Trails West Real Estate has come a long way since its 1973 inception when Dan Averill founded the company in an historic log cabin on Electric Avenue in Bigfork, Montana. With family roots that go back generations, Dan built a successful real estate business on friendship, respect, his vast knowledge of the area, and genuine Montana hospitality. It was a time when a handshake often sealed the deal and Flathead Lake waterfront sold for $100 a foot!
Two paths merged in 1998 when Tom and Katie Brown, owners of Eagle Bend Realty and part of the real estate landscape for years, merged with Dan and Trails West. Dan’s knowledge and good name in the Flathead Valley and Tom and Katie’s energy and vitality, proved to be a winning combination.
With the merger cemented, Dan, Tom and Katie opened two additional offices and invited three more owners to join their team--Ellie Stimpson, in Lakeside and Sean Averill and Susan E. Smith in Whitefish. With years of impeccable integrity, an aggressive Internet marketing campaign, superb client services, and expertise in destination resort development, Trails West Eagle Bend Realty grew to become one of the strongest real estate firms in northwestern Montana.
A nod to the past and a look to the future precipitated a name change to Trails West Real Estate in 2008. That same year, Trails West embarked on a program to take their marketing to a national and international level by becoming Northwest Montana’s exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates, a wholly owned subsidiary of Christie’s International. With knowledge, experience and integrity, Trails West Real Estate now brings the marketing and sale of Montana’s distinctive properties to 850 carefully selected offices in over 40 countries.
As sales and marketing leaders in the Flathead Valley, Trails West’s experienced Realtor team understands market trends and how to guide buyers and sellers through the process of making educated decisions regarding their investments.
It’s a long way from 1973 and a log cabin in Bigfork to a powerhouse international company and Trails West has enjoyed every step. Continually rising to the challenge of market changes with education and innovation, Trails West Real Estate keeps its cutting edge, yet remains rooted in ethical practice.
Dan Averill, comments, “We strive to be great, not great big. Our affiliation with Christie’s offers an international market to our buyers, but we have kept our small town feel.” With a passion for service, an unwavering commitment to clients, and dedication to the real estate profession, Trails West presents the stunning Flathead Valley to the world. Visit us in downtown Bigfork, at Harbor Village, in Lakeside, in Whitefish and at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake and let us…bring you home to Montana.
Trails West Real Estate, professionally serving the Flathead Valley for 37 years
