About Bill Wagner
Bill Wagner – Operating Principal
Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore
Bill grew up in the construction business; his father and grand father both working in the trade. At 19 he formed his own sub-contracting company with eight carpenters under his employ. Bill’s reputation of providing the highest quality construction and meeting deadlines, placed his company in high demand and allowed him to command premium prices for his work, 25% higher than his competitors.
Growing tired of the elements and chronic back problems, Bill entered real estate sales in 1978 with the #1 company on Long Beach Island, Zachariae Realty. Bill was instrumental in the opening of that firm’s Little Egg Harbor Township office in 1980 and served as assistant manager.
In 1981, in the face of 18.5% interest rates, he joined BayShore Agency, a small independent, to restructure and grow the company. He immediately instituted formal training and began recruiting. Three years later, as co-owner and Vice President, he had grown the company, to #1 in market share. Opening new offices and acquiring two smaller companies, the company expanded to 7 offices and over 120 agents, servicing Southern Ocean County and Long Beach Island.
He restructured and computerized the affiliated insurance company, initiated claims reduction programs, and increased profits 225%.
Bill, simultaneously, was the active lead partner in two highly profitable development and construction companies and served actively on the Planning Board of Eagleswood Township. This knowledge and experience greatly enhances the ability of his agents to earn commissions when they have the opportunity to work in these areas of specialization.
Bill sold his interest in BayShore Agency in 1989.
In 1991, during the acquisition of a Century 21 company, Bill Fox asked him to join Fox & Lazo, as the Absecon Office manager. Facing a severe retraction of the market in Atlantic County, he was immediately given the task of obtaining a larger facility and consolidating three small offices. Bill’s ability to get “into relationship” with his agents allowed him to successfully merge the three groups of agents into one synergistic, cohesive team. The team always met or exceeded goals for production and profit and always exceeded goals for company-controlled business in title and mortgage, continuously winning company awards.
Bill assumed the role of lead manager and Designated Realtor for the remaining three offices in Atlantic County. He again developed and initiated formal training programs open to agents from all three offices, focusing on sales techniques, prospecting, customer service and the emerging use of technology in real estate.
He instituted a county wide recruiting program providing salespeople for all three offices. Bill never lost a company-recruiting contest, being the beneficiary of several company paid trips to the Bahamas.
Fox & Lazo merged with Roach Wheeler in December of 1997 to become Fox & Roach Realtors. Due to differing philosophies toward agents, Bill resigned on January 15th, 1999, assuming the role of General Manager of Balsley Losco Real Estate.
At Balsley Losco, Bill immediately initiated multiple levels of training and updated the technology systems. By 2002, as a result of extensive training, agent business planning and one-on-one coaching, agent production qualified the company as 403rd in the RealTrends Top 500 companies (closed sides). The company remained in the top 500 through 2004 reaching almost 1400 closed sides through 2005 and averaging 22 closed sides per agent. Prior to Bill’s arrival, the company had closed 548 sides for 1998.
Based on increased trends in production, during the first nine months in 1999, Bill was able to negotiate multiple Marketing Service Agreements with three mortgage companies and 5 title companies. Among them: Countrywide Home Loans, National City Mortgage, Fidelity National and LandAmerica. Revenues from these affiliations grew to over $270,000 per year in additional revenue to the company.
Bill joined Keller Williams, in August 2006, for the purpose of learning the company models and systems in preparation for opening the Atlantic County Market Center. He took a position with the Jersey Shore Market Center in Toms River, as Team Leader, on a limited basis. Due to previous commitments and required Keller Williams training, he assumed full time responsibility as Team Leader in mid November.
He immediately initiated training programs for agents at all levels of production. Consistently providing over 50 different sessions per month. These programs produced significant gains in individual agent production levels.
As of July 31st, 2007, as Team Leader of the Jersey Shore Market Center, Bill recruited 61 agents to Keller Williams in 7 months.
Bill has now finalized the launch of the Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore Market Center in Atlantic County, NJ where he is the Team Leader and Co-Operating Principal with his wife Mary Ann Wagner. With 120 agents already on board the Market Center is expected to be at 160 agents by the end of 2009.
The grand opening of the Northfield facility, in the newly renovated Kensington Square Center, is expected to be August 1st, with an agent count exceeding 100 agents.
With 30 years experience in the real estate industry, 27 in management or ownership, Bill has an unbroken history of attracting and developing highly productive and highly profitable, agents, offices and companies.
His ability to seize the opportunities presented by shifting markets, combined with his training and leadership skills, has always allowed him to lead his agents to significant gains in market share during periods considered unfavorable by the industry in general.