Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1942)

Leo M. Bernstein, the sparkplug president of Leo M. Bernstein & Co., is a member of one of Washington, D. C.'s, oldest families. Proud of that heritage , the youthful, curlyheaded president of this progressive real estate firm delves in his spare time into the history of the nation's capital. Chief hobby: collecting antiques, matiy of which he finds in the old houses which his company buys. Born in 1914, Mr. Bernstein is himself strictly twentieth century modern. Other pertinent details: he attended the local schools and Columbus Law University; is a member of the Masonic Order. He is married and the proud brunette papa of two blond sons, Stuart, age 4, and Richard, age 2. personal calls on all the prospects. A constantly increasing radio audience continues to swamp the office with inquiries as a direct result of these radio spot announcements. In a little over ten years since the time the president of the company, Leo M. Bernstein, first found out that there were Plat Books for determining property ownership, the company has grown until now it occupies its own air-conditioned building; its own warehouse, and its own storage yards. All materials are bought in wholesale quantities, thereby eliminating brokerage and middlemen's profits. All of the reconditioning work (subject to the personal inspection of Mr. Bernstein) is done by the salaried staff of the company. Now what have been the results? In a little over ten years, Leo M. Bernstein & Co. has sold more than 2,100 reconditioned houses in all parts of the metropolitan area. Any day of the week the home-seeker may walk into the company offices, and from city plats and photographs of more than 150 homes select a home of any size, type or price, in any section of the city. It's as easy as ordering from a mail order catalogue. If nothing on file suits a client, the company will find one for him in his favorite location. The house will be submitted "as-is," and the prospective buyer may select the things he wants done. Company experts point out other things that probably need doing, but which are visible only to the trained eye. The interior and even the exterior will be redesigned and reconstructed to suit the purchaser. And since the work is done by the company's own staff with materials supplied at wholesale cost, these savings are passed on to the would-be home owner. The Leo M. Bernstein & Co. operates on department store methods. Willingness to exchange small profits for large volume is the secret of its success. Out of the reconditioning service has grown a complete real estate service. In addition to the buying and selling of reconditioned homes, Leo M. Bernstein & Co. has taken on the management of all types of properties: the real estate department consists of many houses and business properties; the rental service employs the services of numerous trained rental agents and maintenance experts. All administrative affairs, repairs, maintenance, rentals, the handling of tax matters, securing reductions of assessments, securing of public utilities, financing and refinancing are handled by a staff of more than 40 experts. No bonuses or profits are permitted on financing operations. Today, almost the entire advertising of the company is over the air. Not a day goes by without the message of the company being heard over at least one of Washington's six stations. And it all happened because Leo M. Bernstein took two ideas that wouldn't work and made them workl 12 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP