A legacy of leadership meets modern growth with Zillow at the center
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Section: 4
Wayne Buhler
Century 21 JW Morton
As a second-generation realtor, Wayne Buhler brought deep local knowledge and high standards to his role at Century 21 JW Morton. But in today’s competitive market, he knew that legacy wasn’t enough.
Through a forward-thinking partnership with Zillow, Wayne sharpened his brokerage’s focus on listings, visibility, and seller trust—positioning his team for sustained leadership in Citrus County.
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Challenge
Wayne Buhler stepped into leadership at Century 21 JW Morton with a clear goal: take a legacy brokerage to the next level. While the business was performing well, he knew past success wouldn’t guarantee future growth, especially in a competitive market.
Listing volume was solid, but differentiation was limited. Agents were engaged, but momentum was inconsistent. And with an average home price under $300K, the team often struggled to prove their value in higher-end segments. It was time for a new strategy, one that would scale the brand and energize the team for next-tier growth.
I don’t do well with just maintaining. I want to continue to grow. I want to continue to elevate the company and the brand.”
-Wayne Buhler, Century 21 JW Morton
Solution
Wayne used Zillow to evolve JW Morton’s entire go-to-market strategy. No longer just a lead source, Zillow became a foundation for visibility, credibility, and growth, powering everything from agent adoption to market expansion.
Wayne leveraged his Zillow partnership to advance several key business objectives.
Platform-driven growth
Wayne centered his operations with Zillow’s ecosystem: testing new tools early, integrating dashboards, and using platform insights to guide agent performance and pricing.
Visibility as a value proposition
Zillow became a core part of the seller conversation. From listing presentation to market exposure, the message was simple: we put your home where buyers are looking—and we do it better than anyone else.
Broker investment, agent buy-in
Wayne removed barriers to adoption by funding tools, offsetting costs, and tying success to agent performance. The result: strong internal alignment and a visible lift in listing quality.
A competitive edge
While others pulled back, Wayne doubled down, investing more in Zillow, expanding into premium segments, and securing exclusivity to reinforce JW Morton’s leadership in Citrus County.
Results
The impact of partnering with Zillow was significant for the JW Morton team — they became stronger market leaders, won over more sellers, aligned their entire team, and created momentum for future growth.
Market leadership
Zillow helped JW Morton sharpen its competitive edge and scale performance—fast. The brokerage now leads its market by a wide margin and ranks among the top-performing Century 21 offices nationwide.
Seller wins
Using Zillow Showcase branding in listing presentations gave Wayne’s team a clear edge—both in competitive pitches and in seller confidence. Sellers connected instantly with the value of visibility, and in some cases, came looking for it.
- Listings won in multi-agent interviews
- Visibility-first messaging helped sellers buy in
- Inbound interest from leads
Agent adoption & impact
Broker investment, team training, and proof of performance helped drive full buy-in. Wayne removed barriers so agents could focus on winning listings—and winning sellers.
- 100% of the listings at Century 21 JW Morton now include Zillow Showcase
- Broker covers 3D tours and offsets costs
- Top agents use Zillow Showcase to double-side deals and attract sellers
Expansion & strategic growth
With Zillow as a partner, Wayne extended his reach beyond his team’s average price point, moving confidently into waterfront listings, large-acreage properties, and $1M+ homes. This growth wasn’t accidental; it was fueled by greater visibility, stronger seller messaging, and a commitment to stay front and center in a changing market.
“When you're selling a million-dollar home and your brokerage average is $276K, you need a tool in your pocket that proves you're not average.”
-Wayne Buhler, Century 21 JW Morton