Living the Dream, owned by D.W. Hindman and headquartered in Cuba, Missouri, and Tarrant & Harman Real Estate and Auction Co., co-owned by Travis Tarrant and Mark Harman and based in Alton, Illinois, provide a Midwestern case study in opportunity amplification.
As the exclusive LandLeader® partners in their respective states, Hindman and Tarrant got to know one another through the company’s network.
“Besides unparalleled real estate marketing, one of the most powerful aspects of being a LandLeader® member owner is the broker network,” Tarrant said. “As a member, you’re part of an alliance that allows you to pick up the phone and tap into expertise across the country. All LandLeader® affiliates rest comfortably in the knowledge that other members work exclusive territories and are fellow owners in LandLeader®, so there are no secrets, just a spirit of cooperation and leadership.”
WHEN THERE’S COOPERATION, THERE’S A CHANCE FOR COLLABORATION AND MUTUAL SUCCESS. – D.W. Hindman
Initially, Hindman and Tarrant discovered they shared core business values, particularly as they related to customer service.
“My dad, who made a name for our family in Missouri real estate beginning in the 1960s, always taught me, ‘No commission is ever worth your reputation,’” Hindman, who began his real estate career in 1984, said. “When you treat people well, then the rest of the business takes care of itself.”
Tarrant concurred, “At Tarrant & Harman, we believe in truth and trust. Our clients, be they buyers or sellers, can rest assured that we will take care of them—and their biggest asset and investment—honestly and respectfully.”
Building on that foundation that was strengthened by their shared passion for land and outdoor living, they discovered an opportunity to leverage their respective skill sets by teaming up for real estate auctions.
“Tarrant & Harman have a complete, experienced auction team in place,” Hindman said. “There was no reason for me to reinvent the wheel, when we could access that experience through a working alliance. Partnering with Tarrant & Harman was a logical way to bring the options of auctions to our buyers and sellers.”
Tarrant added, “Working with Living the Dream allows our auction team to demonstrate their skills in Missouri, so we’ve expanded our reach and income generating potential as a partner in a region that was previously unavailable. It’s a win-win.”
Live auctions have long been a staple for marketing farmland, but now, with advent of online auctions, they are emerging as desirable marketing options for recreational properties and ranches as well as exclusive estates.
“In a traditional live farmland auction, most of the buyers are local,” Hindman said. “With recreational properties, the reach has to be much broader because the people who may be interested are scattered far and wide.”
For some buyers, the distance to a recreational property auction may be a deterrent. They don’t want to drive several hours not knowing whether the property will be in their price range or whether they will ultimately walk away the high bidder. Online auctions mitigate the risk of “wasting time,” so it’s much easier to create a pool of qualified buyers for recreational properties.
“At Tarrant & Harman, we have an online auction platform that allows us to host auctions with a global audience,” Tarrant said. “People can preview the properties at their convenience prior to the auction and then, on the day of the auction, bid from wherever they are in the world.”
Recently, Living the Dream and Tarrant & Harman sold a 1,400-acre recreational property to a buyer from Reno, Nevada, who had never set foot on the property. The buyer had done his due diligence and was comfortable purchasing the property based on the hundreds of photos and drone video footage offered as part of the marketing effort.
“Technology allows us to bring land and buyers together in ways no one imagined before,” Hindman said. “We are committed to staying on the cutting edge because if you’re not a step ahead it’s easy to fall behind.”
The benefits of an auction, regardless of the platform, are the same.
“The seller benefits from having a time-definite sale, no contingencies, and cash closing within 30 days,” Tarrant said. “Buyers know they are competing fairly and on the same term as all other buyers.”
Both Tarrant and Hindman agree that LandLeader® has given their businesses a competitive advantage.
“In the digital age, it’s not enough to have a web presence, you have to know who is accessing your listings and how often,” Hindman said. “LandLeader® has the expertise to analyze our traffic and with that data, we can figure out how to reach and best serve those potential clients. Our team is more efficient and effective with the LandLeader® advantage.”
Tarrant added, “Referrals within the LandLeader® network occur regularly. LandLeader is comprised of the best brokerages in the business and we rely on one another’s expertise often. The members provide a level of assurance tobuyers and sellers across the nation that we’re professionals who know how to get the job done at the highest levels.”
About Living the Dream
Living the Dream Inc. was formed by D.W. Hindman, with the mission to help outdoorsmen live out their dream by matching exceptional Missouri properties with extraordinary people. DW, the broker-owner, is an avid outdoor enthusiast and hunter, he has a passion for this and strives to reflect this passion throughout his company.
He has grown up in the business, following in the footsteps of his father, Clifford Hindman, since the 1960s. During his career, he has been fortunate to have served as the President of the St. Louis Association of Realtors, while actively sitting on the Professional Ethics and Standards committee. The principles of honesty, integrity, and professionalism were learned at an early age and handed down through his father and his peers in the industry.
“The best advice I ever received was: ‘If you expect to last in this business, there is no commission that is worth your reputation, and remember to treat everyone as you also would like to be treated,’” he said.
These tried-and-true principles have held strong now for 30 years, therefore they are the very ones that Living the Dream Inc. and the entire staff live by. D.W. believes that the preamble in the Realtors Code of Ethics says it best, “Under all is the Land and upon the wise utilization of land and its widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and our way of life.”
D.W continued, “These are reasons as Americans we are free. We feel that it’s not just land we are selling, it’s a lifestyle. That’s our creed, and nobody sells these messages better than Living the Dream Inc.”
We will show you our unique style of marketing land. We specialize in all types of outdoor properties; farms, ranches, recreational, timber, as well as river and lake properties. It’s all we do and we believe we’re the best at it!
Living the Dream
Licensed in: Missouri (and soon in western Kentucky)
515 South Franklin, Suite A
Cuba, Missouri 65453
(855) 289-3478
www.MissouriDreamLand.com
About Tarrant & Harman Real Estate and Auction Co.
Tarrant & Harman Real Estate and Auction Co. is a real estate brokerage that offers a diversified approach to marketing recreational properties, agricultural properties, waterfront properties, hunting properties, timberland, homes and cabins, and horse ranches. We are capable of listing your property for sale in the traditional fashion or we can strategically put together a 30 day marketing plan for a real estate auction.
At Tarrant & Harman Real Estate and Auction Co. we have been assisting landowners in marketing their properties for several years. Our land professionals plan each auction or listing they conduct with thoughtful consideration to the needs of the seller, attention to the unique attributes of the property, and insight into evaluating the real estate marketplace. We understand that every property is different as well as the needs of each seller. Selling your property is often the culmination of a lifetime of work – or even generations of your family.
The team that supports each sale, from our sales professionals to auction and marketing experts, understands that you’ve made an important personal decision to sell your real estate. We strive to prepare and execute an auction or sales strategy that meets the high level of stewardship that you have invested into your property.
Tarrant & Harman Real Estate and Auction Co.
Licensed in: Illinois and Missouri
3644 Fosterburg Rd.
Alton, Illinois 62002
(618) 433-9436
www.TarrantandHarman.com
About LandLeader®
The Land Leader, LLC is the largest land marketing company in America. As a real estate marketing firm we specialize in promoting our partners and their land for sale, including ranches and farms, timberland, hunting and recreational properties, waterfront, rural homes and vacant land. Our core marketing plan offers well-rounded strategic marketing tactics to expose our partners and their properties to millions of buyers across the country and internationally.
LandLeader® exclusive partners are professional land experts for various types of properties across the country. LandLeader® agents are the leaders in their territories and continue to represent their clients’ properties with trust, integrity, and a deep knowledge of land values.