When Thomas Wright entered the real estate world in 1999, he did so without a grand strategy — but with a deep sense of connection to people and place.
“I was at a juncture in my life when I could have gone the commercial route or residential, and the residential was just felt like a real calling for me,” he said. “I like the human element of it, being in people’s homes and in their lives, seeing their lives unfoldd [ing] and hearing their stories.”
That early instinct for relationship-driven work would become the foundation of Summit Sotheby's International Realty, which Wright founded in 2008.
After recognizing an opportunity in Utah’s evolving luxury market, he brought the Международная недвижимость Сотбис brand to the state and built an agency around a full-service spectrum and community connection.
From the outset, Summit Sotheby’s positioned itself against the trend of limited-service brokerages.
Wright and his team created a model centered on true partnership with agents — full-service маркетинг, in-house creative teams, transaction support and a commitment to commission integrity.
“I think (success) is about knowing who you are and knowing what your values and principles are,” he said. “It’s about not being negotiable on them, not because you’re tough, but because you know, ultimately, who you want to be. We wanted to have full service in house, videography and photography and everything. We didn’t want to outsource that to a third party that all our competitors were using.”
Numerous Summit Sotheby’s агенты earned placement on the 2025 RealTrends проверено rankings — with the firm recording $3.98 billion in 2024 volume across 2,953 transaction sides.
Leaders expect to end 2025 with $4.6 billion in volume and 2,946 transactions.
A ‘boring’ market with extraordinary consistency
Summit Sotheby’s footprint spans the Park City region and Wasatch Back — areas that have seen steady growth fueled by lifestyle migration, economic stability and Utah’s national reputation for business friendliness.
“It’s been very steady,” said Wright. “We have a big presence in the Park City market, and I like to tell people, ‘Park City is boring,’ meaning you know what to expect. Post-COVID, we’ve seen a huge migration and influx of people from all over the country that want to live here full time.”
He cited accessibility, the state’s new airport, volunteer-minded communities and what he calls “the Utah way” as ongoing draws.
“It’s a great group of people around here, with diversity and who serve one another and look out for one another,” Wright said. “It’s what we call the Utah way. I think people around the country, as they have evaluated their options, they’ve said, ‘You know what? I like that Utah way. That appeals to me.’”
A blueprint for real estate giving
Perhaps the company’s most distinctive legacy is Summit Sotheby’s Cares — a charitable foundation launched in 2010.
Built on voluntary contributions from every agent, the program donates a percentage of комиссии from every transaction.
Since inception, it has given more than $2.3 million to 100-plus Utah nonprofits supporting education, food security, mental health, first responders, the arts and conservation.
Wright calls it the heart of the company.
“If you see me smiling, it’s probably because I’m thinking about (Summit Sotheby’s Cares),” he said. “I think we looked at it, all of us, collectively, and said, ‘You know what? We have a social responsibility.’ Government doesn’t need to compel us to give back. We have a social responsibility, and we’re willing to step up and do it.”
The program’s impact extends beyond donations. The company hosts an annual day of giving — inviting nonprofit partners into the office to share their work and receive direct support from Summit Sotheby’s advisors.
Wright said the gathering stands as a reminder of the company’s purpose.
“Every year, we bring together all those nonprofits, and we we listen to them about their mission and goals and what they’ve accomplished, and we support them financially,” he said. “It’s honestly one of the most heartwarming, touching, meaningful meetings of my entire year.
“It gives me a feeling that we really are giving back, that we’re not just selling real estate and trying to provide for our families, we’re actually giving back to the community.”
With full agent participation and contributions embedded into every closing, Summit Sotheby’s Cares continues to demonstrate how a luxury brokerage can redefine its role in the community — one transaction, and one nonprofit partnership at a time.
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