Cisler and Associates Real Estate is a major pulse for Staunton's community

By Lynn and Nancy Neuhaus

Cisler and Associates Real Estate started in 1991. The owner, Dave Cisler has been a past President of the Chamber of Commerce and is still very involved in the organization. In 1990, Dave was working at SIUE and taking classes, when one day his supervisor asked a favor of him. The supervisor needed to register students for a Real Estate class. Dave agreed with one condition, he could take the class for free. He passed the class and then went on to get his state real estate agent license. Dave thought he would try to go to work for an Edwardsville agency, but he only received part-time employment offers. Then Clarence Alender, a local realtor, made an offer to Dave to purchase his Real Estate business. Dave accepted the offer, but since he was not 21 years old he had to hire a broker manager for the office until he could obtain his broker manager license.

One look at the brick and stone that makes up the building where Cisler Real Estate is located and you would know there is some history in it’s past. It was originally Ficker & Ficker grocery store and was owned by Dave’s wife Susan’s, grandfather. The building went through several owners and in 1995 Dave and purchased the building. The backroom was originally Staunton Ice Company. There is still a hole 4’ by 4’ by 55 feet deep, stone lined, where ice was stored to keep local’s iceboxes cold in the summer. The room next to it has a peep hole that was supposedly used by the Underground Railroad. Finally the front corner section of today’s building was once Colonial Corner Restaurant & Tea Room. Dave is quite proud of the continued improvements they have made to the building.

Cisler Real Estate has 10 employees and 16 realtors with offices located in Staunton and Litchfield. The Litchfield office has went through some recent updates. After covid arrived, Dave and his son, Matthew, decided to make that business into a virtual office. They control the entire office from their Staunton location. They can change the listings posted in the front windows, respond to clients as they enter, share live virtual conversations, scan and print documents as needed from Staunton. Perspective clients have been quite receptive to the change.

Another benefit that Cisler’s uses, is a 3D camera that creates a 3D model of the interior of a property. It also allows a person to measure each room and measure all of the objects that are currently in the house, which allows a person to fit their furniture or appliances to a home without visiting a property. They also use a drone to provide aerial views of properties. Dave has actually sold homes to individuals who have never physically visited the property. Cisler Real Estate is a constant visionary for making Staunton better.