Ed and Dar Walden will make the “operational piece” of business limitlessly scalable through PLACE
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, November 2023 — PLACE, the industry’s only all-in-one business services and technology platform for top real estate teams at any brokerage, announced today that Ed and Dar Walden of the and Walden Home Group and the Dar Walden Team are now powered by PLACE. PLACE improves profitability and production to make running a real estate business easier.
Ed and Dar Walden are distinguished, nationally-recognized Realtors® who are the owners and operators of Walden Home Group in Fairbanks and the Dar Walden Team in Anchorage. Their teams have helped over 10,000 families buy and sell real estate for over 23 years and are regularly featured on RealTrends’ America’s Best List. In 2022, they closed over $215 million in sales volume.
Ed and Dar Walden moved to Alaska in 1998 when Ed was stationed there with the U.S. Air Force. Dar had a successful marketing career that required extensive travel, and she wanted to spend more time with their children, so she left her position. At the time of her resignation, the couple was in the process of buying a new home with Carol Butler, a top Alaska Realtor®. In 2000, Dar earned her real estate license and worked with Butler for several years, learning how to run the business.
With 360 miles between their teams, Dar leads the Anchorage office while Ed travels to lead the Fairbanks team half the week. “The teams are very different, and while they are technically two teams, they operate as one,” explained Ed.
The Waldens believe their PLACE partnership will bolster their agent retainment and attraction efforts. “The value proposition of PLACE is huge,” said Ed. “We want our company to run and take care of people in the next generation and the generation after that. PLACE takes the operational piece of our business and makes it transitional, so it will grow as we grow.”
Dar was initially hesitant about the timing of their PLACE partnership however after in depth discussions decided the timing would work. “The decision to partner with PLACE is 100% percent based on what is best for the team,” she explained. “PLACE will hold our feet to the fire and make us more accountable so we can grow and improve. It creates a path for our team members to build their careers and go down the road of generational wealth.”
Dar regards PLACE as a source of tools that her agents can apply for career longevity and greater success. Ed expects their teams’ impact to transform as they leverage PLACE through economic shifts. “PLACE will help us adapt to new market conditions,” said Ed. “This partnership will help my team attract new agents and then provide the operational tools needed for growth.”
“Ed and Dar have built an outstanding team, and PLACE will provide the essential tools to ensure continued success for generations to come, even as they ease out of production,” said Ben Kinney, co-founder of PLACE. “They know their markets well, have strong relationships with their agents and clients, and will now have all the resources to grow.”
“Ed and Dar care deeply about their team members’ futures,” said Chris Suarez, co-founder of PLACE. “Their business is already thriving, and we’re excited to support their expansion efforts so they can give more agents opportunities to build purposeful lives.”
