Elite Realty Group leaving brick-and-mortar location in Sparta

Real estate broker Diana Verble says Elite Realty Group (ERG) will no longer have an office at 135 W. Bockman Way, but the business will continue to serve the community without interruption.

Verble established her company in 1997. She bought the old Magic Video building, in 2005, began renovations, and opened at that location, in 2006. In 2020, long-time tenant CPA Kendra Alley-Saunders offered to purchase the building, and Verble accepted. She explained that the move from owner to tenant was right for her at that time.

Verble and ERG have been fixtures of downtown Sparta for 27 years. Verble said the pandemic showed realtors that brick-and-mortar offices were no longer needed for their business. She explained that the internet and smartphones have changed her occupation. When she started, every realtor needed a desk and phone. They worked in an office, and much of their business was walk-ins. The only practical way to see the inventory was to visit a real estate office and view paper listings. Today, listings are virtual, and potential buyers view them online.

Verble explained that her business is about 50 percent listing for sellers and 50 percent finding the right property for buyers. She said listings can be created with a smartphone or laptop, and she can find and show local properties to buyers from anywhere in the United States. Verble said she recently found property for a buyer in California who made the purchase based solely on virtual tours and inspections.

Verble said these technological changes have eliminated the need for a brick-and-mortar location. ERG has a website and will maintain its current phone numbers. Verble noted that real estate is not a 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. occupation, and her realtors can work anytime at any location with cell service. Technology has allowed realtors to be more responsive and avoiding the overhead of traditional offices has allowed realtors to keep more significant portions of their commissions. Virtual offices are a win for the agents and the customers.

Verble said she has always been a trendsetter, and the virtual real estate office is another trend she plans to be ahead of. Verble has four agents working with her. Verble said the high interest rates are an obstacle for buyers, and there is now about two months of inventory on the market. We are not in a buyer’s market, but it isn’t a seller’s market either. Verble said she and her team are here to help buyers and sellers navigate this strange market situation.

Contact Verble and ERG at https://ergrealty.com or (931) 836-1490.