Liz Kroft, Lance Hulsey, and Jamie Manley, founders of Santa Cruz’s own Sol Property Advisors, partnered with Side, Inc. (2021 Inman Innovator of the Year) to secure a competitive advantage for clients and agents.

With independent real estate brokerages being swallowed right and left by the big box companies, it might seem that indies need to either get on the road to acquisition or be left in the dust. Not so, say Liz Kroft, Lance Hulsey, and Jamie Manley, founders of Santa Cruz County’s own Sol Property Advisors. There is another path for an independent brokerage — strategic partnership.

Betting that big Indie is the next big thing

Sol Property Advisors have forged such a partnership with Side, a San Francisco-based venture-backed real estate tech company recently named Company of the Year by Inman at the Innovation Awards in October 2021. But why would a local award-winning brokerage recently voted Best of Santa Cruz County in 2021 want a partner? The tech space is evolving quickly and as forward-thinking business owners they saw an opportunity to keep their clients and agents ahead of the curve.

"Lance and I have a love for technology and shared goal of elevating the real estate industry," said Kroft, "but we're equally passionate about providing personal service. We wanted to find a solution that would give us the tools and resources that are a challenge for boutique brokerages to manage, and Side bridges that gap for us."

Saying a hard “no” to the status quo

Independence is non-negotiable for Kroft, Hulsey, and Manley, all fiercely loyal to the local-first ethos that defines Santa Cruz County. Side isn’t an owner, although it is Sol Property Advisors’ broker of record. Instead, it handles the heavy-lifting, providing

proprietary tech and access to exclusive partnerships with third party vendors that saves agents an average of 62 days per year and support that gives them the ability to focus on what matters — serving their clients and supporting their community.

This is important to the founders, all motivated by the opportunity to make a positive impact on Santa Cruz County and its residents. “Community involvement has always been a core value of mine,” said Kroft who is this years President of the Women’s Council of Realtors, was previously the membership director of Think Local First and has volunteered with O’Neill Sea Odyssey and the Santa Cruz Yacht Club. Giving back is built into the company, too. Most recently, Sol Property Advisors has supported United Valley Churches and everyday community heroes like frontline healthcare workers, firefighters and teachers with their Heroes Housing Assistance Program.

Putting Santa Cruz County first

“We share Santa Cruz County’s polite disdain for the big-box way of life,” said Hulsey. “Though we’ve had offers from the usual suspects, we never wanted to sacrifice our brand or our family-style way of doing business. That’s the heart of what we do.”

Kroft and Hulsey met in 2015 over lunch at Laili with a handshake and a mutual agreement that they wanted to run a business built on integrity and leave the real estate industry a better place for clients and agents. As such, Kroft, Hulsey, and Manley are the kind of leaders who always think 20 steps ahead.

“We feel very fortunate to have Side partner with us,” continued Hulsey. “This partnership allows us to retain our independent ownership but with the technology and power of a venture-backed company that is constantly innovating and establishing exclusive partnerships with emerging vendors and platforms.”

It’s only been a short time since their launch, but the founders are already floored by the caliber of their colleagues — some of the best and the brightest across the country — who, like them, are homegrown Indies.

“The technology and support we receive from Side empower us to dive deeper into helping our clients achieve their real estate goals and helping our agents grow their businesses and live the lives they dream of,” said Manley. “We look forward to collaborating and growing with other Side partners as we work together to improve every aspect of what we do.”

Looking to the future

Most of all, Sol Property Advisors is looking to the future for its clients and agents. There will always be new technology, systems, tools, and resources to make the real estate experience more enjoyable and fruitful. From the beginning, Kroft, Hulsey, and Manely have been at the forefront of the industry, embracing efficiencies and working hard to create incredible experiences for their clients. This latest move solidifies their place there.

Sol Property Advisors Ambassadors