If you’re in real estate, you’ve probably heard the name: Jeffrey Culbertson.
He’s been in real estate since 1978, with an illustrious career dotted with titles such as executive vice president of Coldwell Banker’s southwest region; executive vice president of franchise sales for Coldwell Banker, ERA, and Century 21 across 21 western states; president of the Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County Coldwell Banker NRT companies, as well as the Silicon Valley and Sacramento region companies. And, of course, he owned his own brokerage, Contempo Realty for 16 years, growing it to 16 offices and more than 800 agents throughout the Silicon Valley region.
Whew.
Jeffrey retired from his huge career in 2016, but he knew sitting around and watching TV and playing golf was not his thing. When his son, Colby, asked him to join his Culbertson & Gray Real Estate Team, he couldn’t pass it up, much to the dismay of one of the “big box brokerages” Jeffrey left. The Culbertson & Gray team then joined eXp in 2020.
“Working with my father has been a lifelong dream,” said Colby. “As a child, and a son, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have this exceptional role model not only as a father, but also as a mentor in business.”
“eXp is attracting many more people like myself,” said Jeffrey. “We’ve seen a lot and once we have watched it, looked at it and poked holes in it, we know what’s real and what’s not.”
Jeffrey says there’s a lot of interest in eXp and he’s receiving calls daily from people wanting to know more.
“People ask me all the time, ‘what are the problems with eXp? What would you change?’ I tell them that the biggest problem I have with eXp is ‘why didn’t I come up with this idea myself?’”
Jeffrey commends founder and CEO Glenn Sanford for his vision.
“It’s the power of thinking big,” Jeffrey said. “He was able to have the vision and put it together. It’s not a simple process to build this. It’s not bullet-proof. But, eXp’s growth speaks for itself. He wouldn’t have this growth if all the details haven’t been attended to.”
Learn more about Jeffrey Culbertson:
Years in real estate: Since 1978
Main territory: Roseville, California
Number of people on team: 21. Specializing in single-family residences at all price points.
Gross sales and number of sales in 2019: 150+ transactions for $68 million.
Brokerage history:
- eXp Realty (May 2020-current)
- Coldwell Banker, NRT (1999-2019)
- Contempo Realty – San Jose (1982-1998)
- Better Homes Realty – San Jose (1978-1982)
Why did you join eXp?
“My son (Colby), nephew (Michael Culbertson) and others were telling me that I really needed to investigate the model. So, I did. Once I looked at it from an “agent’s perspective” instead of a “broker’s perspective,” it became very clear as to why it’s the model for the future.”
What makes eXp special to you?
“It is a totally equitable opportunity for everyone involved. The economics around the commission split, coupled with the generous stock offering … exceptional!”
What is one thing about eXp you didn’t realize?
“The amount of stock awarded when an agent hits their cap. Very impressive.”
Best tip to share with other agents:
“The business is the easiest business in the world when you work it hard, but it can be the hardest business in the world when you try to work it easy.”
What is your approach to real estate?
“I consider myself a broker’s broker. I still do the training, which I’ve been doing since 1987. I must be a frustrated teacher or coach. But, that’s my makeup. I am always coming from an agent-centric place.
“My goal is to make sure no one asks the question, ‘How long have you been in the business?’ I want my agents to be trained so well that no one would hesitate to work with that agent whether they are 18 or 48.”
What is the working relationship like with your son?
“My son is the visionary. He understands the tech from his years at Zillow (Director of Broker Relations). We’re a little bit like Donny and Marie. I’m a little country and he’s a bit rock ‘n roll.”
Colby adds, “Our agents and family will tell you that my dad and I can be two very different people in terms of our approach to certain matters, but we are incredibly similar in terms of where we find gratification in building our business. We both treasure the fulfillment we get from helping others achieve success. It’s a fundamental leadership viewpoint we share.”
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