Home Realty under new ownership
Longtime Porterville real estate leader Geane Lohse has sold his realty office — Home Realty — to longtime associates Catie Adams-puett and Mike Bennett.
Adams-puett has taken over the property management side of the business, while Bennett has taken over the real estate side.
“I couldn’t be happier. It was emotional,” said Lohse who has been in the real estate business since coming to Porterville in the mid1980s. He opened Home Realty and Appraisal with Jack Letsinger when Porterville Realty closed in 1984. Lohse then became sole owner of Home Realty in 1986 when it was located on North Main Street.
Two years ago, Lohse showed his faith in downtown and moved his office into a renovated building on Main Street in the heart of downtown. It was a move he will never regret, he said.
“We love being downtown,” said Adams-puett. “This is a lot of fun,” added Lohse, who added the new location gives them a better “feel” of the community.
Home Realty deals in all types of real estate — home, commercial and agriculture.
Adams-puett began as a part-time bookkeeper in 1999 and got into the property management side a year later. She handles a multitude of rentals, both apartments and homes. Her family goes far back here. Her grandparents farmed in the Woodville area.
Bennett, whose had a broker license since the 1970s when he was working in farm mortgage loans, joined the firm in 2004. While he specializes in ag land, because he is also a farmer and cattleman, he also sells homes and commercial properties. His family homesteaded in the Ducor area.
Lohse said finding two people he not only works with, but calls friends, to take over his business was very fortunate.
“They are proud of the brand. It’s a thrill,” he said of the sale. Also, Lohse is not going away. He plans to still sell real estate and basically moved out of his office across the isle to a cubicle.
The new owners said they do not plan a lot of changes.
“I think pretty much we’re going to follow that reputation and integrity here,” said Bennett of how the company will continue to operate with the same high standards.
“Locally owned will remain the focus,” added Adams-puett, who said while they may add a few more sales people, they have no intention of becoming “a mega office.”
Both feel the market, both sales and rentals, is strong.
“It’s been pretty steady for us,” he said, with Lohse adding, “If you have good property, you will have multiple offers.”
However, Porterville is still lacking a strong inventory of homes for sale and all three said they hope some builders will begin building new homes in the area, which stimulates the entire real estate market.
Adams-puett said rentals are in high demand and there are not a lot of them available. Again, she pointed out if a rental is nice and well priced, it can be rented very quickly
“We’re short of rentals. If you do have a good one, there’s a demand for it,” she said.
Home Realty is located at 120 N. Main St.