Real estate broker associate Bob Barrett, left, sales associate Jason Elliott, right, and Barrett’s daughter, Christine, vow to treat clients the way they would like to be treated. Photo by Chris Sturgis. By Chris Sturgis Robert J. “Bob” Barrett knew his pharmaceutical career was coming to a close. He had been a successful district and regional sales manager for Wyeth Laboratories, but had heard that early retirement incentives would be offered at the company. Far from ready to stake out a permanent place under a beach umbrella, Barrett decided to expand his part-time real estate business to full time. He obtained his broker license, and with years of customer service experience on his resume and a well-developed network of contacts established from years of volunteering, became a real estate broker associate. He was sure the appointments and paperwork would flood in. He was so sure, he hired a secretary on his first day, Terry Johnson, the second member of what became the Barrett Team at Re/Max Tri County, based in Hamilton. Since that first day, 12 years ago, Barrett has added his wife, Marie Ann, who handles the team’s computers and technology, to the team, as well as his daughter, Christine, a sales associate, and Jason Elliott, the newest sales associate. Barrett doesn’t see himself as a salesman who changed from medicine to real estate. He sees himself as someone who helps others meet their goals and improve their quality of life. For example, on his second week with Wyeth, he delivered polio vaccines across the state of New Jersey. The disease had affected his own family years years before, and here he was, delivering the medicine to save others from disability or even death. “I would have done it for free,” he said. Barrett grew up in Collingswood, the oldest of nine children. “I learned to be competitive at the dinner table. Once the food went to the other side of the table, it was gone. The plate might come back, but there wouldn’t be anything on it,” he recalled, chuckling. Barrett’s high school athletic performance won him a four-year basketball scholarship to Rider University, an institution that has remained dear to his heart through the years. He served as chairman of Rider’s Governor’s Basketball Classic, currently serves on the Alumni Board of Directors and in 2003 received the university’s Distinguished and Exceptional Volunteer Service Alumni Award. Along the way, Barrett has been very active in the community. He has coached the township’s recreational sports teams and raised money for Hamilton Hospital and his church, St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church. He has given his time to numerous local service organizations, including the Jaycees, the Hamilton YMCA, and the Hamilton Partnership, and the Hamilton-Washington Rotary Club. In 2004, he was named Rotary International’s Matty Matthewson Rotarian of the Year. Daughter Christine is a 1985 graduate of Steinert High School. She was a stay-at-home mom who sold Mary Kay Cosmetics prior to joining the Barrett Team. She had managed 30 sales associates each with a lenthy roster of clients. She was accustomed to a work-on-demand schedule, perfect for real estate. “If I had to sit in an office from 9 to 5 p.m., I couldn’t do it,” she said. “We work seven days a week and we accommodate the customer’s requests.” Customer service isn’t the only thing the Barrett Team has to offer. Christine said she has the experience and expertise to answer the questions and solve the problems that arise when homes change hands. “The reason we can solve problems, is we have the experience, which is critical in a buyers market,” she said. The newest member of the Barrett Team is sales associate Jason Elliott, who made the transition from automotive mechanic to real estate four years ago. A 1990 graduate of Ewing High School, Elliott said he adapted his customer service skills to the world of automotive repair. “I did all the headache jobs. The ones that would stall once a week, if it was raining and there was a full moon,” he said. Elliott said he never tried to get rid of a customer whose car seemed to defy diagnosis. He simply listened as the owner described the symptoms and attempted to fix it, usually establishing a very loyal customer. The Barrett Team understands the heavy emotional issues that emerge when people buy or sell homes. Christine said she always imagines herself in the shoes of someone making a major life transition, such as a long-distance move or selling the family home in favor of a more manageable condominium. Her father said he reminds his clients that, despite the overwhelming emotions they may feel, selling a house is a very important business decision that must be made objectively. Yet, for the little details, getting rid of excess furniture or finding a handyman to make a house more appealing, the Barrett Team can help. When all is said and done, these clients breathe a sigh of relief, saying, “I should have done this years ago.” Bob Barrett said. For more information, call the Barrett Team of Re/Max Tri County at (609) 587-9300, Extensions 335 and 316. The office is located at 2275 Route 33, Suite 308 in Hamilton Square. More information is on the team’s Web site,
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