CHENEY – After more than five decades of serving the Cheney community, Hilton Real Estate has decided to close its doors according to owner Jerry Hilton.
Hilton, 73, and his son, Dan Hilton, 48, a city council member, said a lot of thought went into the decision.
“My father, Earl Hilton, bought the business from Victor Wilson Real Estate in 1966, and renamed it Earl Hilton Real Estate,” Jerry Hilton said. “Operating in Cheney, the business began with a mission to serve the community’s real estate needs.”
“My dad had three jobs, he was a mail carrier for the Post Office, we owned a dairy farm, and he’d work as a realtor in the afternoons.”
The business thrived through the decades, adapting to various challenges.
In the 1970s, when high-interest rates made it difficult for people to sell their homes, the Hilton family ventured into property management, providing a valuable service to the community, especially students.
Tragedy struck in 1981 when Earl Hilton Jr. was killed in a plane crash, leaving the family in a difficult position. Eventually, Jerry Hilton returned to Cheney to continue his father’s legacy.
Jerry Hilton, the youngest of three brothers, returned to Cheney after living in Canada for 15 years.
He took over the business from his father, allowing his dad to retire.
Under Jerry’s leadership, the business saw continued success, both in real estate sales and property management.
Hilton Real Estate managed 258 apartments for Eastern Washington University and played a crucial role in the local real estate market.
The decision to close the business came when Dan Hilton, who had worked in the company for eight years, chose to pursue a different path.
“My wife’s family owns a property management company. And it seems silly to have two property management companies in one family, so I decided to work for the larger management company,” Dan Hilton explained. “The family decided to retire, marking the end of an era.”
The property management segment of the business was sold to Urban Solutions, a company in Spokane, which now manages the properties formerly overseen by Hilton Real Estate.
Some property owners opted to manage their properties independently.
Jerry Hilton imparted valuable advice for small business owners in Cheney, emphasizing the importance of building a good reputation and conducting business honestly.
“In a small town,” he noted, “you’ve got to treat people right, and honesty is the only way to do that.”
Hilton Real Estate leaves behind a legacy of dedication to the community, hard work, and a commitment to providing quality real estate and property management services according to the owner.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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