A Look Back At 2021
December, 28 2021
At the end of 2020, we sat down with Windermere Kirkland owners Mike and BJ, and the last question of our interview went something like this:
What does Windermere Kirkland look like in 2021?
BJ: We finish our new building and with that comes new energy into the office. Being able to get dressed again and be in the new building, which is made with every detail of collaboration and success in mind, that will be a great start to 2021.
Mike: It is going to be much the same from the standpoint of always doing good business, taking good care of people, it is just going to be on a larger scale as we move into our new building. We are in growth mode and looking to add similarly minded real estate brokers to our Windermere Family. Our new building will really be the driving force behind our 2021.
BJ: Yes, we hope that our team and community can take advantage of the new building once it's done. Our intention is to allow members of the community to use the space too, so we are looking forward to connecting with people we know, people we have yet to meet, and it's all thanks to our building and the intention behind it.
Now as we wrap up 2021, we thought it a good idea to see if Mike and BJ were right about their vision for 2021!
New Building
The biggest change that 2021 brought to our team was the official completion of our new construction building. Two years of construction, planning, replanning, pivoting, and designing finally culminated in our building opening up early fall. Our new state-of-the-art building provides a collaborative, inviting, and beautiful space for our brokers, clients, and community to gather. Each inch of the new building was carefully thought out to provide maximum efficiency while still maintaining a modern PNW feel throughout. With cozy spots to take a break like our fireplace, or the deck overlooking Lake Washington, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Check out our building tour in our anniversary episode of our podcast here:
Growth In Brokers
A major goal of Mike and BJ’s was to grow our incredible Windermere Kirkland team, however our old building did not allow for the type of growth they had envisioned. Our new building now equips us the space to expand both our broker footprint as well as administrative positions. Since the start of 2021 nine brokers have joined our team, and each month we continue to welcome incredible people to the Windermere family! Check out our amazing team here!
2nd Annual Broker Appreciation Month
This July, our team celebrated our 2nd annual broker appreciation month, as a way of saying thank you for all of their hard work. This year’s theme was “Mind, Body, Spirit” and our focus was wellness in all aspects of our broker’s lives, inspired by the Danish concept of Hygge.
"Hygge (pronounced hue-guh) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special". (HygeeHouse)
The month started with yoga led by two of our brokers, Kristine LeRoss and Suzanne Kohl. We then learned from Eric Thompson, a Windermere office owner and the Founder of Leading Edge & Leadership Academy, on how to take good care of yourself as hard as you hustle in your business. We closed out our wellbeing presenters by hearing from motivational speaker, Gian Paul Gonzales. The month ended with an in-person get together at our new office. With such a successful celebration in 2021, we look forward to continuing our annual tradition next year.
PNW Mike Check Podcast
We are excited to say that our podcast celebrated its one year anniversary this year, and is now well into episodes for its second year of recording. Throughout this year Mike and Sofia had the pleasure of sitting down with familiar faces from within our office, and beyond. Each podcast shed light on a different aspect of real estate and life. Check out all 13 episodes so far here:
We think it is safe to say that Mike and BJ’s 2021 predictions and intentions came to fruition. We are very thankful to everyone who helped make 2021 such a memorable year for us here at Windermere Kirkland. Here’s to a successful, healthy, and happy 2022!
Our goal at Windermere Kirkland is to be a resource for the community. Aside from helping you buy or sell your home, our team is dedicated to adding value to our city. Every other Tuesday we will be posting a blog post highlighting different people, businesses, communities, and more throughout Kirkland. Stay tuned!
