Professional Profile: Louette Johnson - 1975

Name: Louette Johnson - 1975

Title: Realtor

Company: Frances Ash Realtor

Location: Keene, N.H.

Birthplace: N/A

Louette Johnson, Frances Ash Realtor, Keene, N.H., may hold a New Hampshire longevity record for being associated with one firm. Twenty-five years ago Frances Ash asked Mrs. Johnson to come over for a couple of hours in the afternoon to help with office work in her newly formed business. ”I alsmost didn’t go to work for her,” Mrs. Johnson recalls, ”but she convinced me I could work while my son was in kindergarten.” From part-time office help, Mrs. Johnson evolved into a full-time real estate broker. “It didn’t take long,” Mrs. Johnson says. ”Two hours a day wasn’t enough time. Slowly but surely, I went from office work into showing property. Now it seems like we work all hours of the day and night.” The agency itself is all sort of a mirror of Mrs. Johnson’s involvement. Frances Ash started in real estate as a hobby, but before long it outgrew it self and she had to open her own office. Within a year of its opening, she had to bring in more help. The Keene office handles mostly residential properties and a lot of land. Mrs. Johnson says, but also handles prime commercial properties such as one that had her out until almost midnight recently showing it. Last year, Mrs. Johnson was named the Realtor of the Year” for the second time by the Monadock Region Board of Realtors. This January, she completed her second consecutive term as the board’s president. Her involvement with the Realtor organization is “actually due to Frances Ash,” according to Mrs. Johnson. ”Frances is very active and has been a national officer herself,”Mrs. Johnson points out. “My role, just like my expanded role in the office, just came naturally after a fashion.” If that is the case, then it seems to be natural for her to get deeply involved. Although her term as president is over, she has not retired. Mrs. Johnson is now treasurer of the N.H. Assn. of Realtors (NHAR) Chapter of the Womwen’s Council of Realtors. As a member of NHAR, she has been on the nominating committee and trustee of REPEC (Real Estate Political Education Committee) since 1972. She has been appointed to both the legislative committees and by-laws committee. For the Monadnock board, besides her consecutive terms as president, Mrs. Johnson served as chairman of public relations, secretary and vice president. Her on biggest challenge as president was created by the National Assn. of Realtors (NAR) decision to draw agency association into its ranks by creating the Realtor-assoc. membership category. While the program gave NAR added political clout by swelling its ranks to awesome proportions, Mrs. Johnson believes inadequate consideration was given to enforcment of the program which requires member firms to either sign up their associates or pay a set fee for each associate. “People don’t like to be told this is what they have to do.” Mrs. Johnson explains. “It is difficult to implemant the program and tougher still still to police it. Particularly on the local level where NAR has left the responsibility.” On top of that irritation, Mrs. Johnson had the chore of guiding her area board through the economic downsizing of recent months. “Many has it rough,” she ruefully comments, “and it still may be quite awhile before maximum mortgage money is back in the picture.” Mrs. Johnson warns people that she can’t see the interest dropping too much, either, because the government, which dealt the industry a severe setback, may do so again by issuing more treasury bills at rates which entice money out of the mortgage institutions. At Frances Ash. Realtor, Mrs. Johnson says things were not too bad. “We’ve been fortunate during our many years to develop an excellent repeat and referral business which alleviates our dependence upon the marginal buyer,” she says. “It is so pleasant to be able to contribute to a firm whose reputation of fair dealing can bring back so many clients.” Mrs. Johnson, who grew graduated from Thayer High School, Winchester, as a salutatorian, works in her garden and plays with her five grandchildren for relaxation.