Among the millions of items on display at the Smithsonian Institution – along with such renowned artifacts as the Star-Spangled Banner and ­Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat – is a modest 32-page ­catalog. Published in 1928 by a start-up real estate company called United Farm Agency, the catalog ­showcased a novel concept: an inviting list of real estate ­properties for sale nationwide.

The reason this humble artifact is worthy of ­recognition by the Smithsonian is because that 32-page brochure has been recognized as the nation’s first real estate catalog. Simply put, it was the 1920s ­version of Zillow.

Celebrating Its Centennial

While that catalog is now a museum piece, the company that created it — known today as United Country Real Estate — remains as leading-edge as ever. As United Country celebrates its centennial in 2025, it not only continues to innovate, but it has become a juggernaut, with nearly 500 offices and more than 4,000 agents in the United States, Canada, Central America, and South America.

“That catalog was the real estate portal of its time,” says United Country CEO Dan Duffy.

“They were highlighting listings from around the country. Back in those days, if somebody was interested in a property, they could mail in a form and receive more details,” Duffy says.

Sounds quaint, doesn’t it? Think again.

“That’s still basically what we do today,” Duffy says. “We market properties to people all over the world using the latest technology that is currently available.”

The Exception to the Rule

The fact that United Country is still up and going after 100 years is an impressive achievement in itself. According to the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12 percent of companies that go into business are still operating 25 years later. Those that survive a century? That number dwindles to one-half of one percent.

United Country has done more than just beat the odds. It’s thriving. Last year, its offices closed $42 ­billion in transactions. According to Duffy, this accomplishment can be attributed to United ­Country’s never-ending quest to integrate cutting-edge technology and extensive property marketing.

FIRST-EVER. The nation’s original real estate catalog is housed at the Smithsonian Institution.

“The theme that has run through this company for 100 years is innovation,” Duffy says. “At every ­possible turn, United Country has reinvented itself with whatever the technology afforded at the moment, be it the catalog in 1928, early ­computers in the 1960s, or the Internet in the 1990s. We’ve ­survived only because we were willing to change and innovate to make sure that we’re always extremely relevant and forward-looking.”

This quality was one of the most compelling attributes that led Duffy and a group of investors to acquire United Country in 2006. “This company had some wonderful bones and an incredible culture. I saw an opportunity to take it to the next level. What we did next was inventory what we were good at and what we needed to improve. Then we reinvested in what was working and added to that,” he says.

Integrating Auction Services

A key first step was integrating auction services into the overall brokerage model.

Veteran auctioneer Shawn Terrel was brought onboard to implement this innovation. Since ­Terrel arrived in 2007, nearly half of United Country’s offices have incorporated auction services, a move that Terrel says ultimately increased the company’s bottom line by 20 percent.

“Getting real estate brokers to offer auction services in the normal course of business was a daunting task. We were literally asking our agents to step out of their comfort zone,” Terrel says. “But that’s what innovation is all about. A successful company starts with a great concept. Then it has to continue to build upon that concept. That’s what we did with auction services.”

In addition to auction services, United ­Country developed specialized marketing strategies to ­better highlight its thousands of listings. Instead of ­operating under a single umbrella, dozens of lifestyle categories were created. Today, more than 40 property types are marketed under the United Country banner, from vineyards and wineries to farms, ranches, and equine properties.

“Each of those became a niche marketing opportunity for United Country,” says United Country President Mike Duffy. “We started putting together experts who know a lot about those ­property niches then began building comprehensive ­marketing strategies around them. The world has changed so much since 1925, but people still ­basically want the same thing when it comes to land properties. We’re just trying to bring it to them in a different way.”

Company officials say that this approach will continue as United Country barrels forward into its second century. Efforts are already underway to begin incorporating AI technology into the ­company’s digital marketing. “We can’t ever become complacent and rest on our laurels,” Terrel says. “We have to figure out what that 1928 catalog innovation is going to be in the year 2028. Then innovate again.”

INNOVATOR. These catalogs encapsulate a century of cutting-edge marketing.

Published in The Land Report Spring 2025.