BY LESLIE CUMMINGS

Working side by side, day in and day out, could be a recipe for disaster for a husband and wife.

Yet so many couples have turned their marriages into successful real estate partnerships that we decided to take a closer look at what it takes to make them work. The answer: a strong marriage, a strong belief in one another’s professional skills, constant communication--and down time.

Urban and Diane Boutin, of Prudential Florida WCI Realty in Fort Myers, Fla., were married almost six years when Diane made her foray into real estate in 1994.

Urban, who already had about 15 years of real estate experience under his belt, thought Diane would be a natural salesperson.

He suggested she get into the business and helped her learn about real estate. But once she got her license, instead of asking her to partner with him, he told her, “Go get some experience.

“I was a little nervous,” he says. “It was my second marriage, and I wanted it to work. I knew working together could get intense.”

Diane agreed, and she went to work as a salesperson at her sister’s real estate practice. After about two years, Diane felt more confident and ready to work with her husband. He was ready to give it a try, too.

“I was looking for a partner, and no one compared with Diane,” he recalls. “She has all the abilities of a good salesperson. She’s trustworthy and loves to interact with people.”

Another married real estate team, Steve and Maryruth James, of RE/MAX Columbia in Columbia, Md., began their professional partnership about a year after they were married. Maryruth was already a practitioner when Steve joined her in the business.

“She was working seven days a week and working nights, and we wanted to see more of each other,” Steve says. “I had no real qualms about it, but anytime you come into someone’s business there are territorial problems. Each of you thinks you know how to run the business.”

Both couples overcame those initial challenges and have gone on to become successful real estate teams. The Boutins grossed more than $25 million in sales in 2000. The Jameses grossed about $35 million in sales last year.

The Boutins say they enjoy seeing each other all day long. And they believe their team-style selling is also a bonus for their customers.

“They get two for the price of one. One of us is always available, so they don’t have to wait to talk to us, and they don’t have to talk to assistants,” Urban says.

Steve James says some customers prefer to work with either a man or a woman. “Whatever their preference, we can serve them,” he says.

Divide and conquer
But success doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges along the way, both couples say.

The first challenge is determining who’ll do what. Both couples say they decided from the start to divide the work according to the areas in which each of them excels. For the Boutins, Urban likes the money and marketing ends; Diane likes the selling. Generally, they stay out of each other’s business areas.

“We each do our own thing,” Urban says. “I don’t interfere with her, and she doesn’t interfere with me. But sometimes we disagree with each other and we just try to listen to the other person’s advice.”

The Jameses also agreed up front on how they’d divvy up tasks.

“You have to find your strengths and weaknesses. My strengths are marketing, plus overseeing and running the business,” Steve James says. “Mary’s strengths are contracts and details.”

Overcoming obstacles
But even with the work divided, problems can arise.

When Diane Boutin first started working with her husband, she often expressed concern about the $10,000 a month he spent on advertising.

“It seemed like a lot of money to me,” she says.

But after a while she grew to understand and trust that Urban knew what he was doing.

“I explained to her why we needed to spend the money and how it ended up paying for itself,” he says.

There’s also the issue of balance.

“The hardest part is when you come home and have personal time--it’s hard to turn (work) off,” says Maryruth James, who adds that her husband is better than she is at switching gears. “Sometimes you bring up work even though it’s not the right time.”

Keep laughing
Both couples agree that their strong marriages provide a critical foundation for their business.

“You have to have a strong marriage, because the divorce rate is incredible,” Steve James says. “I have seen many marriages end in divorce after working together in real estate.”

The Boutins say the respect they have for each other carries over into their work. “We’re very compatible in our marriage, and we bring that to work,” Urban says. “We think alike.”

One way for a couple to keep their marriage, and thus their business, on track is to limit the number of days they work.

“Don’t do seven days a week. We take off Sunday and usually one other weekday to be together and with our children,” Steve says.

And both couples say it’s important to retain a sense of humor.

“You have to look at it as a business, not a lifestyle. Keep it in perspective,” Steve says.



Making it work

Our couples suggest these tips for making your selling partnership succeed. Many of their strategies will benefit anyone working in a team environment:

• Don’t work together if you already have marital problems--that’s a recipe for disaster.
• Before you work together, hold brainstorming sessions to hash out how you’ll divide up responsibilities.
• Review your finances to see whether you can handle a two-commission-income home.
• Stay open-minded to your partner’s ideas.
• Communicate constantly.
• Don’t bicker in front of co-workers--be professional.
• Turn off work when you get home.
• Don’t work seven days a week.
• Keep your sense of humor.
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