For long-time Sisters broker, it's all about the clients

By Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

In an interesting way, Ross Kennedy brings to bear his background as a coach and trainer on his work with real estate clients. “If I’m helping somebody, whether it be in business or in sports, I want the best outcome for them,” he said. That outlook shapes every aspect of Kennedy’s work. “It’s about the client. It’s not about closing a transaction. It’s about me enabling them to get the best scenario out of it. I do a lot of listening to fi nd out what their needs are.”

Working as a Principal Broker with Black Butte Realty Group, Kennedy has experience and expertise in every kind of property in Sisters Country. With a strong feel for the various pieces that make up Sisters’ cultural quilt, he helps clients find just where they want to be in this surprisingly diverse community, whether they are looking for commercial property, a vacation home, or are realizing the dream of living in Sisters full-time.

Kennedy continually works to add new tools to his kit to make transactions better for clients.

“I now have my own loan origination license,” he noted. “What makes that nice and what makes that convenient for the client is that they have one point of contact for the entire transaction. At the end, the experience for the buyer is so much better.”

Kennedy is equally versed in the listing and the purchasing end of real estate transactions, and sometimes he connects the two, as he did with a recent vacation home transaction.

“We contacted Ross to help us find the perfect vacation home, and from the beginning to the end, it was wonderful working with him. He has extensive knowledge of the area, which helped tremendously. He has a very calming demeanor, which we appreciate as real estate transactions can be stressful. He kept us well-informed and was easily accessible for any questions. And he found our perfect home.”

— Clients Chad and Dyanna Herman

“After 16 years of homeownership at Black Butte Ranch I decided to sell my home, so I called Ross Kennedy at Black Butte Realty Group,” she said. “As the only on-site real estate company, I knew they did a lot of business with Ranch properties. Ross was everything I hoped for in an agent: professional, courteous, friendly, knowledgeable, caring and supportive. On top of that, he already had clients searching for a home like mine. He put us together and I received an excellent offer less than a week after our first conversation.”

— Seller, Suzanne Parry

The Hermans’ comment points up an intangible but critical element of Kennedy’s approach to his work. He is known for that calm, cool demeanor.

He smiles a bit when that’s brought up.

“I’ve had to develop that,” he confessed, “because I used to be pretty hot.”

Maybe. But Kennedy’s background has given him plenty of experience in performing under pressure. And now, years of experience with a wide variety of real estate transaction types — and confidence in his skill set — have enabled Kennedy to alleviate the inherent stress in the work. Experience teaches that there are always options.

“You never have to do it just one way,” he notes.

“I’m not trying to solve the problem at the moment,” he noted. “I don’t have to be reactive. I can problem-solve because I’ve been there, done that.”

Kennedy is gratified to note that he has good personal and professional relationships with other Realtors in Sisters, which makes the work smoother. He really looks for a win for everyone — and a pleasant experience.

“I just want them to be able to say, ‘Wow! That was easy!’”

Again, in a way, that relates back to Kennedy’s athletic background. A skilled track athlete, he still competes in triathlons. He’s serious about it — but more serious about the experience than about “winning.”

“I have a competitive spirit,” he said. “However, I want to enjoy the experience. I want everybody to compete at their absolute best.” Winning for the sake of winning isn’t a motivator.

“I never want to take advantage of a situation,” he said. “I want it to be the best it can be.”

And he always comes back to the critical aspect of lending an attentive ear.

“Everybody is human,” he said. “Everybody has their own story, and you have to support their story and their journey.”

Kennedy says that he truly loves his work. It gives him the flexibility to be a family man and a volunteer coach.

“I don’t feel like I’m missing out on my kids’ life and my family life,” he said.

Raising a family here, Kennedy is deeply invested in the vitality of Sisters. And he likes to share the community’s spirit, values and vitality with clients.

“We’re a community of support,” he said. “There is a risingtide-raises-all-boats mentality.”

More than simply seeking to close a deal, Kennedy seeks to help his clients find their place here.

“I try to educate them about our culture, the Sisters culture,” he said. “What part of the culture makes sense to them?”

Ross has volunteered on campaigns to support the schools through passage of construction bonds and a local option levy; has served as an assistant coach in track and field and basketball; and volunteers each year with the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

The can-do outlook is built into Kennedy’s nature; it’s the bedrock of his work and nothing satisfies him more than seeing it all come to fruition in a positive outcome.

“I love the end of the transaction,” he mused. “You’ve created this wonderful experience.”