Wendy Lister, a 40-year veteran of the Washington luxury real estate scene, passed away today, her brokerage Coldwell Banker Bain confirmed. Lister was 83, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. 

“The real estate industry has lost one of its biggest icons – Wendy truly personified professionalism, grit, and talent,” Bill Riss, the CEO of Coldwell Banker Bain said, in a statement.

Lister sold more than $1.3 billion in sales volume since the Northwest Multiple Listing Service began tracking sales data in 2001. She started in the industry in 1976, however, so her total was much higher.

“Over Wendy’s amazing 40-year career, she was consistently ranked as our top-performing broker as well as the top performer in Washington state,” Riss added. “Her marketing acumen was legendary and everywhere at the same time.”

Lister was at one time ranked among the top 1 percent of luxury brokers in the country, according to Coldwell Banker Bain, where she ran a team of 11 full-time staff members. Lister was recognized within Coldwell Banker for myriad distinctions and for decades taught classes on purchase and sales agreements for Coldwell Banker Bain brokers.

Her leadership roles included serving as vice president for Coldwell Banker Bain, director of Coldwell Banker Bain’s Exceptional Properties brand and as a member of the board of directors for the National Association of Realtors.

“We will greatly miss the leadership she always exhibited and her focus on client service that was unmatched,” Riss said. “On a personal level, Wendy was a much-loved part of the Coldwell Banker Bain family and our thoughts are with her loved ones and real estate team during this very difficult time.”

Messages remembering Lister immediately started to populate social media.

Email Patrick Kearns

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×