When Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and his wife, Angela, decided to downsize from their 11,412-square-foot Paradise Valley property in early 2020, they turned to their old neighbors, real estate agents Bill and Vicki Potolicchio.
Years ago, the Duceys and Potolicchios were all part of a North Scottsdale neighborhood where community, school, events and social gatherings tied everyone together. Ducey was the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery and the Potolicchios were real estate agents, not yet with eXp Realty. But, while the families were old acquaintances and they transacted real estate together over the years, it didn’t mean getting the listing was a slam dunk.
“We’ve known the Duceys a long time, but they had a lot of people to choose from to sell their home,” said Vicki. “There are a lot of agents in Paradise Valley who have been there for decades. So, they could have chosen any Realtor.”
The French country-style farmhouse was custom-built for the Duceys in 2009 and sits on 2.14 acres adjacent to the Paradise Valley Country Club. Vicki said since the house is so unique, that it took a great deal of time getting the right comps.
Antiques and one-of-a-kind materials were imported from France and Spain, including 18th-century chandeliers, wine cellar doors (circa 1760), reclaimed terracotta tiles from France, a French antique limestone trough sink and an imported antique limestone well, just to name a few.
The Potolicchios were also fortunate to represent the buyers, who came in from Indiana and didn’t have an agent. After an extensive and informative tour and presentation of the property by Vicki and Bill, the buyers fell in love with the home.
“We weren’t surprised it sold so fast,” she said of the home, which was listed for $8.75 million and sold after 40 days on the market. “It’s a beautiful blend of a new, ‘old house.’ That’s what makes it so special.”
Potolicchios Join eXp After ‘Doing the Math’
The Potolicchios were working for local brokerages since 2000 and decided to join eXp Realty in August 2019 after learning about its business model during a lunch and learn seminar, led by eXp’s Brian Culhane.
“Brian did a fantastic job presenting eXp’s technology/education, revenue share and equity program,” said Vicki. “Then my husband and I sat down and we did a ‘what if we moved to eXp Realty years ago?’ We did the reverse math and only calculated a year but that was enough.
“It was shocking and we were absolutely sickened. As Brian says, ‘Do your homework #itsjustmath.” And we did our homework and agreed…… #itsjustmath.
“We love it,” Vicki said of eXp. “The agents are all nice. Usually in a sales environment, everyone is secretive. Here, there are no secrets. It’s such a positive vibe.”
Tweet
She added, “Everyone is so up. No one is moaning and groaning. Everyone is moving and grooving.”
And with this major sale under their belts, the Potolicchios hope it leads to other business down the road.
“We just proved something,” said Vicki. “You don’t need glossy magazine ads, which nobody reads to find a home. You need a strong online presence along with excellent presentation and negotiation skills.”
And to Vicki and Bill’s credit, the Duceys did not lose sight of that.
