Plaza/Astle Realty Receives Small Business Award

Astle Realty was started by Joe Astle, who was a local home builder. Joe joined the Hutchinson Board of Realtors in 1959 and opened Astle Realty Company in 1964. In 1986, when Joe was ready to retire, he sold the company to his daughter, and 3 other Realtors who scaled and grew the company to become what the community now recognizes as Plaza Astle Realty. Over the last 59 years the company has remained locally owned and operated by local Realtor Owner/Brokers. There have been 10 total company owners at one time or another. The current owners - Tina Martinez and Valerie Pryor are owners #9 and #10. The company has been had a few different locations, but for the last 35 years they have been in their current 30th Avenue location.

Today, Plaza Astle Realty is the largest Real Estate Company in Reno County with 27 Agents and is the leading company in Reno County for both volume and units sold. They pride themselves on staying updated on market trends, property values, and neighborhood developments to help enable clients to make informed decisions regarding buying, selling, or investing in real estate.

Plaza Astle Realty has very little agent turnover, they attribute that to strong brand recognition and an excellent reputation in the market for professionalism and trustworthiness. They have a supportive and collaborative culture, where agents feel valued and have positive working relationships with colleagues.

Valerie and Tina believe that community support contributes to the overall well-being and vitality of individuals and the community as a whole. Their philanthropic efforts include annual support of local schools and several non-profit organizations. In addition to financial donations, their agents recognize that community support relies heavily on the efforts of volunteers who contribute their time and skills to support various initiatives. Several of their agents sit on various boards and committees throughout our community. They also believe that community support includes supporting fellow businesses in their endeavors. With this philosophy in mind, they choose to do their business locally whenever possible - from building maintenance to office supplies, to technology services, to insurance, to advertising.

For Valerie and Tina, they say “It’s humbling to think of all the ups and downs that this real estate company has gone through since it opened. There were record high interest rates in the 70s and 80s, the recession of 1990, the real estate crash of 2008, the 2020 COVID pandemic; and yet, by ensuring professional, and honest service to our community regardless of the things that couldn’t be controlled, our agents now, and the agents before have been able to continue to carry our brand and service forward to each upcoming generation of home owners. 
We are so proud to serve and be a part of this community, and we are so thankful for each and every customer who chooses to trust us with their real estate transaction.”