Judi Gabler, owner and broker of Gabler Realty, is growing her brokerage again with the addition of a new team.
Anthony Wolcott and his group of agents, called The Legacy Team, have joined Gabler Realty, moving his license and three other agents over to the firm. They are leaving Oxford Property Group.
Wolcott’s team is coming to Gabler Realty at a time of big change in the residential real estate market. After a red-hot three years that saw home prices across upstate New York jump 37% on average, high interest rates have reduced inventory and slowed down sales.
“When I saw him building up his team and selling so quickly, I approached him and said, ‘You’ll burn out so fast, let me offer you some advice,'” Gabler said. “He was doing it so well he was going to burn out and didn’t want to see that happen.”
Gabler and Wolcott first met over a year ago, when they had a deal together on Rowland Avenue in Delmar.
“We worked through the deal, [he] cared about [his] client and I cared about my client and being kind and responsive is such a big deal,” Gabler said. “When I find an agent with the same value of ethics and camaraderie and overall good business, I can feel they’re going to be a good fit for our culture.”
Wolcott had just started his real estate career in 2021 after working in construction and law enforcement. He did $3.5 million in sales volume in the first six months as an agent. In two years, Wolcott built a four-person team that produced over $12 million in sales volume in 2022.
Gabler said that kind of growth reminded her of herself when she started out in the business.
Gabler started her firm in 2017 and it has grown in that time up to 26 agents, with Wolcott’s team, and five full-time employees.
Gabler Realty’s sales last year totaled $119.71 million, up 11% from the prior year. In the last year, Gabler has added 11 new sales agents and three full-time staff members to match a growing pool of clients in both residential and commercial properties.
Inventory of new houses is down about 30% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same time in 2022, according to data from the Greater Capital Region Association of Realtors. That shift is is creating more buyer demand.
Wolcott’s team grew quickly during the hot market and needed more support as things cool down.
“It got to the point at our previous brokerage where we had some growing pains and pointed to the fact that we needed more support,” Wolcott said. “I was spreading myself too thin, and if everything is important, nothing is.”
“I could see he was on the path I was on when I was a new agent,” Gabler added. “If I have an opportunity to help someone and they seem overwhelmed, I tell them to take a step back, you’re so busy, don’t forget your family.”
Wolcott said they later met for lunch to talk about Gabler’s brokerage. He was hesitant at first, but eventually came around and joined Gabler Realty this month. It gives Wolcott and his team access to Gabler’s marketing, HR and payroll support.
“The market is down in terms of sales because we’re down in inventory, with that it really has created a difficult market for real estate agents to be working in that’s 24/7. If a listing comes on, you have to get in right away, which is restricting,” Gabler said. “Everything is changing all the time. My support team is good about constant education and knowing what’s coming up locally, nationally and statewide.”
