Take a weekend stroll around downtown Chetek, Wisconsin, and chances are you’ll be lured by real estate town heirloom Six Lakes Realty’s royal orange facade and boldly colored logo. If its inviting branding gives you the impression that this indie family-owned brokerage will make you feel at home, you’d be correct: owners John and Julie Flor view their community as one big family. Now joining forces with Keller Williams, the husband-and-wife duo and their team are excited to tap into this extended community and amplify the scope of their work and resources under their iconic branding.
“Six Lakes Realty has been a part of the Northwestern Wisconsin community since 1978 (editor’s note: that’s 42 years), and being able to keep our colors, logos, and reputation in place while having the horsepower of an international brand like Keller Williams was extremely important,” John says. “We also felt that KW is aligned with the culture we already promote and live here. The KW family are definitely our people.”
For the duo, the concept of family carries deep roots planted within the business itself and their community. Six Lakes Realty is the labor of love of John’s parents, Butch and Barb Flor, who purchased the business in 1989. When Butch decided to retire and asked John to take over the business, not even he could predict how deeply John would dive into his role.
Now the treasurer for the National Association of Realtors, John has constantly aimed higher and higher in giving back to his industry at the local, state, and national level. He’s previously served as chairman of the Wisconsin Realtors Association and president of the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin.
“I think it’s important to be involved in helping determine the direction of the industry, rather than sitting on the sidelines observing and dealing with the ramifications of other people’s decisions,” he shares. The couple jokes that John is the boardroom guy, while Julie lends her communication skills and lively presence to relationship-building.
“I love nothing more than coming out of a boardroom, knowing that I helped make the lives of our members better, even if they never know I had anything to do with it,” John says. Julie adds, “We get so much from being involved. I hope we always get the chance to be on the board and serve on the committee.”
Ultimately, the Flors have a vision: to mold agent minds that operate in an ethical, professional manner and advocate for their clients, above all. “As agents, if we’re not professional, we don’t deserve the respect,” Julie says. “By being involved at the national level and listening to the homeowners that we advocate for, we can help make our profession better and maintain the homeownership dream. And the more we’ve discovered with Keller Williams, the more we’ve realized that’s how we do our business and it’s what we’re continuously striving for.”