By Luci Pestana
As one of the latest additions to the Urban Durham family, I’m more entitled than most to brag about the firm’s practices and general fabulousness. After all, most of the company policies were in place before I even crossed the threshold, and therefore I can’t be accused of trying to take personal credit! It also makes sense that, as the only non-realtor in the group, my contributions would be less real estate-minded and more… well… human-minded. It is in that spirit that I’d like to vocalize what the individuals at UDR have been, from what I’ve observed, refreshingly quiet about thus far.
Urban Durham Realty is a small firm, comprised of a close-knit, dynamic group of top-notch realtors. It is also a firm just as uniquely-minded as the individuals that represent it. UDR has invented itself as a business that takes the needs of the community to heart, and uses it’s position to make a difference. It’s a defining factor for the firm, and a simple yet powerful concept:
Each time a UDR broker earns a commission, a percentage of the earnings go directly to the local charity of their choice. Often times, a client will express a preference as to the recipient. If not, the brokers have personal favorites that routinely benefit.
Since it’s inception, UDR has raised over $4000 for a variety of local charities. Listed below are the organizations putting UDR dollars toward their cause.
Animal Protection Society of Durham
Agape Corner
Arc of Durham
Duke Forest
Durham Cares
Habitat for Humanity
SEEDS
Genesis Home
Full Frame
Nativity School
Reality Ministries
Ronal McDonald House
Student U
Partners for Youth
TROSA
THreshold
Urban Ministries
YMCA
Durham Farmer’s Market
El Centro Hispanico
Center for Child and Family Health
UDR is also very involved in a more hands-on capacity in a specific project with Reality Ministries. They’re financially and physically assisting the outfitting of a library for the Reality Center, a building being developed by the organization to better serve at-risk youth in Durham. It’s an effort to support worthy causes on multiple levels and “stages of the game,” and I think it speaks volumes.
It’s in these regular, every single time transactions that UDR transcends doing business in our community, and actually becomes our community. When they, as realtors, claim to really love Durham, I’m buying it.
Urban Durham Realty \