"By midyear 1994, values were wrung out of properties, and we came back with aggressive mortgage lending and lower interest rates," Eckert said. "Since then we are experiencing a 1 to 2 percent appreciation a year, and I expect that trend to continue into the future. We have an even playing field right now with buyers and sellers.

Eckert & Co. Properties are located at 345 S. San Antonio Rd. in Los Altos. For more information, call 941-3333.