Published in Windermere Homes and Living issue Spring 2008
John and Jeanette Zimmer are quite the pair. Married for almost 13 years, the husband and wife team have been working for Windermere for the past three years.
“Our friends once told them us you become a real estate agent when you build your own home. We had no idea how true this was,” Jeanette said.
Many agents in the real estate market are known for getting into the business in order to make some quick money. However, the Zimmers did not make this career move for financial reasons. They wanted to provide the kind of service to people they wanted and hoped for when they were building their own home in the Las Vegas Valley.
“We got into this for two reasons,” Jeanette said. “We wanted more time with our family, and because we didn’t see knowledgeable agents when building a home for ourselves.”
The two have very different backgrounds which help them in their current duo. Jeanette was in the motion picture business before moving to the graphic design industry. There she learned great skills in marketing. John was in the liquor catering business and owned his own business called Booze Brothers. This helped him learn about how to manage a business, how to be a smart businessman, and how to be a people person. With both of their skills and strengths, they have been able to be successful in the real estate industry.
John and Jeanette are two of Windermere’s high-end agents. They work with clients who are buying and/or selling upper hundred thousand to million dollar homes. “Everyone is trying to get into the high-end part of the business, but most people are not willing to invest as much as we do,” Jeanette said. “We work around our clients. We are 24/7 agents.” The Zimmers are constantly working. Whether John is making phone calls to their clients, lenders or builders, or Jeanette is researching new housing information on the Web, posting listings or sending emails, the two are making sure the ball doesn’t drop. “Our job is to make it seem like everything is running smoothly, even if it isn’t,” Jeanette said.
Part of what makes the Zimmer team unique is that they thrive on the relationships they build with their clients. One of the first big deals the Zimmers had when they first started in 2005 was a $3.5 million home. “We are still really good friends with those people,” Jeanette said. “When we commit ourselves to our clients we are with them a lot of the time,” John added. “We build relationships with these people and talk about everything from politics to their children’s schools.”
Although the Zimmers are swamped with their careers, they still find time to help out in the community. Every year Windermere sponsors a day where the Windermere team goes out and serves the community. In 2006, John and Jeanette recommended refurbishing a local elementary school. They painted the school and handed out backpacks full of food, clothing, and other survival needs to the children, many of whom are homeless. “It is a real humbling experience, and we were very happy that Windermere was able to help so many children,” Jeanette said.
The Zimmers definitely stay busy, but they make a point to spend as much of their time with their 11-year-old daughter, Jaiden. Their daughter often begs to be taken with them to look at houses and is known as an agent in training. “She can tell the difference between a real high-end house and one that just looks nice,” Jeanette said. Until Jaiden can take over for her parents, the Zimmers continue to stay busy, stay classy and stay successful.