The Fine Art of Collecting

Things are nice, but experiences enrich you for life

BY JOHN N. VATISTAS

Not that I don't place value on things, but things have baggage. They require storage. And they're fragile. They aren't usually shared. And their value is measured by others. At any time, they could be lost, damaged or stolen.

Not experiences. While priceless, they require no security. They can't be broken, removed or stolen. And they're with you always. Ready to be shared with anyone at a moment's notice.
I have many things, but I value my experiences most.

Over the last few weeks, my collection grew exponentially when my firm, Equitable Sotheby's Real Estate, merged with Russ Lyon Realty forming the largest Sotheby's International Franchise in the world. As experiences go, this was a big one. It's shared by many internally. And affects a greater population externally. That's a feat few collections can ever achieve. 

While driving from Flagstaff the other day, I dusted off a collectable experience - one from years ago that might be my most cherished. It was about when I was buying my first home. My agent, a strong, matriarchal woman, lead the transaction. My agent was ripe with confidence. When the deal was completed and I was handed the keys, something transpired that I don't believe she was even aware of. Honestly, I was not either until years later.

Like many of you, I took real estate people for granted. I knew little about the process and even less about what makes a deal. I just figured they're all the same. But over the years, as I invested, bought and sold, my perspective changed. As I built companies (insurance, title, mortgage) I became aware. When you work with great agents, you learn that they aren't only in the real estate business. They're in the experience business.

As a collector, I wanted to share this with others. Equitable began with the idea of creating great experiences for fellow homeowners through the things I can control. Like assembling the best agents. And building stunning office environments designed to transcend the typical real estate experience. And appointed with the most progressive technology. And crafting the most elegant marketing material.
I spared no expense. Took no short cuts. After all, I had no intention of shortchanging this experience for anyone -- not for myself, the agents and definitely not for our clients. After all, this is something we all share in.

And that's why I brought Sotheby's International Realty to Phoenix. It's the prize of my collection. For me, it embodies all that I experienced from my first transaction on forward to today. It now extends outward, shared by many others who include Jim Lyon, Todd Gillenwater and all of the great Russ Lyon Realty agents who have merged with me to make this all possible - a merger of a third generation, 60-year-old tradition of real estate excellence with a 260-year-old renowned international brand of distinction.

Collections are special; they're timeless. Each piece, a representation of the best of its breed. I believe that's what we are doing here. What we've created is not for every agent. It's different and requires savvy associates with a very special commitment to unrivaled, “white glove” standards many agents are not willing to make for themselves or their clients.

It takes something special to be part of a collection. It requires one to place more value on the experience than on things.

Mastery is the art of creating distinctions. The fine art of real estate is full of nuance, refining the mundane with skill and discretion. It is about artfully uniting extraordinary properties with extraordinary lives.

We're doing something different. Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Realty. We're taking the experience to a whole new level - inviting, savvy, discrete and refined. And you're invited.