About Us
Why Choose Johnston & Associates Real Estate?
History
Johnston & Associates Real Estate opened its doors in August of 2003 in the Thompson Plaza on Riverside Drive in Thompson. After a 20+ year career in Insurance Marketing & Underwriting, and a subsequent 3 years of Real Estate experience working with a local Real Estate Broker, the opening of Johnston & Associates Real Estate realized a dream come true for Broker/Owner Rachael Johnston.
In April of 2008, despite difficult economic times and a resulting dropping real estate market, Johnston & Associates showed their commitment to their clients and their community by purchasing and renovating a property in Thompson to house their real estate office.
As of January 1st, 2022, Rachael passed on the ownership of Johnston & Associates to her son, Ryan Lajoie. As the new Broker/Owner, Ryan hopes to continue on providing incredible service and a great experience with every client.
Our Philosophy
Johnston & Associates Real Estate is not about the building. It is about the exceptional Realtors who are Johnston & Associates Real Estate. We are fortunate to have an outstanding staff of 8 seasoned, licensed professional Realtors, all of which work very closely together as a team to assist our clients in their real estate transactions.
We are licensed in CT, MA & RI.
Buying and selling real estate is probably the single most expensive investment an individual will make in their lifetime. For many, it is also an extremely emotional event. The staff of Johnston & Associates prides themselves in the personal, one on one service we provide to all of our clients to enable them to realize their dream come true.
Since opening the office in August of 2003, Johnston & Associates has assisted hundreds upon hundreds of buyers & sellers. During any given real estate transaction, there are bound to be “bumps in the road”. We pride ourselves in handling these bumps with respect and professionalism, never losing sight of our client’s vision. Many of our clients begin their journey with us as total strangers and end it as long-time friends.
We also strongly believe that we are not just selling homes, we are selling a community. Not only do we point out the attributes of the home we are marketing but are able to provide potential buyers with first-hand knowledge of points of interest and amenities in the community. We feel that being lifetime residents of the community we serve is a great asset in this component of our marketing of properties.
Marketing / Advertising
Due to our proximity to multi-state borders, our paper advertising appears on a regular, rotating basis in CT, MA & RI. However, the majority of buyers today are extremely internet savvy and are doing their real estate shopping online. As such, we have more heavily invested in internet advertising.
We are members of the CT, MA & RI Multiple Listing Services. In addition, we have chosen to purchase an enhanced package of internet advertising which channels our listings to over 50 additional websites. This enhancement also allows us the opportunity to embellish our listings with banners, expanded descriptions, and additional pictures. We pride ourselves in the professionalism of our online presence and the reliability of the websites we have purchased space with.
Community Involvement
Our agents have a strong sense of giving back and volunteer in many Realtor, civic, and community organizations, many of which are in leadership roles. These include but are not limited to:
· Board of Directors – Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce
· Chair – Thompson Economic Development Commission
· Vice President – Tourtellotte Memorial High School Alumni Association
· Member – Thompson Lions
· Member – Putnam Rotary (Paul Harris Fellow)
· Board of Directors – Eastern CT Association of Realtors
· Federal Political Coordinator – National Association of Realtors
· Trustee – Living Faith United Methodist Church
· Volunteer – Daily Bread & TEEG Food Pantries
· Past Committee Chair – American Cancer Society Relay for Life
On behalf of the staff of Johnston & Associates Real Estate, we would like to thank you for allowing us to tell you our story. Please know that we value and trust our relationships with our clients and would love to have the opportunity to assist you in your real estate needs.
We welcome your questions and comments and invite you to contact us at any time.