Professional Profile: Frances Ash 1966

Name: Frances Ash - 1966

Title: Founder/owner/broker/Realtor

Company: Francs Ash Real Estate

Location: Keene, N.H.

Birthplace: Somerville, Mass.

Member: Monadnock Region Board of Realtors (V.P. & Past Sec.); NAREB: New Hampshire Association of Realtors (State Dir.); N.H. Chap. of Women’s Council of NAREB (Reg. V.P. & Past Gov. – also Charter member and past Pres.) From 1932-34, Frances Ash taught piano and solfeggio at the Malkum Conservatory of Music in Boston. She married and came to Keene, N.H. to teach piano. In 1950 Frances turned to real estate as a hobby and opened her own office. She soon found it to be her livelihood. Of her area she says: “Keene has a fine diversification of industry, and was chosen as an All-American City.” Frances Ash has had a great deal to do with the progress of Keene, for as a past Chairman of the Area Development Committee in Keene’s Chamber or Commerce, it was at her instigation that Keene finally adopted a housing code in 1963. Of the industry she commented: “Real estate has become very competitive due to the number of people entering the field. And things are changing – a broker needs to have more and more knowledge. And today a broker has to go out after clients if he wants to maintain a business.” Frances was the first broker in her region to utilize the radio as an advertising media, and she instituted the use of pictures in newspaper ads. The mother of two married children, Frances Ash knows that from small chestnuts, big oaks grow; “I find that little sales lead to the big sales, and our reputation has led us to constant repeat sales.”