by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
After 40 years in the same office, Cathy Whatley, broker and owner of Buck & Buck, Inc. decided it was time for her company to make a change.
That change is a brand-new 6,300 square foot building at 9137 Merrill Rd., about a mile from their old office.
“We’ve been in business since 1907 and we wanted to make a statement that we’ve been here for almost 100 years and we intend to be here for another 100 years,” said Whatley. “We wanted it to be something the community was proud to drive by.”
The company moved into the office about three months ago and held a grand opening party last month.
“It is so wonderful,” said Whatley. “I love my office. I love coming to the office. It’s like a large home. We have had customers come into the office and sit in the lobby saying ‘It is so relaxing here.’ The first day we were open, two people came in and thought it was a bank.”
The new office was needed - they outgrew the old office and it inhibited Whatley from hiring new agents.
She said the new building is unlike any other real estate office.
“You really have to see this building to understand,” she said. “It is not at all like other real estate buildings that you see.”
Currently, the real estate company has five agents but that may change with the new building.
“We certainly will be in a position now that I can hire additional associates,” said Whatley. “In my old office, I could not have hired anyone. If the top agent in world walked in and said ‘I’m ready to work here,’ I really would not have had a place for that individual to have a desk. There is room for a whole lot of people in the new office. It is so unique. I really could hire as many people as I was comfortable with.”
Whatley said adding new agents would be based on finding an appropriate match of individuals to their company.
“I’m looking for the right mix,” said Whatley. “Some might be new associates in the business and others might be extremely experienced that see themselves being comfortable in the Buck & Buck environment. The length of time in the business is not the most critical factor.”
The office has a small conference room for agents to meet with clients and a large conference room for office meetings.
“The office is a place where you would be proud to have your customers and clients stop by to see you,” she said.
Buck & Buck will utilize the entire building. Whatley said they do have a 1,000 square foot open room they will use for homebuyer seminars or for association events, if needed.
Whatley owns all of the properties surrounding her office, which adds up to about 12 or 13 acres.
“We are in the process of designing a commercial business park for the balance of the property,” she said. “The property right next to us has been purchased by SunTrust Bank.”
The building was designed by architect John Zona, built by Dav-Lin Construction Company and decorated by Sherri Meadows Interiors.