Feature Article

MUSIC AND REAL ESTATE IN HARMONY

Written By: Kim Vanderleer
Published By: Calgary Real Estate News
Article Used with permission of the Calgary Real Estate Board. © Copyright Calgary Real Estate News, 2007
2005-03-31

Bob Allen has led a very rich life coupling his love of music with a real estate career. Throughout his 57 years in the industry, Bob has strived to provide excellent service to his clients through honest deals and dedication while balancing a successful music career with dance bands and duos.

Bob says that a lot of his success in both the real estate and music industry is due to his entrepreneurial mind. He says looking at things from that perspective has created opportunities throughout different aspects of his life.

He was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan on December 17, 1920 and lived there for 20 years, where he taught himself how to read and play music.

I was always very active in sports and music and organized a dance band in high school. I was elected president of the student body in my final year of high school, Bob said.

In 1940, Bob moved to Vancouver where he joined the R.C.A.F and was sent to Ontario for training. After his training was complete in 1942, he was stationed in Alberta where he got his first taste of Calgary life.

In 1942, I got posted to Calgary for a year at #3 5FTS, just next door to the Currie Barracks. It was that first year in Calgary that persuaded me to come back after the war was over, Bob said.

After the year in Calgary, Bob was posted to Tofino, B.C. According to Bob, he had a lot of spare time in Tofino, and it led him to begin playing the clarinet. - sometimes for three or four hours a day.

Word went around the R.C.A.F about Bob’s musical talents and soon he was posted to Sea Island air base in Vancouver and put in charge of the station dance band until he was discharged in 1945.

Bob journeyed back to Calgary after the war, where he began a career as a life insurance salesman with Dominion Life. Pursuing his love of music, he also formed a new dance band where he played lead clarinet and saxophone.

It was at this time, Bob would begin to focus on a career in real estate. There was a commercial real estate company in the same building as Dominion Life, one floor below and one of his acquaintances (who worked in real estate) convinced him that he would be better off in the real estate business.

So in 1948, Bob went downstairs to work for Frank Freeze Co Real Estate and Insurance as a salesman.

My license only cost me $4.00 and there were no courses to take and no exams to become a salesman - unlike today’s agents who must take courses, write exams and have extensive training, Bob said.

When I went with Frank Freeze Co., the first time I made a sale, I made two sales in one day. The first sale was a little coffee shop at the entrance to the Calgary Zoo and I sold it for $2,000. The commission was 5% and I got half of the 5%. And that evening I sold a little chicken farm up in Albert Park, which was a little district, which looked out over the city and mountains. And this little chicken farm was about an acre and a half, and I sold that for about $6,500 and would probably sell for at least a million dollars at today’s prices.

1948 was a good year for his music career as well, as he was in a male quartet and they won at a music festival. Later, Bob went with another real estate company for a short time before he struck out on his own.

In 1953, Bob started Allen Agencies General Insurance and Real Estate and joined the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB). His first office was a shared space with the Stampeders Football Club in a house on 6 Ave S.W.

It was around this time that CREB opened their first office in a two-storey house on 4 Ave S.W.

In those days, a lot of business was done with a handshake and I had the pleasure of dealing with some of the old timers like Claire Cote Sr. in this manner, Bob reminisces.

Bob’s music career was doing very well at the time too. His dance band performed at many of CREB conferences and events, including the conventions in Banff.

I had a good working relationship with the Real Estate Board and the secretary Frank Johns was also a good musician and excellent pianist, Bob said.

His music career also provided him with a lot of real estate business. He conducted many transactions with musicians that he knew.

He advises new Realtors to try and make contacts through their personal life.

Be sure to make time for your hobbies and involvement in the community because it will pay off. I only know too well because I helped many musicians with buying and selling houses.

Bob notes that times have certainly changed since he was active in the real estate industry.

In 1955, I negotiated a sale of most of the acreage on the hillside west of Sarcee Trail between Bow Trail and 17 Ave S.W., now known as Strathcona Park and the total price of the transaction would hardly buy one lot today!

Bob has retained his Agent’s license but devotes most of his time to singing and swimming.

He loved the real estate business because he was able to deal with people one-on-one and the industry allowed a lot of flexibility.

I liked selling and meeting people. I went into selling because I like people. The real estate business allowed me to work at my own speed and timetable. I could fit in other work activities with it.

This article was written for Calgary Real Estate News, a division of the Calgary Real Estate Board, for the series “Legends of Real Estate” showcasing important members of the Calgary Real Estate Board. Please visit the Calgary Real Estate Board online.This article is part of the collection of the Calgary Real Estate News. Please visit them online.