Page-Taft Real Estate: 25 Years in Business Originally published in Business New Haven, 12/12/2005
HistoryIn 1980, Laura Page and Betty Taft combined their companies and opened the doors of Page-Taft Real Estate. Then there were five agents in the quaint Boston Street Guilford office. Since then the company has grown, adding offices in Madison (52 Wall Street in 1994), Essex (35 Main Street in 2001) and Old Lyme (19 Halls Road in 2001).
Page-Taft has continued to be true to its roots as one of the Shoreline's foremost independently owned and -managed real estate firms. In 2004, the company-realized sales of $222 million, a 28-percent increase over 2003.
For Page-Taft's agents, real estate is more than just a business - it's a profession. Personal attention is a priority, along with sharing knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.
That dedication extends to the communities they serve. P-T agents and staff volunteer on numerous local town boards and in leadership positions for various community organizations. They have donated their time to many causes, including Habitat for Humanity, the Guilford Civic Women's Group, the Deacon John Grave House and the Shoreline Foundation Showcase House.
Achievements & AccomplishmentsPage-Taft is one of the first Shoreline companies to enhance its listings on Realtor.com and to offer cutting-edge visual home tours. As a member of Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate, Page-Taft can showcase its luxury properties to a worldwide market. Page-Taft is also a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a national network of more than 120,000 independent agencies that generates 60,000 referral introductions annually. The company also boasts two past presidents and the current president of the Mid-Shore Association of Realtors. It is also the first Connecticut agency to become a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Real Estate Program.
Looking AheadThis year marked the start of a new beginning for Page-Taft when Karen Stephens, a highly successful agent in the company's Guilford office, took over leadership of the firm. "My goal has always been to preserve the unique qualities of Page-Taft," she explains. "Moving the company forward and keeping abreast of the latest changes in the real estate industry are important. However, of more importance is that we continue to provide exceptional service to our clients."