Locally-owned Sol Property Advisors partners with the most innovative real estate tech company of the year

With independent real estate brokerages being swallowed right and left by big-box brokerages, it might seem that indies need to either get on the road to acquisition or be left in the dust. Not so, say Liz Kroft, Lance Hulsey, and Jamie Manley, founders of Santa Cruz County’s own Sol Property Advisors. There is another path for an independent brokerage — strategic partnership.

Sol Property Advisors is excited to be powered by Side in their latest innovative partnership.

(Sol Property Advisors)

Betting that big Indie is the next big thing

Sol Property Advisors have forged such a partnership with Side, a venture-backed real estate tech company named Company of the Year by Inman at the Innovation Awards in October. But why would an award-winning, top-producing brokerage recently voted Good Times Santa Cruz’s Best of Santa Cruz County for 2021 want a partner? The tech space is evolving quickly, and, as forward-thinking business owners, they saw an opportunity to keep their clients and agents ahead of the curve.

Saying a hard “no” to the status quo

Independence is non-negotiable for Kroft, Hulsey, and Manley, all fiercely loyal to the local-first ethos that defines Santa Cruz County. Side isn’t an owner, although it is Sol Property Advisors’ broker of record. Instead, it handles the heavy-lifting, providing proprietary tech and exclusive partnerships with third party vendors that saves agents an average of 62 days per year and support that gives them the ability to focus on what matters — serving their clients and supporting their community.

This is important to the founders, all motivated by the opportunity to make a positive impact on Santa Cruz County and its residents. “Community involvement has always been a core value of mine,” said Kroft, who was the membership director of Think Local First and has volunteered with O’Neill Sea Odyssey, the Santa Cruz Yacht Club and Santa Cruz Harbor. Giving back is built into the company, too. Most recently, Sol Property Advisors has supported United Valley Churches and everyday community heroes like frontline healthcare workers and teachers with their Heroes Housing Assistance Program.

Putting Santa Cruz County first

Kroft and Hulsey met in 2015 over lunch at Laili with a handshake and a mutual agreement that they wanted to run a business built on integrity and leave the real estate industry a better place for clients and agents. Before founding Sol Property Advisors with Manley, the pair spent their early years working out of NextSpace, the downtown co-working space where many of Santa Cruz’s accomplished companies got their start, including Looker. From the beginning, they’ve been early adopters of real estate tech, digital marketing, and anything that promised to streamline transactions or make the process easier for their clients.

As such, Kroft, Hulsey, and Manley are the kind of leaders who always think 20 steps ahead. “We feel very fortunate to have Side partner with us,” continued Hulsey. “This partnership allows us to retain our independent ownership but with the technology and power of a venture-backed company that is constantly innovating and establishing exclusive partnerships with emerging vendors and platforms.”

It’s only been a short time since their launch, but the founders are already floored by the caliber of their colleagues — some of the best and the brightest across the country — who, like them, are homegrown Indies.

Looking to the future

Most of all, Sol Property Advisors is looking to the future for its clients and agents. There will always be new technology, systems, tools, and resources to make the real estate experience more enjoyable and efficient. From the beginning, Kroft, Hulsey, and Manley have been at the forefront of the industry, embracing efficiencies and working hard to create incredible experiences for their clients. This latest move solidifies their place there.

Originally published on Santa Cruz Works.