UC Legends: How Innovation, Values & Strong Leadership Shape a Company – Patrick Gibson & Bradley Arnold

For top-performing brokers Patrick Gibson and Bradley Arnold, United Country Real Estate was the clear choice to help them get to where they wanted to go. Already successful on their own, with experience and knowledge to spare, these leading real estate professionals needed a franchise to support their business, not take it over.

And that’s exactly what they found. With the freedom to run their own brokerages, access to powerful national marketing tools and a company culture grounded in togetherness and shared values, Gibson and Arnold have flourished as leaders in their markets and in the United Country network. Their stories represent what’s possible when strong agents partner with a company built for the long-term success of their affiliates in the country, land and specialty property markets.

How A Great Vision Results In Great Returns

Patrick Gibson, broker and owner of United Country | Southern States Realty, didn’t join United Country Real Estate to maintain his business. He joined to expand his reach. When he attended his first UCRE convention in 2002, he envisioned a strong future and made it happen.

“Lou Francis [former UC president] and his wife…took us out to dinner when we were at our first convention,” Gibson recalls. “I said, ‘We’re going to be the number one office,’ and he just kind of laughed. That was in 2002, and we were the number one office in 2008.”

And that certainly wasn’t the last time his office achieved the number one status. They held the title for 12 years internationally –a feat that was driven by relentless work ethic, high standards and by leveraging the United Country tools.

What else helped him achieve a top office in the country and beyond? Staying focused and doing what works. “I’m in a very rural area,” Gibson says. “You have to work. I mean, you have to hustle… You’ve got to have the vision, the right people, and be willing to change.” 

The Winning Tools

Both Gibson and Arnold were already accomplished professionals when they joined United Country. As successful as they were in their areas and as experienced as they were in their fields, there were some aspects they simply couldn’t master on their own. They didn’t need someone coming in and telling them how to run their business –they needed the platform, the network and the marketing reach.

For Gibson, the United Country system offered the flexibility he was looking for. “Without a doubt, the most valuable part of United Country has been the ability to list any type of property that I want,” he says. “United Country has the best listing tools and everything that I need to succeed –and then some.”

That freedom matters, especially in rural regions where brokers handle everything from ag land and cattle ranches to timberland investments and hobby farms. With United Country’s industry-leading marketing tools, Gibson’s team can promote properties of all types without restrictions and without interference.

Bradley Arnold, broker and owner of Southern Lifestyle Properties, shares the same appreciation as Gibson. When talking to potential sellers, Arnold explains, “We have industry-leading tools. These conversations are easier to have when a seller has… a specialty property type.”

Arnold continues, “Not many companies have the ability to market property by type. Not only is [this] a value proposition for the seller, but for the property and for us agents as well, trying to uniquely position our properties and our customers to have a chance to succeed.”

Whether it’s a hunting tract, horse property, waterfront home or income-producing farmland, both brokers credit United Country’s system and marketing program as the key to reaching the right buyers at the right time.

A Legacy of Values

While the marketing program may draw in affiliates to United Country, the company’s culture, one built on stewardship, integrity and collaboration, makes real estate professionals feel like they have finally found home.  

“You have to have core values, you have to have principles, you have to have a rock-solid foundation that you can build your company on, and I feel like ours has been solid from the very beginning,” Arnold says.

His admiration for the company’s values can be dated from the company’s very founding. “I never knew Mr. Roscoe Chamberlain [United Country’s founder], but I feel like this company was built on true values… and that’s one of the reasons why United Country has been able to sustain all this amount of time.”

That solid foundation has helped both Arnold and Gibson attract the right people to their teams –agents who share their drive, service and expertise.  

Grow With Your Business

For all their success, both brokers agree that standing still is the quickest way to fall behind.

“You have to be willing to change,” Gibson explains. “Especially now, more than ever… If you don’t want to learn whatever the new stuff that you should implement, you need to have someone that will learn it and flesh it out on your behalf, so that you don’t miss out.”

This cutting-edge mindset has helped them stay competitive through major shifts, from technology and advertising trends to buyer behavior and changes in the market. “It’s a technology-driven company that provides a ton of tools, even though it’s a hundred years old,” Arnold adds. “I’ve been amazed at the way that they’ve been able to bend and adapt to the technology curve.”

For real estate professionals navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the current real estate market, adaptability isn’t just a strength –it’s a necessity. United Country’s continued investment in innovation, training and resources helps affiliates like Gibson and Arnold stay one step ahead.

The United Country Advantage

Leading brokers, Patrick Gibson and Bradley Arnold, joined the United Country community, not to maintain their position in the market, but to leverage the best lifestyle real estate program in the industry. They came to build something meaningful, and they’ve achieved exactly that.

That’s because United Country is for brokers ready to grow, adapt and lead in their area and want a true partner in business. The ability to maintain independence while gaining access to national exposure, top-tier marketing and a powerful network is what continues to draw high-performing real estate pros to the company.

“We’re independent offices. We all work under the United Country umbrella, and there’s nothing else like it,” Gibson says. “You can build your business how you want it with the support and systems behind you to make it work.”

Learn more about Patrick Ginson and Bradley Arnold and how United Country has shaped their growth and trajectory of their businesses and expanded their real estate expertise.

Patrick Gibson - Broker/Owner of United Country | Southern States Realty 

Patrick Gibson co-founded United Country | Southern States Realty, and, with hard work and dedication, has spent 12 years as the #1 United Country Real Estate office in sales internationally. He specializes in premier hunting and cattle ranches which often require a customized marketing strategy to reach willing buyers. Patrick is an experienced broker who has facilitated complex multi-million-dollar transactions and is an expert at contract negotiation. He has personal experience managing timber and beef cattle on his farm in North Mississippi. The most rewarding parts of his career are the relationships he’s made and the satisfaction from helping clients achieve their goals.

Bradley Arnold: - Broker/Owner of United Country | Southern Lifestyle Properties 

Bradley Arnold is a highly motivated real estate professional and entrepreneur who enjoys working with clients, providing dedicated and passionate assistance in buying, selling, and leasing real estate while combining hard work, honesty, and integrity with a commitment to excellence in all endeavors. Bradley has been licensed in real estate since 2001, though he grew up in the business as the son of a real estate broker. He has earned countless awards as a top agent at United Country, as well as holding five national real estate designations: GRI (Graduate Realtors Institute), SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), SRS (Sellers Representative Specialist), e-PRO (Online Designation), and NAR’s Green Designation.