皇冠体育app Sudduth Realty and Auctions, Inc. has been honored as the 2021 Top Auction Firm with the Wichita Business Journal. As a full-service real estate brokerage led by Broker/Owner Mark Sudduth, this Augusta business takes client service to the next level by specializing in traditional sales and real estate auctions. Experiencing explosive growth in the past few years, the firm has become one of the leading auction firms in south central Kansas.

鈥淐ontrary to what some may believe, hosting an auction is not 鈥榞iving away鈥� a property. In fact, effective marketing allows us to successfully increase visibility for unique homes, farms, ranches, and investment properties- properties that are often time incomparable to others in the area.  Although it isn鈥檛 appropriate for every client and property, an auction can be a great option to consider. We view it as an additional service that our Executives have in their arsenal,鈥� says Sudduth.

Getting Started in Auctions

Stepping into the auction business was equal parts necessity and risk. Sudduth, now with 30 years of real estate experience in Butler County and numerous awards under his belt, looks back on his entry into the auction world with gratitude. 鈥淚 was 27 years old with a wife and two small daughters and was highly motivated to tackle any real estate opportunity that presented itself.  I happened to have a client who owned a few Dairy Queen restaurants, and he needed to sell some acreage to invest $5,000 into another location. He needed the cash by a very specific date, and I told him that the only real way to plan when a property will sell is by auction,鈥� said Sudduth.  鈥淚 took a chance and offered to auction it for him, saying that I would not take any payment if the property didn鈥檛 sell. I had no idea what I was doing but was determined to figure it out.鈥� Three interested parties showed up for that auction, the price soared from $500 to $7,800, and the rest is history.

As Sudduth realized that real estate auctions were an untapped niche in his area, he opted to enter auctioneer school in 1992. This refined his skills and helped him continue to grow his auction business, selling subdivisions and other properties over the next decade.  In 2018, however, Sudduth recognized that he needed to pivot his business. 鈥淥ne of the biggest challenges with auctions is getting bidders to physically show up on auction day.  The bidders are registered and qualified ahead of time, but we鈥檇 have days when four bidders would show up despite 12 registrants.  Everyone has family obligations, work obligations, and reasons that they cannot make it to the property. I knew that we would have to do something different to take the business into the future,鈥� said Sudduth. 

Moving the Business Forward

With an increase in online auctions happening on the East Coast, Sudduth was inspired to convert his in-person auctions into fully online auctions. He researched various platforms and marketing companies, eventually partnering with Wichita Designs and BidWrangler. His current proprietary, online platform advertises properties via Google ads, YouTube, drone photography, personalized videos, and provides sellers with information pertaining to the auction. 鈥淥nline auctions have been stress-free and exciting for our sellers.  The potential buyers must remove all contingencies before winning a bid, and it is common to have 20 or more bidders from across the United States,鈥� says Sudduth. By maximizing visibility, the firm typically meets or exceeds the target price and net profits the seller is looking to generate.

Early proof that the online platform was a homerun involved a farm that needed to sell in the fall of 2019. The seller first offered to sell the property to the neighbors at a price of $250,000.  The neighbors were not willing to pay the asking price, so the seller approached 皇冠体育app Sudduth Realty and Auctions and requested an online auction.  The auction attracted 49 verified and fully vetted bidders and sold for $401,000- well over the target sale price. And the happy new owners? The neighbors.

Sudduth knew moving to a cutting edge, online auction business would pay off- even before the challenges presented by COVID-19. 鈥淲hen everything in the area was slowing down due to safety precautions and in-person restrictions, we were able to ramp up our business. Live auctions couldn鈥檛 run, but we could. I couldn鈥檛 have predicted that situation, but I realize that I am extremely blessed. We have nearly doubled our business over the last year,鈥� says Sudduth. 

Looking to the Future

With 17 experienced, top-producing realtors, Realty Executives Sudduth Realty and Auctions, Inc. has no plans to stop expanding business. Clients can choose to sell properties in the traditional manner or explore auctions, giving them extreme flexibility when it comes to the largest financial decision in life. Regardless of method, the team excels at selling all types of properties, helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals.

