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Park City is not the typical inter-mountain city for selling
real estate. As such, it requires more than a typical real estate
agent. David Dorius is exactly that kind of agent.
"In real estate, you have to be able to meet people and be-
come genuinely interested in their business and them as well-
not make a facade just to get a sale," begins David, explaining
his sales philosophy. "That's particularly important in Park City
because most of the people here have come to relax, not to be
pressured into buying real estate.
"I was at a meeting in Salt Lake. I had an appointment back
in Park City and didn't have time to change out of my suit and
tie. While driving my clients around, one of them asked, 'Would
you mind taking your tie off? I'm supposed to be on vacation!"'
David continues jokingly, "It's different here than in Salt Lake.
In Park City, if you see a guy with a tie on you ask, 'Oh, you
must have a meeting in Sale Lake today?' Ninety percent of the
time, that's the case. "
Having worked 16 years in Park City for Jess Reid Real
Estate, David is intimately familiar with the territory. "Most
people here are not initially buying real estate property as a
primary residence, but as a vacation home. In most cases, our
local residents started as vacationers, owning second homes
first. Skiers and summer tourists are, therefore, our initial and
primary target market."
Park City is an intensely competitive market for real estate
professionals. "There are over 450 real estate agents in the Park
City area, an area of approximately 15,000 to 20,000 property
owners. At Jess Reid Real Estate, goals are a very important
component of our company philosophy. We operate a little
different than most real estate companies here." Jess Reid Real
Estate maintains a sales staff of between 25 to 30 sales agents.
Twice a year, all agents are required to set sales volume,
financial and personal goals. More often than not, David
reaches his goals.
Jess Reid, active owner and founder of Jess Reid Real Estate,
is David's closest co-worker and mentor. When Jess began his
own real estate firm in 1983, he needed an on-site sales
manager for a large-scale condominium project. He wanted
someone with the potential to succeed and the capacity to take on
this type of commitment. He offered the job to David, who was
then single and a one-year real estate veteran.
When David started at Jess Reid Real Estate, he had zero financial resources. He didn't even own a car. For transportation,
David used the free Park City bus system. "During winter season, those buses are full of skiers, and
there I was in business clothes and a briefcase." People would ask him what he was
doing. Hiding a smile, David would explain he was in real estate. "It was a great source of clients. Skiers (I met on the bus) would come into the office and ask to be shown around. If they wanted to see additional properties, I'd call our main office and borrow someone's car. They never knew the difference."
During his novice years with Jess Reid
(1983 to 1987), he saw limited success. "I
was the young, single, unambitious agent
who got a commission check on Friday
and blew it by Monday." In 1987, he took
a hiatus from real estate and moved back
to Phoenix, becoming a customer service
representative for America West Airlines,
where he re-learned much-needed business
disciplines. "That's where I met my wife,
Allison," he grins.
They moved back to Park City and married in January 1989. "Allison's support and our desire to start a family helped my career take hold." With humility and affection, David attributes "an enormous amount of my success to my best friend and wife, Allison. She's an integral part of my real estate career. She's got great business sense and excellent organizational skills." Allison has had a lead role with the Salt Lake City Junior League organization for nearly seven years."Some of her skills have fortunately rubbed off on me," David admits. David and Allison have two children, Brittany (10) andNicholas (7), with whom he enjoys skiing and outdoor activities.
David's sport of passion is golf. He is a charter member of the
Park Meadows Country Club. This has helped not only his game,
but his career as well. "The great thing about the sport of golf is
that it offers several components for success in a field like real
estate. You develop personal and business friendships while
enjoying the great outdoors, which is one of the least imposing
ways to sell our real product which is lifestyle." Golf was actually the catalyst for the "Cinderella story" and turning point in
David's career.
"It was on a Sunday afternoon in the summer, 1991. Back
then, from April to June, Park City was a ghost town. On my
way to the Park City golf course, I noticed a van parked in front
of our office and a couple looking through the windows. But I
was going golfing, so I continued on. As I parked at the golf
course, something told me I should go back and help them. I got
back just as they were about to drive away. I knocked on their
door, they rolled down their window, and I introduced myself
and offered any assistance.
"The couple explained they were from Chicago visiting
friends in Park City. They had seen our sign on a vacant lot in
a new subdivision. They were interested and asked if I would
show it to them. So instead of golfing, I showed them the lot.
We closed the deal three days later. Three months later they
bought a second property.
"Six months later, they called again with a referral. Another
friend wanted to sell his vacation house and move to Deer
Valley. Through me, they bought three single-family lots and a
beautiful new home in Deer Valley, sold their existing vacation
home plus two newly developed spec homes. They then formed
a development partnership, and I became their exclusive listing
agent. The rest is history."
Since 1994, David has marketed and sold new projects in
Deer Valley and was the listing agent for three of Deer Valley's
newest and most successful luxury condominium projects, Deer
Lake Village (51 Units), The Lodges at Deer Valley (125 Units),
and The Chateaux at Silver Lake (78 Units). In all, that's about
$60 million in retail sales over the past six years just with these
developers and just over $100 million since 1989. "Just think, it
all started with my turning around at the golf course."
As a result of the project's success, the situation evolved into
a corporately structured type business. "I was managing 16
agents, working with attorneys, accountants, architects and
project managers. I was very fortunate to work with these
developers and their projects, but things evolved beyond the
scope of my personal goals as a REALTOR®." David has
returned to working with individual buyers and sellers, but with
a huge referral base and wealth of knowledge he didn't have
10 years ago. Removing himself from the corporate structure
freed him from many undesired burdens. "I've got more quality
time for my family and friends, and yet I'm achieving all of my
new goals, both personal and business. It feels great!"
David's new marketing plan now focuses primarily on the Deer
Valley market. "It's smart business to take advantage of my
success in Deer Valley." To benefit his career even more, David is
taking advantage of Internet resources. "More and more, we find
that the high-end customer profiles use the Internet to acquaint
themselves with what and whom our market has to offer. I want to
be the who when they call for the what." David has developed a
sleek, professional Web site (www.ddresortproperties.com) for
high-end buying and selling.
Jess Reid Real Estate is thrilled to see David receive this type of
recognition. "He has been a great contributor over the years, not
only to our company, but to the Park City community and the local
board of REALTORS®. Not only is David a top producer, but his
team spirit and positive attitude make him the type of agent that
any broker would want to have in his office," says Reid.
David was the Park City Board of REALTORS®' 1996 Salesperson of the Year and the Jess Reid Real Estate Salesperson of the Year four out of the last five years. He's a life time member of the
Park City Board of REALTORS®' Professional Achievement
Masters Club, National Association of REALTORS® and served
for four years on the Utah Association of REALTORS®' Regional
Professional Standards and Grievance Committee. David holds an
associate broker's license, a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
Designation and a Graduate REALTORS® Institute (GRI) Designation.
Community service is important to him as well.
He has coached Park City Little League baseball
and served on the Park City Recycle Utah board
of directors, a non-profit organization. He's also
an active member of the Alumni Chapter for the
Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the University of Utah.
With his redefined business strategy now in place,
he plans to utilize more time with volunteer work.
One thing for sure though, he doesn't plan to
wear a tie.
by Jared Whitley
photography by Greg Terry
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Keller Williams Park City Real Estate
1750 Sun Peak Drive
Park City, Utah 84098
Phone 435-649-9882
Fax: 435-649-0616
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