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New president to lead Park City Board of Realtors

Sara Werbelow says Realtors have important role in the community

Sara Werbelow, principal broker of Chateaux Realty, speaks at an awards banquet in April of 2016. She recently became the president of the Park City Board of Realtors and says she will fight to help Park City retain its authentic identity in an era of growth.
(Park Record file photo)

Sara Werbelow remembers exactly where her interest in real estate began.

As a child, her father, who she described as a self-made Las Vegas developer, would take her on trips to see his projects. She said seeing his efforts morph into a neighborhood of houses or a strip of buildings sparked something inside of her, igniting a passion for real estate that would shape her life.

“It became a huge pride factor for me early on to participate in actually seeing him building housing and commercial properties,” she said. “It kicked it off for me at a very early age.”

Now, after forging a successful career in real estate of her own, she is stepping onto the center stage of the industry in Park City. Werbelow, principal broker of Chateaux Realty, a Stein Eriksen Lodge Management Corporation business, has been named the president of the Park City Board of Realtors for 2017. She is taking over for Rick Shand, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties.

Werbelow, who has lived in the area for about two decades, is taking the helm of the organization as Park City’s profile continues to rise and the town is increasingly seen as one of the most desirable resort towns in North America. She said that provides the real estate industry with a big opportunity, but it’s also incumbent on Realtors to ensure the area retains the sense of community and authenticity that makes it special.

“What I’m seeing now is a very exciting time,” she said. “We’re sort of on the edge of this massive success as a resort destination, which is very exciting to be part of. … However, I’m also a diehard local. So I’m also witnessing the growth of the community and the pressure on the community and trying to do everything I can to help us keep our authentic nature and our authentic quality as a historic town.”

Some of Werbelow’s efforts as president of the Board of Realtors will be funneled toward helping strike a balance between embracing growth and maintaining the town’s identity, she said. To help, Realtors — who Werbelow called the face of the community — can continue to support the town’s nonprofit organizations, get even more involved in community issues and do their best to represent the diverse communities comprising Summit and Wasatch counties.

“You don’t just see Realtors hanging back, selling luxury real estate,” she said. “You see Realtors out in the forefront, lifting a finger, helping out and participating. … Realtors know that, if we don’t maintain our authentic, approachable quality and have this sort of diversity of community, people won’t want to come and buy real estate anymore.”

As president, Werbelow also wants to help the Board of Realtors create forums for members and residents to discuss issues that are affecting the broader community, such as transportation, affordable housing and sustainability. Additionally, she would like to provide members with better educational opportunities to ensure an even better level of service for customers, no matter what firm they’re working with.

“I want to continue to find ways to assist the Realtor community with tools to enhance their business practice and raise the bar,” she said.

As part of those efforts, she will ensure small, independent firms can also benefit, she said. She wants to make sure that all firms, regardless of the constraints they face, get the most out of their membership with the Board of Realtors.

“It may be harder for small offices to get out and get involved and find ways to enhance their business practice because they’re so focused on the day-to-day,” she said. “I want to be able to have every member of our association, whether they come from a large corporate environment or are a one-man show, to have access to the same level of benefits and services. I want everybody to have a seat at the table.”

For more information on the Park City Board of Realtors, visit parkcityrealtors.com


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