With 28 years in real estate under his belt, N.Y.-based agent Harlan Furbush took time in 2019 to ask himself some questions. “If I have a certain amount of time left, do I want to finish it out doing the same old, or change?” Furbush shares the thought process that ultimately led to him joining Keller Williams right before the start of 2020.
Not one to close himself off to opportunities, Furbush had developed a habit to visit a select number of brokerages yearly. For the past five years, one of those brokerages had been his local Keller Williams market center. “I liked just sitting in the lobby, because the energy was different than what I was used to,” he says. “There was something magnetic about that.” With steady business growth during those initial visits, Furbush didn’t see a reason to move at the time. Though his business still remains steady today, as he starts looking at the last portion of his career, Furbush is excited about change – and the open environment that Keller Williams offers is perfect for his last act.
Furbush is no stranger to taking chances. When starting out in real estate, he had just walked out of a corporate management environment after relocating to Monroe County, New York, less than a year before. Having never sold a home, he started from zero and established a presence in the industry by dusting off his phone book, and doorknocking. As his efforts increased, momentum grew, and in 2019, Furbush closed an impressive $10.9 million and 63 units. Alongside his part-time assistant, he is pushing forward to building a 100% referral-based, client-centric business.
“Whatever we put in someone’s hands, whatever we sent to their mailbox. The big thing is that it’s client-centric and of value. We want to give them something,” he says.
On this front, he is excited to transition his database to Command and create valuable materials for his sphere of influence through Designs. “The technology is very forward and solves many of our database and design needs,” he says. “Other brokerages take money to invest in building their brand, but I’ve never seen a Keller Williams ad because they’re taking the money and investing into technology.”
Looking to the future, Furbush wants to focus on mentorship. “What’s next for me personally is becoming more efficient and freeing up time to spend with other agents, helping them build their careers, get a foothold, and build something similar to what I’ve built, if that works for them.”
With his assistant and the open environment of Keller Williams supporting him, Furbush feels fully set up for success. “So far, the move has gone far better than expected, both business-wise and office atmosphere-wise,” Furbush says. “People stop by to help and say hi even if they don’t know you, and we really dove into the freedom to brand ourselves and create materials.”