| Jun 27, 2013


When Alison Robinson started out in the real estate business 25 years ago, she was basically helping out the family business.

“I started in Real Estate as an agent for JM Coulter,” said Alison Robinson, who has been the broker-owner of Lake Distict Realty (LDR) since 1994.

Back in 1987, Alison was spending most of her time taking care of her three sons. Her husband Wayne Robinson's investment business was heavily weighted to investments in real estate and he used the services of his friend Janet Coulter to handle transactions, but there was distance involved because Janet was based in Kingston. “So I got my license and started working. It was supposed to be a part-time venture,” Alison said.

However, as Joel Gray, who is the business manager/realtor of LDR puts it, “Real estate is never a part-time venture."

In 1994 Janet Coulter was ailing from cancer and her doctor told her to wind up her business. This left Alison with a decision. She could either join one of the large regional or international real estate companies as an agent, or get her broker's license and start her own business.

And that’s how Lake District Realty came about.

Since she was originally from England, Alison was familiar with its famed Lake District.

“There they have five lakes and they call it a lake district, but here we have thousands of lakes, so I thought, why not call my company Lake District Realty?"

The name ended up being a good one. Although LDR started out as a general service realtor, selling farm properties, lots, street side homes, etc., 85% of the company's business has always come from representing buyers and sellers of waterfront properties.

In 1996 Alison was joined by her son Matthew, who was then a very young real estate agent, and with the help of one administrative assistant and in shared office space in the Simonett building, Lake District Realty enjoyed 10 years of unfettered growth.

By 2008 things had changed quite a bit. Internet marketing had become a major factor in the real estate business and Joel Gray, a long-time friend of Matthew’s who had worked for 10 years at Bowes and Cocks in Harrowsmith, was available to join the growing business. The push was on to narrow the focus of LDR.

“Matthew did an analysis of our business in 2007 and came to the conclusion we could do a better job by sticking exclusively to waterfront properties,” said Alison Robinson, “but I resisted. I saw us serving the community and was reluctant to say no to anybody who wanted to sell their property. But in the end I saw that he was right; sometimes it is better to do one thing very, very well, than to do many things.”

In 2009, LDR became “The Waterfront Company”.

“We know the lakes within a 45-minute radius of Sharbot Lake better than anyone else. I grew up here, I know these lakes. I know the communities, everything that people need to know when they are looking for a property,” said Joel Gray.

For that reason, most of the 70 or so properties that Lake District Realty sells each year are located on lakes within the Land O’Lakes region.

Matthew Robinson left LDR in 2011. He still works in the Simonett building, but is now a vice president of the Robinson Group. Joel Gray has stepped into a leadership role as business manager at LDR, and a third agent, Bill Anderson, has joined the company. The administrative office work is done by long-time associate Martina Waddingham. The importance of high quality marketing work, online and in print, necessitates a full time marketer for the company, a role that is filled by Nancy Moore, and Liz Kingsley handles the front desk.

“Unlike other kinds of real estate agencies, we work entirely as a team here. All listings belong to all of us; we are all available to do what needs to be done for the buyers and sellers whom we represent,” said Alison.

“When someone is selling a house, they are selling their single biggest asset, and it’s their home. When someone is buying a home, they are making their single largest purchase. There are lots of variables to consider,” said Joel Gray.

The latest evolution in the LDR story has to do with a small piece of real estate, their new office.

The Robinson Group needed more space, and plans were being formed to build a third floor onto the Simonett building. However, three years ago, Wayne and Alison Robinson had purchased a small house to the south of their family home. (They live on the south side of the parking lot for the Simonett building) The house was not being used, so instead of a large renovation to the Simonett building, they decided to do a smaller renovation of the house as a new home for LDR.

The "small" renovation turned into a full-scale gutting and rebuilding of the house, but it all led to a brand new office for Lake District Realty. Designer Cheryl Matson was brought in to help accomplish a professional office space, with the casual feel of a beach house.

The new LDR office has one added touch, making it easily recognisable. It has Sharbot Lake’s first electronic sign.

“It cost a lot of money for the sign,” said Alison Robinson, "but I think it is paying off already. We are seeing a huge increase in walk-in traffic ever since we moved, and the sign is part of that, as is the welcoming feel of the new office."

The office has been open for a couple of months now, and the LDR staff is now ready to host a grand opening, which will take place on Friday, July 5 from 1-5pm. All are welcome to tour the new building and share in coffee and snacks.

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