Coldwell Banker Gosslee celebrates 60 years

When real estate agent Carolyn Mills started with Coldwell Banker J. Wesley Dowling and Associates 35 years ago, showing houses was a little different.

And a lot more work. “You would have to go pick up the keys from the different companies, and you would have to return the keys to the different companies all over Shreveport- Bossier.” Mills remembered. “They would fuss at you – the ones who had the listings – when they didn’t have their key right back.”

Now, Mills simply opens an app, holds her phone near the house’s lockbox, and the key pops out.

Technology, man. Either keep up or fall behind.

For 60 years, what is now Coldwell Banker Gosslee has kept up and, in many ways, taken the lead in Northwest Louisiana real estate. It was back in 1960 when J. Wesley Dowling founded what was then J. Wesley Dowling and Associates. In 1983, the residential side of the company became Coldwell Banker J. Wesley Dowling and Associates. In 2012, the agency became Coldwell Banker Gosslee.

Through the name changes, one thing has remained the same.

“Our focus on customer service has always been what has separated us from the pack,” said president and broker/ owner Brad Gosslee. “Our agents’ commitment to customer service is tremendous. We have a fantastic training program for our agents, and we are committed to supporting our agents. They are really the reason for our success. But on top of that, our agents take customer service to the next level. It’s something we talk about every day in training.”

Gosslee says since 1997, Coldwell Banker Gosslee has been the area’s top real estate company, as measured by dollar volume sales. In other words, among all real estate companies in a seven-parish area, Gosslee says Coldwell Banker Gosslee accounts for the biggest total dollar amount of all homes sold.

Having the nationally known name Coldwell Banker has certainly helped.

“When we’re handing out a business card or wearing a name tag with our Coldwell Banker logo on it, it gives instant credibility to our agents,” Gosslee said. “Somebody maybe doesn’t know us locally, but they know they can trust Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker brand.”

But Gosslee says Coldwell Banker is more than a name. It’s a company that allows him and his father, Jimmy (chairman emeritus), to learn from other Coldwell Banker brokers across the country. Father and son then take what they learn and apply it to our area’s real estate market.

“Dad and I are part of a broker group which meets twice a year with 25 other Coldwell Banker brokers and owners – leading brokers around the country,” Gosslee said. “Almost all markets are larger than Shreveport-Bossier. … We have a two-day ‘Best Practices’ meeting. We share ideas and technology, along with Coldwell Banker bringing us their latest and greatest innovations in the industry.”

One of those innovations which Gosslee is excited about is called “CBX.” It’s a software which takes advantage of 50 data points. When an agent enters a property address, CBX will indicate where the most likely buyers are going to come from for that type of house in that neighborhood.

“It gives us the profile to market to,” Gosslee said. “If we know the certain age demographics and income demographics – even the other markets outside Shreveport-Bossier that are likely to move into town – we can do digital advertising to those audiences and make really targeted marketing efforts.”

Gosslee acknowledges the Shreveport- Bossier real estate market has become more competitive over the years. Several national companies – and some local companies – are all looking for their share of the home buying and home selling pie. For Coldwell Banker Gosslee, that has made it even more important to focus on its biggest assets – people.

“We hire agents that are professional and treat this job as a full-time job – unlike a lot of our competition that will hire anyone who can get their real estate license, and they are doing real estate on the side,” Gosslee said. “They’re doing it on nights and weekends, and they have another job. We hire full-time, dedicated people that are part of the community and are out there networking in the community – and people who understand this is a relationship business.”

As for Mills, she’s not about to let the ever-changing real estate world send her to foreclosure. She has 35 years with the same company, 38 years in the business, and more to come.

“You always have to learn, learn, learn and be the best, best, best you can be,” Mills said. “You don’t want to be left in the dust.”

Unless it’s dust from a lot with a home on it which Mills has just sold.