Above, Dan and Jill Peterson
Jill and Dan Petersen married in 1995, when he was in grad school, and she worked in corporate sales.
“We were on our own, dirt-poor, and relatively new to Atlanta,’ Jill said. “For some reason, I was drawn to real estate, and I started working part-time, mostly nights and evenings, at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Georgia Properties.”
She learned fast, she said, but she quickly realized that success in the industry takes support and full-time devotion. In 2004, she founded the Petersen team within BHHS Georgia Properties, and convinced Dan to pack up his marketing and business development skills and come aboard as co-owner.
The Petersen team today, comprised of eight buyer/listing consultants and a production administrator, has been named the Number One Large Team in Georgia and ranks in the Top 100 for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services nationwide, expected to close out 2024 with more than $1.6 million in sales.
Barbara Pronin: Dan, how much persuasion did it take to get you to sign as co-leader of the firm?
Dan Petersen: Truthfully, not much. We both come from families that founded their own companies, and I had all the faith in the world in Jill’s knowledge and professional ability.
BP: How and why did you begin to create a team?
DP: Creating a team was part of our strategy from the outset, and one of our first hires was a neighbor of ours who was excited to start and is still with us today. As our business grew to be more than we could handle, we began hiring others.
BP: What do you look for in a new hire?
Jill Petersen: We have successfully brought in new and experienced agents with a passion for excellence, as well as people new to the business who were accomplished in other areas, from corporate sales and marketing to finance and project management. The common denominator, I think, is a caring nature and a collaborative work ethic, which is why we work so well together. It’s a very family-like environment.
BP: What are your systems for staying on the same page?
DP: We do a 15-minute team huddle every morning via Google Workspace, basically to keep each other updated – and once a week, we are all in the office together for a business meeting. It’s a time to brainstorm and mastermind, but also to celebrate wins. We really operate as a united force, and some of our best ideas come out of these meetings.
BP: As co-owners of the business, how do you divide your responsibilities?
JP: I basically manage our sales side, mostly residential in two counties, as well as long distance moves and international relocation. Dan manages our listing and marketing departments. His background in marketing, sales, and business development are a great asset to our partnership.
BP: What are the areas you serve, and what is the average sale price in those markets?
JP: We serve the entire metro Atlanta market, stretching out into Cobb, Fulton and Dekalb counties and beyond. It’s a huge geographic area with an average sale price I would say is in the mid-$600,000’s.
BP: Is your team still in growth mode?
JP: We will always be open to hard-working people we think will be a good fit for our team. Dan and I are still selling, but frankly, we are at the stage of life when we are eager to share what it’s taken us 20 years to learn. We are sincerely happy for the success of each of our team members, and we are invested in helping each of them further their own career goals. Also, Dan has been working with DeAnn Golden, our president and CEO, to develop company-wide the Team Synergy program he launched here at the beginning of this year.
BP: Can you tell us something about that, Dan?
DP: It’s a collaboration program directed to other team leaders within BHHS Georgia Properties, basically to share all the things Jill and I learned by trial and error – the best strategies on issues like recruiting, hiring, firing, processes, taxes, training, incorporation–all the things that every team leader encounters. We meet once a month and focus on a topic put forward by other team leaders. Sharing expertise is a surefire way to teach, encourage and support.
BP: It sounds wonderful. Are there one or two tips you can share with team leaders everywhere?
DP: Be open to agents with diverse backgrounds centered around helping others – people with drive and energy and a sincere desire to help their clients achieve their American dream.
JP: And keep them close to you and to each other. Encourage a collaborative culture. People thrive on support and caring, and that’s the environment you want to nurture.
Peterson Team Listing
2740 Timbermill Drive NE
Marietta, Georgia
7 bedrooms, 7 baths, 6,930 square feed
Listed at: $1,375,000, sold for: $1,355,000
Property description: Beautiful four-sided brick home on private cul de sac street in sought after Pope School District. From location, charm and living space, this home has it all: Exquisite moldings and trim run throughout the home along with site finished hardwood floors and new carpet. Main level features an open spacious kitchen with a huge island and keeping room plus butler’s pantry, vaulted private office/library with a fireplace, mudroom with brick floor and a secondary bedroom plus full and half bath. The finished basement has more entertaining space with a full wet bar area, theater room with high definition projector, media room and extra bedroom/bathroom. Upstairs there is a large private master suite with a sitting area. This leads into the gorgeous bathroom and dual closets. Laundry is located adjacent to the primary bedroom for convenience. Secondary bedrooms are spacious with walk in closets. Outside has a nice size deck overlooking an inviting stone fire pit. There is also a 3- car garage. Backyard is large enough for a pool.
To see the full listing, click here.
To visit the Peterson Team’s website, click here.
