Cornerstone Real Estate Redefines Real Estate with Community and Collaboration in Saline

Another bright spot has been added to Saline’s already many bright spots. Cornerstone Real Estate, founded a year ago by Saline native Don Wurtzel, is quickly gaining recognition in Washtenaw County for its commitment to creating a family-like workplace culture that spills out into the community, building strong ties.

"We opened officially on January 11 a year ago,” recalls Wurtzel. “We assembled a group of quality agents to get together and start Cornerstone." This focus on quality over quantity is a cornerstone of their philosophy.

Discussing the firm's ethos, Wurtzel emphasized the importance of character in their agents. "Character is a big thing. In this type of business, reputation is your biggest strength always," he said, underlining the importance of integrating well with the team to maintain a drama-free, productive environment.

Agents at Cornerstone, like Cassie McCarthy and Mandy Tousa, echo this sentiment. McCarthy spoke of the firm's non-competitive atmosphere, "It's not competitive in here with the other agents. We've developed friendships. We do things beyond just real estate." This camaraderie extends to their community involvement, with agents participating in local events and charity drives.

One of Cornerstone's significant achievements, as noted by Tousa, is its rapid growth. "In our first year, we’re the sixth largest brokerage in Washtenaw County, which is kind of crazy to think about," she remarked, attributing much of this success to the supportive culture at the firm.

Cornerstone's community focus is evident in its involvement in local events. Wurtzel shared, "We've done a lot of events this year to create a family feel like building a float for the Saline Holiday Parade." He also highlighted the importance of their office location on the corner of US 12 and Ann Arbor-Saline in maintaining a strong community presence. "We want to be able to welcome people in. That's when other events will happen next summer. We really want to dig into it and thrive," he added.

The firm's community engagement isn't just for show. They have a foundation, Cornerstone Cares, which serves as a vehicle to give back financially to the community and volunteer. "It's not just coming from the company. It's like everybody," Wurtzel stated, emphasizing the collective effort.

Through its close-knit, work-family culture, Cornerstone Real Estate has created a dynamo that energizes its business and builds and strengthens the community.