Thomas M. Meyer and Beth McFerron continue work in area realty market

Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co. began with the late Thomas L. Meyer selling real estate in 1946. After Thomas M. Meyer served time in the United States Navy, he joined his father in the early 1970s as a real estate agent and broker at the company. Thomas M. Meyer took over the business in the 1990s and continues to run it smoothly today with his sister, Beth McFerron, and a small team of employees. McFerron has been a licensed real estate agent since 1998 and has been active with Meyer Realty Co. since she began working as her father's secretary in 1981. Together they provide dedicated service to the community and surrounding area.

Business Today: Please tell me about yourselves and how you began/became involved with Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co.

Beth McFerron: I started working for my father's business in 1981 as an office and real estate secretary. I also took care of the Cape Girardeau School of Real Estate, signing up new students and the marketing for the school. At that time (the '80s) we had as many as 50 students at a time.

Tom Meyer: Actually [I've been involved with the company] all my life since I first realized that what my father did for people made him a well-respected person in our community and that whatever he did was always for the good of the community. When I came back from serving in the military, I already had my real-estate license, and when I finished college at Southeast Missouri State University, I made the transition from part-time to full-time realtor. I was just married and worked what we called "24/7" in order to really earn my place in the business. I learned from my father and my uncle, Rupert Meyer, all I could, but the most important thing I learned from them was to be ethical in your everyday business dealings. I miss them both. I later became the Missouri state president, the National Realtor vice president and received the Missouri State Realtor of the Year award in 1998.

BT: Considering this is a family business, how do you separate your work and home life when you're out of the office?

Cutline-Body Copy:Tom M. Meyer and Beth McFerron pose for a photo at their company, Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co., at 230 N. Sprigg St. in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker

BM: I have a very understanding husband and we do a great balance of making time for ourselves and our careers.

TM: My wife and I raised five children together. When I got home it was family time, whether it was dinner together, after-school sports events or at other family activities, I always tried to be there for them. I never made calls after 6 p.m. Even though I would go to work early, evenings were ours. Few times did I even take any work home.

BT: What do you love about your work and being able to work together?

BM: Tom trusts my decisions so I have some latitude.

TM: I write down my random thoughts or things I want to do the next day before I leave the office, so that when I arrive in the morning, I'm ready and excited to get the day going. My father, my uncle and Beth all made it possible for each of us to be where we needed to be, without worrying about who is running the office because there was always one of us there.

Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co. at 230 N. Sprigg in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker

BT: How has the real estate business changed since you entered the field?

BM: Since 1981? A lot! We thought the fax machine was the best thing since sliced bread. I started when we were still using carbon paper for our contracts! Communication used to be direct contact, whereas now we communicate in many different ways. Some clients just want to text, some emails. Nothing can replace sitting across the table from your clients though -- that is still my favorite way for communications ... but I am old school. It used to be that the agents met once a week to verbally tell everyone about their new listings. Then we had this book that came out once a month. Now we have the internet and as soon as a listing comes on the market -- bam -- over 300 agents have access to it immediately, pictures and all! I love that for sure.

TM: In the early '70s, it was simple. One- or two-page contracts, use your desk phone and knock on doors looking for listings. You had to call other companies to borrow house keys to show their properties and be on top of what's available on the market by memory. I had the first bag phone in our realtor board and would make appointments to show a house while in their driveway at times. Our company also had computers early on, and the first web page using the DSL from AT&T. Today, texting is the norm, but you know person to person is still the best in providing service. That should never go out of fashion.

BT: What does the housing market look like in our area?

BM: Great! I just listed a house and it sold in two days! Where are we growing? All over -- Cape doesn't have that much vacant land in the city limits. But Gordonville, Jackson, outskirts, lots of new construction. What are people looking for in new homes/rentals these days? Updated homes. Larger bedrooms, master bath and so on.

TM: The housing market will always have stable growth. No boom or bust like other areas of the U.S. We are still growing steadily, now more to the out county on the west and northwest sides. With Cape Girardeau adjoining the city limits of Jackson and Scott City, you can almost guarantee this growth to the west. New homes, and even remodeled homes, buyers are looking for larger bathrooms and more updated kitchens. Homes have evolved over the years and will continue to do so. At the turn of the century we had two parlors, then later living rooms and with family rooms in the basement. Next living rooms and family rooms off the kitchen. Then great rooms encompassing these together. Now we see gathering rooms, with open concept including the kitchen, dining and family rooms all under one large room for more family interaction.

BT: Where do you think the housing market is headed in the next couple of years?

BM: Upward! I feel really good about the market.

TM: There will always be single-family homes on the market, although smaller in size. Families are not as large as before, and low maintenance and more efficient homes are in demand, and for early retirement couples less house and yard to maintain. I read some time ago that the house of tomorrow will be a two bedroom, gathering room and a three-car garage on a small-level lot. That's the future.

BT: The housing market has ups and downs. What does it take to be successful no matter what's happening in the market at large?

BM: Be honest, be available, be knowledgeable, be optimistic!

TM: To be successful in this business you need to manage your time. Time for work and time for family. In each housing cycle, there are different strategies, and it's identifying these changes early and adapting when it arrives, but be flexible to surprises along the way. But very important, be ethical in your life and business because it's really your reputation that keeps you in business for the long term, not the short term.

BT: What's next for Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co.?

BM: I don't know. We have been here 70-plus years! Maybe 70 more!

TM: What's next for our company? Who really knows, but I can tell you that we still enjoy coming in every day and there is always something new to learn, and we will be here for those that need our services. After 70 years, it's not that far away to make it to 100!