GLVAR names Vause Realtor of the Year

Ronnie Vause, broker-salesman at Keller Williams Realty The Market Place, believes the dynamics of the real estate business have changed, yet the basics remain the same.

"You have to prospect every day. Whether you're a new real estate salesperson or someone who has been in the business for 30 years, you have to constantly work the business to let people know what you're doing for a living," said Vause, who was named 2002 Realtor of the Year by the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors.

Vause, a Las Vegas native and graduate of Las Vegas High School, entered the business in 1970 after a stint in the Navy.

"I first got into real estate because my brother (Gary Vause) was in it ... I went to work for him at Robert's Realty," Vause said, recalling that he got his first listing at age 25.

"It was for a little house in the Parkdale neighborhood ... when the average price was $19,000," he said.

In the ensuing years, Vause crossed paths with some of the valley's most dynamic real estate professionals, including Mark Miscevic, former owner of Americana Group, Realtors; the late Jack Matthews, principal of Jack Matthews & Co.; and Herman Vander Veldt, owner of Realty Mortgage.

"They all taught me the basics of either salesmanship or management or some combination of both," he said. "I'll never forget when I first got into real estate, and how I thought people would just line up to do business with me. I was so wrong, and people like Jack and Mark helped me become focused on the business.

"They didn't promise anything and they didn't paint a false picture about the business. That's so important to new Realtors. You can make a good living, but a lot of hard work and dedication is required."

Miscevic is a well-respected motivator and educator.

"Over the years I've tried to teach a lot of people in the business," Miscevic said. "Ronnie was one of those people who decided to take what I had said and put it into practice. Most people hope that by hearing it they become successful. But there's a lot more to success than words. It takes a lot of hard work."

Vander Veldt agreed.

"Ronnie has always been a very independent thinker," Vander Veldt said. "He's been a good instructor because he honestly has the agents' best interest at heart."

During the 1980s, when double-digit interest rates had a negative impact on the industry, Vause persevered.

"I thought about going back to box groceries several times," he said, referring to his work in the small market his family owned in downtown Las Vegas. "But as a Realtor, you just need to be able to adjust to market conditions. I remember that there was a lot of creative financing, and if you could get a listing, you could make a living. You just have to make certain that you always maintain a good work ethic."

Vause, a former GLVAR president, has served on association committees each year for 30 years.

"I'm down there helping with something at least a couple of times a month," he said. "I honestly think one of the biggest reasons I was named Realtor of the Year was because I'm so active with the association."

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