Ball Real Estate’s executive vice-president, Gareth Jones, said moving into Haliburton County “was a logical extension” of the business they already do across a large swathe of the region, from Lakefield, to Apsley, Norwood, Hastings, Peterborough and Bobcaygeon.
They held a grand opening at their new digs, at 199 Highland St. in downtown Haliburton, May 20.
Owner Greg Ball started Ball Real Estate Inc. Brokerage in Lakefield in 2017.
“My mother and I sold real estate out of another brokerage for 55 years together, 30 years for her, and 25 years for me,” Ball said. “And then we decided it was time to try it on our own. I have daughters coming up through the pipeline, and I thought I really don’t want to have to work for anybody except us, so we took the plunge.”
The real estate rush then saw the other offices open between 2017 and 2023.
Jones said the reason Haliburton County makes sense is, “we are extremely well known in the Kawartha area for waterfront, recreational, rural properties so it is a natural extension for us to come further west and further north.”
Ball said they had already been doing a lot of business in Haliburton County without a storefront.
“We’ve been actively looking for an office in Haliburton for four-plus years. It had to be the right location for us. It had to be from the lights (at Hwy. 118 and Highland Street) to the pizzeria.” He joked that, as the fourth real estate office on the main street, “you have real estate row.”
They have put together a team that includes some local faces with some local expertise. They include former JDH occasional teacher, Todd Sayles; long-time realtors Dagmar Boettcher and Donna McCallum, Dianne de Savoye, Adele Barry, and Jason Jarvis.
Jones said, “we don’t go into locations with the intention of getting agents to fill our office. We’re very selective about who we bring in.
“Our culture is very important to us. If you’re not into that fit whatsoever, chances are you are not going to be productive, and then you get a bad apple. We work very hard to protect that culture. My term is ‘playful professional.’ I think it’s so important our clients enjoy their experience with realtors.”
Ball and Jones said they love having offices in smaller towns and are always keen to be part of the communities they service.
“We’re always looking for communitybased participation,” Ball said. “We do make ourselves a presence everywhere we go. We are always looking for other opportunities to engage with the community. If events are coming up, we want to be on the mailing list, and check the list to see if it’s something of interest to us.”
Ball said they are also 100 per cent local. “We are not a corporation. Our money doesn’t go to the U.S. head office. Our money stays right here.”
Jones added, “we’re very proud 100 per cent of our dollars spent stay right here in our communities.”
