Griffith Real Estate celebrates 40 years

Realtors say they’ve come to expect the unexpected in never-boring business, By Geri Corey Goshen — It was teamwork and hard work that brought success to Griffith Real Estate, an achievement that has lasted 40 years. The “Little Red House next to the Hall of Fame” — called that so out-of-towners could locate the office — has been a familiar sight in Goshen since 1970. At 33 years, broker associate Linda Clark has been working with broker/owner Mary Gray Griffith for the longest time. Broker associates Pat Strong and Gloria Gromacki have been on board for 29 years. And broker associate Eveline White has been with the team for ten years, ever since she retired from teaching. “It just doesn’t seem possible that we’ve been together so long,” said Griffith, shaking her head in disbelief. Griffith was at first uncertain about hiring Clark because she wanted to work part-time. When her daughter started going to preschool, Clark’s husband, Garfield, asked what she was going to do with her time. Her dad came up with the answer: “You’d be good in real estate.” It was because of Clark’s persistence in saying “I can do this” that Griffith gave in and hired her. “I didn’t even get a telephone at first because Mary Gray didn’t think I would make it,” Clark explained. But she did make it — and from the first year, she was a top salesperson and has been that consistently ever since. She earned her phone. “She hasn’t been off it ever since,” Gromacki observed. “Some of the numbers are worn off,” Strong added. Fun and fellowship It’s this kind of fellowship and light banter that keeps these associates working so well together, tackling as a team whatever calamity comes their way — dealing with flea infestations in closed-up homes, repairing extensive squirrel damage to vacant buildings, and traveling on icy roads to check on an unoccupied house. “It was a nightmare,” said Gromacki about the time she drove Strong ten miles during a blizzard to check on a vacant house. “There was only one-lane of traffic, the road was all ice, and I couldn’t see a thing.” And she was driving her new jeep! The trip paid off for the dynamic duo. To their horror, they found blown frozen pipes because the owner had let the heating oil run out. Luckily, they were able — with great difficulty — to turn off the water pipes before the damage worsened. “Being a realtor is a total commitment,” said Strong. Griffith said realtors “have to be available when the client is available or he will find someone else.” She recalled the time her husband, Thomas, was just carving meat for dinner when a client called to see a certain property. “He didn’t go, and the client found someone else and bought the property,” Griffith said. It was Clark who acted as recruiter for the office, starting with Gromacki, who was intrigued with real estate but hesitated because she only had a small car. But she did take the real estate course and joined the office. “I piled people into my little green Volkswagen and wouldn’t let them out until they bought,” she said. At first, Gromacki’s husband didn’t want her to work. “Now he doesn’t want me to retire,” she said. Griffith quickly added: “She’s a shopper. He knows that if she’s not here, she would be shopping!” Strong was the second recruit, after she and Clark started “gabbing” in the bread aisle at the Grand Union. At that time — unknown to Clark — Strong was already two months into the introduction to real estate course at Orange County Community College. She joined Griffith Real Estate after she completed the course. Clark and White knew each other through local organizations and events, like the Chamber of Commerce and Great American Weekend. Clark sold White’s house on Oakcrest Drive for her. White passed the class and began her new career by working weekends. When she retired, she started full time with the office. Getting it done A joint effort by all the realtors has often paid off, but one particular time stands out. Clark calls this event “shocking.” A “walk through” is a common practice before a closing to ensure that the house is cleaned out. At one walk through, Clark entered the house and saw the seller, a woman, sitting in the middle of the floor going through coupons! The entire rest of the house and attic were still full of her belongings. Clark called the rest of the crew at the office. They sprang into action, packing up boxes and carting stuff out. “We do what it takes to get the job done,” said Strong. Hard as it is to believe, they had the closing at 7 p.m. that night. At other times, the group has helped organize sales to clear out belongings. Once, in helping a man whose sister passed away, they had an open house and garage sale on the same day in February, when people were getting attacks of cabin fever. Shoppers were lined up and anxious to look around. “It was amazing,” said Strong. “We sold lots of stuff for him and achieved our ultimate goal: we sold the house. We even sold the camper.” “We’re a full-serve office,” she said. “We do a lot of things to take care of people.” The women have made sales in unusual ways, but they do make sales. Once, a few people stopped in to use the bathroom. Gromacki gave them information about Goshen and the homes for sale. “I guess I gave a good impression for being nice because about a year later, I got a call from one person in the party who was looking for a house in the area,” she said. “He asked me to show him around.” Mary Gray summed it up this way: “We all feel grateful to be together. The best part is that we’re friends, too.” Strong agreed. “This is a great job,” she said. “It’s never boring. Every day is different. I think I’ll stay here for another 40 years!”

I piled people into my little green Volkswagen and wouldn’t let them out until they bought.” Gloria Gromacki

We do what it takes to get the job done.” Pat Strong