Williams
The Middle Tennessee real estate community lost one of its most successful, iconic characters Monday with the death of Lee Williams, the founder and owner of the Williams Company.
Williams earned his real estate license in 1977 with Sherwood Realty, the real estate wing of C&S Builders, one of the largest homebuilders in Middle Tennessee, building some 300 homes per year at that point. C&S projects were constructed in White House, Mt. Juliet, Portland, Fairview, Smyrna and Gallatin and were sold through federal affordable housing programs.
In his first year at C&S, Lee, still in his early twenties, sold more than 70 houses. He sold more than 80 the next year, a feat only surpassed by Al Davis, a former schoolteacher who had sold over 100 the previous year.
Davis, the father of eight and partner in Davis-Gorham Camps, one of the city’s more popular day camps, was promoted to director of sales. Lee was one of his first hires and, despite having no real estate experience, he produced more than the exiting group.
In 1979, a sales manager position was created under Davis for the purpose of recruiting, hiring and training a sales staff in an effort to determine how many houses the company was capable of selling. Perhaps the company could sell more houses with more salespeople. Once again, Davis called on Williams.
Within a year, Williams had hired four of his peers with similar backgrounds, all having no real estate experience. With that group in place, sales skyrocketed to more than 800, thanks to his leadership.
His hires were Kelly Davis (now Adelman), the late Kelley Swift and Will Lyons. Lee hired his childhood friend and housemate, a wet-behind-the ears youngster in the management training program at Nashville City Bank. That fellow was none other than this writer. Yes, that is how it all started for me.
When the interest rates hit 18% and government programs were eliminated, C&S owner, founder and president John E. Cain closed its doors. Experts felt that was the end of Cain and his once-mighty group.
Rumors of C&S Builders’ demise were somewhat exaggerated. Cain, Davis, Williams and his ragamuffin sales force reemerged as Fox Ridge homes, becoming the preeminent builder in the state. The company began implementing the WOFFY (Way of Financing For You) program with a new product that became known as an ARM, or adjustable-rate mortgage. Oddly enough, the financial wizard at C&S was Dave Yoffe, which rhymes with Woffy.
Fox Ridge exploded onto the real estate scene with new, open designs, upgraded features and a financing program that replaced the age-old model that had been in place since World War II. They blossomed and eventually sold for millions and millions of dollars.
Once again, in a strange twist, Cain was able to buy the company back for less than he had previously sold it. He promoted Al Davis to the role of president, drove production and sales upward and resold it for much more than before.
Later, with years of construction experience behind him, Lee opened the Williams Company, where he began building his homes and continued to sell real estate. Most recently, he has concentrated on residential and commercial sales.
He was a child prodigy golfer and won numerous schoolboy-type tournaments before leading the Columbia Military Academy Golf during his high school years. He went to play golf at then-Memphis State University.
Lee is the father of three sons, John, Ben and Luke, and leaves behind his wife Pam. It would not be an understatement to say that any of the thousands of buyers, sellers and Realtors who have done transactions with Williams will never forget him. He was confident, brazen, hilarious and thorough.
Additionally, his real estate lineage stretches into the thousands, somewhat similar to the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) family tree. He trained hundreds who have trained hundreds. He sold properties ranging from $18,000 to $18 million. No house was too small, and no buyer shunned due to lack of financial resources.
I am proud to have known him, to have been trained by him and blessed to be among those who loved him.
Richard Courtney is a licensed real estate broker with Fridrich & Clark Realty and can be reached at [email protected].