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Prime Realty Inc.

It’s Not Just About the Bottom Line; Team Members Considered Family, and Giving Back to the Community Is SOP

For Kathy and Steve Griffith, owners of Prime Realty Inc., the so-called “bottom line” is only one part of the business equation.

The Griffiths consider their talented staff as members of the family, their clients as extended members of the family, and their community as not only the place in which they do business, but where they live and play and learn—and where they believe giving back is important.

Kathy’s passion for real estate came from her parents. After retirement from the U.S. Navy in 1974, her father, Norman Bewley, went to work with Dub Stone, whom many in the area will recall as a respected home builder and real estate broker in southwest Oklahoma City. In 1990, Norm and wife Rose Ann opened their own brokerage firm: Prime Realty Inc. Kathy’s entrepreneurial spirit was a natural fit for the business, and she joined the firm in 1998. In 2006, Norman and Rose Ann turned over the brokerage firm to her, where she has helped the business prosper by embracing new systems and technology while remaining focused on what she calls “the human factor of building relationships through trust.”

In 2015, her husband, Steve, retired from a career in the automotive sales industry to join her as partner of the firm. Kathy notes he had already gotten his foot in the door (so to speak) through the process of selling two homes “for sale by owner.”

Steve and Kathy have divided up the workload. While her husband advises on best practices when working with buyers, she advises on best practices when working with sellers.

The couple strive to maintain a family vibe at Prime Realty.

“Through group messaging, emails, zoom meetings and one-on-one phone calls and private and collaborative discussions between broker and Realtors, the feeling of connectedness and inclusiveness is continuous and a top priority for us,” she says. “The goal is for each Realtor to know the entire process of real estate, from marketing to advertising and from listing properties for sale to working with buyers.”

The Griffiths also are committed to providing their Realtors with all the tools they need to perform their work at the highest standards.

“The Oklahoma Real Estate Commission requires Realtors to complete 21 credit hours of required and elective courses every three years, but at Prime Realty, we push a philosophy of lifelong learning,” Kathy said. “The vast majority of Realtors at Prime Realty go above and beyond the state requirement of continuing education for our industry.”

Kathy also maintains an “open door” policy that gives each of their Realtors the peace of mind to sit for a chat, to work out a problem, to congratulate others on a recent sale, or to brainstorm new ideas.

Apparently, their approach has been effective. While turnover in the real estate industry is common, Kathy says, their Realtors tend to stay for the long term.

“Several of our Realtors have been with us 10-plus years. and some have been with us over 18 years,” she notes. 

In addition to their talented team of Realtors, Kathy gives kudos to their partnering photography studio. "A picture speaks a thousand words, and so we partner with FocalPoint Real Estate Photography, who has the eye and equipment for just the right shot, the right angle and just the right living that helps showcase our properties for sale."

Of course, as with virtually all businesses, the Griffiths have seen good times and bad and faced challenges as well as opportunities.

Not surprisingly, some of their greatest challenges have involved the pandemic.

“The foremost challenge for our company during COVID-19 has been designing and implementing protocol—not only following but expanding—on the Centers for Disease Control guidelines,” Kathy says. “In an over-abundance of caution, we’ve implemented virtual listing appointments and socially distanced photo shoots; we’ve limited the number of people at private showings; we’ve sanitized any touched surfaces; and have exercised extensive safety measures at open houses.

“We are in the people business, and so much of what we do—and how we do it—involves personal contact, so it’s been a heavy challenge for us to not lose the human aspect of what we do while still adhering to CDC guidelines and best practices,” she added.

Over the years, a host of new services and technologies have emerged in the field that have helped streamline and improve operations.

“When I launched my career in real estate, for example, we had a Multiple Listing Service book that arrived weekly, listing all the homes for sale in the metro area,” she recalled. “As Realtors, we had control of ALL the information. As the internet grew, so did real estate sites and sources of information for the consumer. Thankfully, this brought a level of knowledge and empowerment to the consumer. Our industry is more transparent than it’s ever been, our clients are more prepared to become homeowners, and it helps to create a more trusted relationship between Realtor and consumer.”

As mentioned earlier, the Griffiths are firmly committed to giving back to the community that has benefited them so much, and they encourage their team to do the same.

“Many of our Realtors are deeply involved in education, the local arts, spiritual groups, city government, community-based organizations, and ethnic and minority groups that reflect the inclusiveness and diversity of our company,” she shares.

Prime Realty is a regular contributor to several programs and activities, including:

  • The Backpack Program, a part of the Regional Food Banks’ Food for Kids Programs, in which children receive a backpack full of kid-friendly, non-perishable and nutritious food on Friday to sustain them over weekends and school holidays.
  • ·The American Business Women Association, Norman Chapter, whose mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide them with opportunities to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition.
  • Red Andrews Toy Drive benefiting the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner, which provides warm meals and toys to approximately 7,000 citizens each year.

And Kathy has personally served as chairwoman of the Veteran’s Memorial Park in Moore since its inception in 2005 and dedication in 2007.

Between them, the couple has eight children and 14 grandchildren, and are both fortunate to still have their mothers, both of whom will be 89 this year.

Out of Tragedy a Worthy Project Is Grown

Five years ago, on June 19, 2016, area couple Kristen and Jacoby Gonzales went to check on their infant daughter, where she was discovered dead in her crib. The cause was determined to be SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

After Penelope’s tragic passing, the couple sought for a way to bring some meaning to their loss, as well as a way to help prevent this from occurring to others.

Life, as they say, happens. A year and a half after Penelope’s passing, the couple joyfully welcomed into their home twin boys, joining Penelope’s older sister, Emmaline. A year ago, Kristen joined Prime Realty Inc. as a Realtor, and her husband enrolled in school full time; he will apply to dental college this summer. It also took the couple some trial and error as they navigated the complex path to creating a nonprofit foundation.

However, the couple never put their dream aside, and they are now moving full steam ahead on what they have dubbed the “Penny Project,” which was formally established in December 2020.

Through the foundation, the couple hope to provide as many low-income families as possible with the Owlet Smart Sock, which monitors a child's heart rate and O2 levels; if the heart rate or O2 drops below the norm, it sets off an alarm to alert the parents. The socks can be worn from birth to 12 months.

For more information and to donate, visit www.thepennyproj.com or their Facebook page (search for @thepennyprojectfoundation) or call or email Kristen for more information at 405.760.3758; Gonzales.Kristen4@gmail.com. The websites also feature a downloadable application form for families who wish to request the socks.

Cleveland County Lifestyle readers also may contribute to the nonprofit by signing up for a Ride Oklahoma Charities-sponsored event set for March 20; watch for details on the Penny Project website or their Facebook page.

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