Recipients of the Realty Excellence庐 Fastest Growing and Agents鈥� Choice awards year over year, 鈥渋t is no surprise that Sudduth Realty has achieved the Top Auction Firm award for south central Kansas,鈥� said Patrick van den Bossche, President of 皇冠体育app International. 鈥淲e encourage all Broker/Owners and Executives to become leaders in their markets, and the team at Sudduth is living, breathing proof of what is means to be a local expert. They are hyper-focused on providing stellar customer service, owning their niche, and we couldn鈥檛 be more impressed. Kudos to Mark, his family, and the Executives for their achievements and for this honor.鈥�

To learn more about Mark Sudduth and the professionals at 皇冠体育app Sudduth Realty and Auctions, Inc., visit .

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Caitlin Sudduth sold almost $2 million worth of real estate during her first year as an agent. At the time she was just 18 years old, going to college and also holding down a job at a bank.

鈥淢aking my first sale was incredibly hard. It took about five or six months. I worked open houses every weekend and followed up with every buyer,鈥� reveals Sudduth, an Executive at 皇冠体育app Sudduth Realty in Augusta, KS.

鈥淓ventually, I found a buyer for a small home with no central heating and air! It was a tough sell and very stressful putting it together, but I finally got it to closing and made my first paycheck, at which point I was hooked!鈥�

Sudduth started working when she was just 11 years old, mowing her neighbors lawns to cover her portion of the family plan cell phone bill.

鈥淚 started mowing lawns with a $20 push mower. I bought it with money I had borrowed from my dad, which I had to pay back with my mowing money. Then when I got to high school and started playing competitive soccer year round, I didn鈥檛 have time for an hourly job and didn鈥檛 want to work at a fast food place, so I increased the amount of lawns I was mowing by knocking on doors and asking for business,鈥� Sudduth explains.

She eventually had over 30 customers at $30/week and was able to comfortably get to them all in a day or two because she used some of her earnings to buy her own riding lawn mower.

鈥淲hile all my friends were working long hours, I鈥檇 only work a couple of days a week while making bank and getting to play my sport,鈥� she adds.

This was also when she realized that she didn鈥檛 want to be tied down by an hourly rate. 鈥淚 had a taste of the good life and knew if I just worked hard I could make my own hours and never have an income cap.鈥�

Sudduth was exposed to the real estate industry at a very young age. According to her father Mark Sudduth Sr., Broker/Owner at the same firm, she used to follow him around as a little girl, accompanying him to showings, open houses and Realtor庐 monthly meetings.

鈥淚f she got sick at school I鈥檇 pick her up and bring her to work because I couldn鈥檛 quit and go home, so she would sleep under my desk while I worked. I still have medicine and Scooby Doo Band-Aids in my desk drawer,鈥� says Sudduth Sr.

Since joining 皇冠体育app Sudduth Realty, Sudduth has excelled. Last year she closed 52 transaction sides and sold over $7 million worth of real estate, more than doubling her numbers from 2014 (20 sides and $3 million in sales).

She attributes her success to taking a very personal approach to the business, particularly when it comes to relationship-building, saying, 鈥淚 do a lot of door knocking and writing letters.鈥�

However, Sudduth says she also utilizes for lead generation and has fully integrated the social platform into her marketing strategy.

鈥淚鈥檝e sold a lot of houses by reaching out to people who have liked and commented on photos on my page, following up with them and answering any questions,鈥� she says.

Sudduth also uses Facebook to market listings and share client testimonials and reviews.

According to Sudduth Sr., the young agent has taken the business to new heights and vastly expanded their market area.

鈥淚t makes me feel proud, especially when I see her working so hard. I get so many compliments about her work,鈥� says Sudduth Sr.

鈥淚f I knew what she was learning at her age I would not be working so hard now,鈥� he adds. 鈥淭his is the true free market business – get in there and bust it, work hard, play hard and take care of people – above all take care of people, give them your best and you will receive the best. There is no better career in the world, and there are so many opportunities to grow and have a successful life.鈥�

Caitlin Sudduth serves South Central Kansas. Her specialties include in first-time homebuyers, buyers, sellers and investment properties.

For more information, visit Sudduth鈥檚 website, call her at 316-305-1660 or reach her via email at caitlin@sudduthrealty.com. You can also find her on聽.

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