LOCAL PROFILES
Real Estate Exec: Gary Fisher

There's a new leaner, meaner marketing model on the Real Estate horizon and Gary Fisher, broker-salesperson with Dyson & Dyson/Sotheby's International Realty in Las Vegas already has a handle on it. "I've never knocked on doors, sent out mailers or passed out refrigerator magnets," he says. "I've built an effective Internet presence that continues to grow with new ideas and techniques."

Gary believes that branding and positioning are key elements to the success of any business. He chose to affiliate with Dyson & Dyson/Sotheby's because they already had a strong, respected prominence in the Real Estate market, providing a solid platform on which to build his own reputation in the industry. But Real Estate wasn't actually where his career began.

After earning his B.S. in Business Management and Marketing, Gary became the general manager of a large printing and advertising firm while the Internet was still in its infancy. Many of the firm's primary clients were REALTORS® across the country who depended heavily on the Internet to advertise their MLS listings. It was there that he began to see the great potential in Real Estate as a practical business model.

"In Real Estate, you're not investing in inventory or paying a lot of overhead for a large storefront," Gary points out. "You don't have a lot of salaried employees, and your time is flexible. It's a great career choice." His first approach to the Real Estate industry was on the business side, working for a relocation company with brokers on a national level. But in 2001, he made the decision to become a broker-salesperson himself and utilize his training in advertising, marketing, and building a strong Internet presence to promote his own career.

Since 85 percent of buyers now begin their property search on the Internet, it just makes sense to focus on that venue. But most REALTORS® who use the major search engines are featuring themselves instead of their listings, and this is where Gary recommends a change. "Potential buyers are looking for homes, and that's what they want to see," he explains. A beautiful picture or enticing video of a property can lead clients right to the REALTOR® who can help them acquire it.

Gary acts as his own webmaster and search engine optimizer in addition to his career as a REALTOR®. "I'm my own marketing force," he says. And that talent has made others in the industry take notice. "A company approached me with a unique business model," he explains, "and that's how The Luxury Estate Online Network began here." At www.luxuryestateonline.com, buyers can access information about all the available luxury properties while being taken on a video tour of their attractive features, landscapes and surroundings. Benefits to this approach are twofold. "People can find it with just one click, and it also helps us acquire more listings," explains Gary, who now has the exclusive license for the Nevada branch of the network.

Gary specializes in residential properties and he breaks them into two categories: high-rise condos and high-end residential. He and his associate Dale Thornburgh, co-owner of Dyson & Dyson Sotheby’s, showcase luxury estates, lofts and condos, each on its own individual Web site. The sites feature attractive videos of available properties at prestigious places like Panorama Towers, Newport Lofts, juhl, Allure, SKY Las Vegas, Turnberry Towers, Palms Place, Streamline Tower and more. "We offer the convenience of technology without losing the personal touch," Gary says. "The time and attention we give to our clients is still the most important factor." But allowing them to see what's available online is definitely a plus.

"The Internet is definitely the wave that's going to be coming after this little slump," Gary predicts. "When [the market] rebounds, it's important to be in position." And as the Las Vegas market is currently undervalued, investors are already coming back in. Across the board the local Real Estate market is up 35 percent, with another half-million people predicted to flood the Las Vegas area by 2015. And Gary has a theory about surviving and thriving in the current market hiccup. "You can go to bed crying or wake up in the night with a fresh idea," he says. "It's all about mindset and how you position yourself. With only a small percentage of people doing most of the business, right now is the time to take advantage and get in on the ground floor of the coming surge."

Gary's newest affiliation is with Touchstone Destination Living, a Canadian company that specializes in full-service, luxury vacation home sales. As their exclusive buyer's agent in Nevada, Gary matches a buyer's taste and personal criteria with other interested parties to purchase shares in the same vacation property. The company then handles the ongoing property management to provide hassle-free vacationing for the co-owners. To find out more about matching exceptional properties with exceptional owners, go to www.touchstonelife.com.

With 50 sites already up and running, Gary plans on expanding his Internet presence to include a total of 250 sites by the end of next year. "It's like there's a pond out there with a bunch of fish in it," he explains. "So do I want to throw in only one line?" He's the ultimate optimizer, and he does it with style.

Gary still does some consulting too, and is glad to make suggestions and help others to make the most of their business. When he's not out building his career interests or in his office at 8330 West Sahara Ave, Suite 110, he likes to spend time at home with his girlfriend Lori and their two dogs. He can be reached at (702) 335-5704 or at gary.fisher@sothebysrealty.com.