In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, REALTOR® Brady Long found himself dissatisfied with the inequality of the traditional brokerage. Together with another REALTOR®, the concept of a brokerage that provided for the needs of the salesperson in a fair and equitable mode of operation began to develop. The concept was frighteningly fresh and new. The challenges were impressive and everyone these two visionaries spoke to claimed that it couldn’t be done.
Brady’s unfinished basement was the original company office. The concept of providing for the REALTOR® on the front lines solidified into an actual brokerage, but not before the other REALTOR® decided that the going was too rough and sold his share of the company to Brady and Heather (Brady’s wife). The name Equity was chosen to represent the purpose of the brokerage and became the company’s first mission statement. Brady met with REALTORS® at restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores… anywhere that provided him with a location to sit comfortably and share his concept of how a broker should work with a sales agent. The year was 2002 and Equity Real Estate began to grow.
The initial offering that Equity made to its REALTORS® was a CD filled with a digital version of the forms. It was called “The Archive” and this concept eventually grew into the back office system that carried Equity through years of rapid growth as more and more REALTORS® realized that they didn’t need to pay the unreasonable splits of the traditional model any longer.
Equity’s growth wasn’t always rosy. Brady and Heather experienced some very lean times and supported the growth of the company through personal financial investments that put all that they owned at great risk. They believed in the principles of this young, upstart brokerage and the good that this innovative model would do in the industry that they didn’t feel as though they had any other option.
Equity Real Estate didn’t move into its first office space until it had reached a membership base of over 100 REALTORS®. Brokers began to join, realizing the potential they had to not only help those selling real estate achieve better lifestyles but that in doing so, they could potentially see better lives as well. Systems continued to be upgrades, relationships built, and locations added. Through the whole of this growth, Brady’s vision of being just and fair in all things was maintained.
Equity received the accolade of being ranked within the Top 20 Largest Real Estate Brokerages in the nation from the National Association of REALTORS® and was awarded seats on some of their boards. The company won a number of state awards, industry awards, and recognition from auxiliaries within the industry as it continued to grow, experiencing an average of 20% growth per year from the time of its inception on. The company began to reach outside of Utah, the state of its origin, delivering its value-added model to other states. The model is not an easy one for managing and hiring brokers to prosper within, and many have made the sacrifices—continue to make the sacrifices—necessary to open an Equity branch in their area. In order to provide the amazing vehicle for success that Equity does for REALTORS®, branch leadership must sacrifice for years at a time before achieving the compensation levels that many of our brokers now experience. They sacrifice so that they can truly make a positive difference in REALTORS®’ lives.
Today, Equity Real Estate is spread across the Nation, even into the Pacific. The growth of the company hasn’t ebbed. REALTORS® everywhere are seeing the benefits of Equity’s powerful business model and many a copycat brokerage has popped up without being able to match Equity’s unselfish offering. Competitors refer to Equity as a discount brokerage but do so without realizing that Equity is more than a full-service brokerage providing every tool and resource that traditional full-service brokerages offer and more. Innovative programs like the Equity Profit Share Program and the Equity Gratitude Program benefit our REALTORS® like no other program in the industry. And though Brady and Heather have retired, the company leadership continues to operate under the same principles and core values established in 2002 when Equity Real Estate was founded.
To provide an affordable, incredible vehicle for real estate brokers’ and REALTORS®’ success with unparalleled services, resources, and tools while always adhering to our Core Values and being an active force for good in the lives of our REALTORS®, communities, and the world. To provide access to this vehicle throughout the whole of the nation by establishing a solid, stable, and engaged presence in all fifty states. To be the largest, most influential brokerage in the industry for the sake of our REALTORS®. To always be equitable in all of our dealings, and to never forget our roots.
We will always provide our team of REALTORS® with the inspiration for success and the aspiration to accomplish their goals by being well established in every state, providing the ultimate suite of tools and resources, and continuing to give back on every level. We will never lose sight of the importance of our REALTORS®’ and brokers’ success and will always look for ways to empower them through innovation and action. We will achieve 100,000 REALTORS® and be firmly established with at least a 10% market share in all 50 states by 2025.
The core values are represented by the Equity Value Blocks, which you’ll see throughout our marketing collateral and websites. The Equity Value Blocks are designed to be a constant reminder of our Core Values in all that we do. Each color block represents one of our Core Values, and the white space surrounding them another as explained below.
