It all started as a bet about 6 years ago, says C. Seth Fowler, a Fort Worth real estate agent with Williams Trew. Little did he know that a friendly wager would turn into a calling card.
Now Fowler, a go-getter of a Realtor, has something in common with Bill Nye the Science Guy and Doctor Who‘s 11th Doctor, Matt Smith: A penchant for bow ties!
“So now I pretty much only wear bow ties and I’ve even had people come up to me telling me they didn’t recognize me if I wasn’t wearing a bow tie,” Fowler said. “So yeah, I guess I am ‘The Bow Tie Realtor,’ but I want to be known for my skills more than my attire.”
That’s OK, Seth. We hear that bowties are cool!
We asked Fowler to open up a bit about those skills as this week’s Great Western Home Loans Featured Realtor. While you can learn more about Fowler on twitter (@bowtierealtor), jump to find out why he chose a career in real estate and the place he calls his second home!
Where are you from?
C. Seth Fowler: I grew up in Boerne in the Texas Hill Country just outside of San Antonio. My wife and I moved to Fort Worth in 2002.
How did you get into real estate?
Fowler: My dad was in new home sales when I was 16 years old and I loved seeing him be a part of people’s lives and helping them see their dreams grow from the ground up. In 2004 I started in new home sales and loved that, but in 2014 I was invited to be a real estate sales professional for Williams Trew Real Estate and I couldn’t pass up that opportunity.
You specialize in residential sales. Tell us: What are some unique challenges that Realtors face in this market?
Fowler: I specialize in being me. I am a real estate sales professional. Unlike many in this business, I embrace being called a sales professional. Whether clients are buying or selling their home, they’re not looking for a friend, they’re not looking for a bus driver, they are looking for someone who is going to help them make the best purchasing or selling decision. That’s what I do.
Where is home for you?
Fowler: We have lived on the west side of Fort Worth since we moved to Fort Worth. We recently had our home featured on daltxrealestate.com and sold it and are considering moving further west for family reasons. I have a special needs son and he needs more outdoor space.
And you drive a … let me guess, Mercedes Benz?
Fowler: Nah, I’m not the Mercedes Benz type…I drive a 2008 Tahoe. I am hoping to get 300,000 miles on it before I get another one.
What’s your favorite ‘hood in Fort Worth and why?
Fowler: So many great areas… I think my favorite is Crestwood. I love it because of the trees and because it’s so quiet. When I was in new home sales, the company I worked for was responsible for starting a total Renaissance on certain streets that were a little spooky until we changed it.
What was your best/highest sale?
Fowler: My highest was in Mira Vista a while ago. It was over $1.5 million by the time it was completed. My best is always the next one coming.
Likewise, what was your most challenging or memorable transaction?
Fowler: I was at an open house for a home still under construction and it was a total mess — debris all over the place. A lady walked up, we started talking, and by the end of our conversation we had made an appointment for the next day to write the contract. They were great buyers and I still keep in touch with them today.
How quickly have you ever turned a house?
Fowler: Obviously the state of this market is nuts. I’ve sold homes that weren’t even for sale!
How much did you sell last year?
Fowler: It was a good year in 2015. I was able to stay one step ahead of the bill collector!
What words of wisdom do you often share with clients?
Fowler: I share a lot with clients … sometimes too much probably but that’s just who I am. The biggest thing I try to impart on my clients is, “You buy your home to sell your home.” That means when a client is looking to buy a home, remember that statistics show they’ll live there on average 5 to 7 years. Rarely do people buy that “forever home,” so think about the home and how it will look in 5-plus years when they’re trying to resell it. Will others like the updates and selections and layout of the home? If it’s an odd home or has strange facets to it, my clients might not mind, but they need to consider what others will think of it when it’s on the market in the future.
If you ever change careers for an encore you’ll…
Fowler: That’s easy. I would be a professional speaker. I love giving speeches and talks especially in regards to the Autism Spectrum and talking to families that are dealing with a child on the Spectrum. My wife and I wrote a book a few years ago about that and we speak at conferences all across the country and it’s so energizing and rewarding. I would love to be able to devote more time especially talking to fathers of children with Autism.
Do you have a second home? If so, where?
Fowler: I sure do…it’s called the Williams Trew World Headquarters located at 3707 Camp Bowie Blvd. in Fort Worth!
