Separating the reception from the work area is a wall of glass block. It’s a line of demarcation, as the slate floor gives way to hardwood, but the office’s upscale design is continued throughout the space –even to the lavatory by the rear door. Granite counter top on a free‑standing vanity, mosaic trim around the mirror that also sets off the tile wainscoting around the walls, and a towel rack of brushed steel are only some of the designer touches in this utilitarian room.

A touch of whimsy announces its location: A glass “his‑and‑her bathroom” sign is conspicuously mounted on the wall.

But the pièce de résistance of the office, for Barry, is the custom‑made clock centered on one wall. “Realty Executives” is emblazoned across the face, and the frame consists of an art deco display in red, green and blue neon tubing.

Individual stations line both sides of the work area, separated from each other by shoulder‑high walls but open to the walkway down the middle of the office. “With the open work‑station plan, you can get more people into a smaller space,” Wilkes noted. The 1,200‑square‑foot office is friendly and comfortable, according to real estate agent Wendy Cyr, who said, “It’s like a family. People feel good about coming in; it doesn’t have an isolated, corporate feeling.” She moved to this office because of the atmosphere–and the technology.

The flat‑screen TV in the reception area is only one of 14 flat‑screens in the office. Each work station has one built into the wall, and the conference room near the back of the office features a large flat‑screen. Said Barry, “It’s easy, when people want to search for homes, to view virtual home tours,” as well as the google‑earth.com images. Barry installed  a T‑1 line, giving the office high‑speed Internet access. Maps and photos can be e‑mailed to clients, giving them a preview of properties they intend to visit. And all the computers are networked to the copier and the color printer, allowing quick production of colored flyers for the agents.

Then there’s the lighting–all halogen, no fluorescent. “It’s not typical of offices,” noted Wilkes. Cost was more than $30,000 for the lighting, according to Barry. From parallel tracks above the work stations, spotlight halogens are directed onto the agents’ desks; decorative sconces line the walls; and, in the conference room, a monorail track shares the ceiling with Murano‑glass pendants above the conference table.

The security system includes video cameras that enable Barry to view the office via the Internet, and magnetic locks on the exterior doors coupled with a record‑keeping keycard system.

Furniture is all Scandinavian‑style, with clean, uncluttered lines. Custom‑made pieces include the cabinet at the rear of the conference room, which had to be re‑cut to size as it was being installed, and a play station for kids, which houses the video game of that name in a corner of the conference room (plus a supply of puzzles, reading books and coloring books). “It’s a kid‑friendly office,” said Barry, who also keeps on hand a small, pirate‑style treasure chest full of toys for the tykes who accompany his clients.

Barry, who as a former personal assistant to Norman Lear, traded his youthful interest in broadcast journalism for a career in real estate 15 years ago and uprooted from Seattle to Phoenix in 1996. Notwithstanding his 10‑year reputation in Tatum Ranch real estate, he emphasized, “This office is people’s first impression of us.”

Barry and his team–agents Lise Barry, Wendy Cyr, Rosalie Mikler, Debora Nichols and Myron Warren–may be reached at (480) 353‑2400, or visit them at their Realty Executives office at the corners of Tatum and Cave Creek roads.