Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Flickinger.
Patrick, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
During a bad experience buying our first home in 2001, my wife, April, had to fire one of our real estate agents. He actually started yelling at her on the phone. I was appalled that somebody would treat a client that way. Another agent gave us listing sheets with coffee stains all over them. Yet another was too busy for us and we missed out on seeing homes that we might have loved. Finally, we found a place on our own and just randomly found an agent who could submit an offer for us.
As we were going through the process, I started to get the idea that I might enjoy real estate. While working in corporate sales, I began to get more interested in real estate; the architecture, the neighborhoods, the characteristics. I realized that my excellent customer service skills, professionalism, attention to detail and thoroughness would be an asset as a real estate agent.
These were many of the things lacking from our previous agents that I was already used to doing for my customers. This was back in the day when real estate listings had to be faxed to you. We saw many places that were of no interest to us and this could have been avoided if an agent actually listened to our needs. We wasted a lot of time and I make sure that my clients don’t feel like I am not providing a service to them that they could do on their own.
Finally, with the urging of my wife in 2006, I decided to make the leap. She just finished her MBA and landed a decent job in corporate America. Thankfully, because little did we realize that the real estate industry was going to go bust. I’ve stayed the course and years later our business has grown and my wife has been able to join us to make The Flickinger Group.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I could say it has all been smooth sailing. I entered real estate during the peak of the real estate market in 2006. However, entering the industry, I was very much a rookie and green during the first year while the market was hot. Unfortunately, I started with a small, boutique real estate company that was acquired by a large, global franchise which was not a good fit. I ended up leaving and going to another company which eventually filed for bankruptcy and owed me tens of thousands of dollars which was never paid. When the real estate market bubble did break, I was just getting started and stayed the course.
Looking back at it, I look at this as a blessing in disguise because we found our home with Coldwell Banker. We are lucky to have a great managing broker who has helped us develop and grow. With the addition, of April entering real estate, we had to decide how to best utilize our strengths. We now have a great husband and wife team and couldn’t imagine growing our business any other way.
Please tell us about The Flickinger Group.
In simple terms, we help people buy and sell homes. We make a constant effort to keep people delighted with our service because their respect and trust are of utmost importance to us. We are always here to help. I can’t stress enough how much we put the needs of our clients first that might mean working with a client for months or even years before they are willing to make a decision. We provide the patience and realize that their needs truly come first before anybody else.
We are a husband and wife real estate team with over 11 years of real estate experience. We lived in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago for many years before moving to the suburbs. I grew up in Naperville and after many years in corporate sales, I decided, with much encouragement from April, to follow my passion and become a real estate broker. April attended Purdue University before making her way to the Chicago area where she went to Loyola University for her MBA. She held many positions in corporate sales and account management before deciding to join me in real estate. It was really difficult for her to go back after the birth of our daughter, especially with a lot of traveling. So, with our business growing, it made sense for her to join me in real estate. She has had her license as long as me and it has worked for our family.
We have many of years of combined experience in real estate, sales, negotiation, marketing and customer service which means we know what it takes to help buyers and sellers. We want our clients to feel empowered and confident in their decisions by having us there to help throughout the whole process.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Growing up, my grandparents were heavily involved in my life. I was an only child raised by a single mom. They used to take us up to northern Minnesota on fishing trips. It was a great highlight of my childhood that I could look forward to doing every summer. Looking back on this as an adult, I realize that I learned a lot from them, not just how to fish, but also the value in taking care of customers, as they were entrepreneurs. As I was developing my set of values, I saw the way they built their business and can appreciate that they helped influence mine.
Contact Info:
- Address: 219 W Hillgrove Avenue,
La Grange, IL 60525 - Website: www.theflickingergroup.com
- Phone: (773) 474-4143
- Email: patrick@theflickingergroup.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Flickinger-Group-Coldwell-Banker-764748423539545/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/patrick-flickinger-coldwell-banker-la-grange-3
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