When licensed real estate broker Karena Wells, and Kaylie Pierre decided to go into business for themselves, they decided against establishing a “brick-and-mortar” storefront. Instead, they set up “Love PNW Homes” at lovepnw.com online.

The goal was to afford employees a better work-life balance, and also to serve its clients better than a traditional real estate brokerage, according to Kaylie Pierre, owner and director of marketing and branding.

Wells brings 20 years of experience in the real estate field, from across three different states. Pierre, who is not a licensed broker, comes to Love PNW Homes after a year and a half of working in the real estate field.

“Both Karena and I were looking for a change,” Pierre said. “She’d wanted to build her own real estate team for years.”

Pierre explained that one of Wells’ goals in assembling a real estate team was that each could help take pressure off the other while ensuring continuous customer service.

“Part of being in real estate is the 24-7 demand for your services,” Pierre said. “But Love PNW Homes was formed so its partners could put the phone down every once in a while, for weekends or vacations, and trust that their coworkers would cover the business in their absence. It fosters a sense of camaraderie. As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats.

“Let’s say one of our folks has a sudden family obligation that they absolutely have to tend to,” Pierre said. “Another one of us can still be available to conduct a scheduled house showing in their stead. We don’t each have to do it all by ourselves.”

Pierre added that there’s little need for a traditional storefront when most of their business involves meeting clients at various houses, whereas one advantage that Love PNW Homes offers over other brokerages is its own dedicated marketing person.

“I can get clients’ listings out there, to where the public and the community will see them,” Pierre said. “We’re taking care to develop positive relationships with other local businesses, because of how much of the real estate business is based on referrals. And we don’t want our relationships with our clients to feel strictly transactional, either.”

Although it’s not unique to Love PNW Homes, an additional benefit that Pierre cited to working in real estate on the Olympic Peninsula is the quality of life of the area itself, which inspired their company’s name.

“I’m just grateful to live where we live, surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains, the forests and the ocean,” Pierre said. “The Pacific Northwest is just a great place to live and work.”

Pierre invites anyone with further questions to visit Love PNW Homes’ virtual storefront at lovepnw.com online.