Haller Realty is the new “kid” in town when it comes to real estate but they certainly are not without skill and knowledge. They recently opened their doors to a new office in Becker and look to expand their brand to Central Minnesota and Minneapolis.
Haller Realty is owned and run by 34-year-old Kyle Haller and employs a half a dozen employees to start. Kyle’s dad, Roger, is the patriarch of the business and will serve as a broker and consultant to his son. Roger, 61, who has spent 37 years in the real estate line of work, is the well-versed entrepreneur who is passing along his expertise to his son and his co-workers in a highly competitive market.
“My health has been an issue the last few years,” said Roger, “so I’m willing to take a back seat while Kyle drives the ship. I’ll help out where I can and pass along information and experience to my son.”
Roger first got into real estate at the age of 21, when he acquired work at Century 21 in Sauk Rapids. Soon thereafter, he moved on to Coldwell Banker in St. Cloud and ran that office for three years. His next venture was a purchase of a Century 21 franchise where he successfully piloted the business until he sold it to Edina Realty years later.
Next, Roger bought a Better Homes & Gardens franchise and got the company to grow to 20 agents by the time GMAC bought him out. At that time, Roger decided to go independent and started Haller Realty in 1978.
“We went independent because we wanted to be more competitive in the compensation part of the business,” said Roger.
Kyle — who at first didn’t show much interest in following in his dad’s footsteps — attended high school then went on to study kinesiology at the University of Minnesota with the hope of being a physical therapist or doctor. After graduation, things changed as he viewed the corporate world and his heart returned to the family business 11 years ago.
“I was working good jobs and making good money but it bothered me that I was tied to the corporate world with little freedom for work hours, time off, pay scale and my commute,” said Kyle who traveled to and from his job in the cities. “I saw that we already had a great family business and I felt my experience and education and fresh blood could make the company prosper.”
Kyle joined his dad in 2004 in their offices in Sauk Rapids. After learning the business and practices and taking classes and test, Kyle thought it would be a great idea to expand the business further east and decided to land in Becker. They’ve had their doors open for business for two weeks.
“What is different about us is we are independent and have flexibility as far as fees,” Kyle said. “We also strive to make our clients our #1 priority no matter what. That’s why when our number is called, it’s going straight to my cell and I’ll be the one you are talking to.
Kyle and Roger also want their clients to trust them because they will give their undivided attention to every detail and make them feel like they are part of the family.
“We try and do things the right way, being honest and straight-forward and treating people with respect,” said Kyle. We are looking for relationships and my goal is to be as fair as possible to everyone we meet.”
Kyle says the current real estate market seems to favor the sellers right now with median sale prices floating above past years at $210,000 as of last March. That’s 10.5% higher than the year before. Sellers are receiving an average of 95.9% of their list price.
“As far as buying, Fannie Mae has a first time home buyer program that can help buyers with their closing costs,” said Kyle. “It’s a program to provide first-time homebuyers with the knowledge to make informed decisions.”
While Roger consults and share his expertise with Kyle and staff, Kyle is looking into utilizing all areas of social media to enhance and grow the business in the fast-moving, tech-savvy world of the 21st century.
“I’m on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and whatever else I can find to get our name out there and to connect with people,” said Kyle. “I want people to come directly to us through a phone call, our website, email or whatever and get an experience unlike any other when looking ot buy or sell.”
Whether someone is buying their first home or looking to buy their dream lake home, Kyle promises to deliver superior service in a friendly, professional, and honest manner.
Kyle is married (Katelyn) and they have one 15-month boy (Knox) and they live in Clear Lake. In his free time, Kyle enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, St. Cloud State hockey, and recreational activities on his lake.
Roger is married (Kala) and beside Kyle they have one other son (Chad, 31) who is an architect for the company. In his free time, Roger enjoys spending time with family including his new grandkids and his dog Kirby. In addition, he is an avid sportsman and enjoys attending St. Cloud State hockey games and auctions for his BuyGones antique business.
Haller Realty is located at 13612 1st Street in Becker and their phone number is 320-255-1911. Their website is hallerrealtyhomes.com.
