Engineering, military backgrounds play role in shaping Charleston Realtor group's 2012 president

Herb Koger logged successful careers in the military and as a civil engineer, heading Army Reserve operations and helping to lay out an interstate.

“I couldn’t retire,” he says. “I tried to.” But he grew weary “mowing the lawn and painting the house.”

In 1998, he chucked retirement plans and followed wife Didie Koger into the real estate profession. Close to 14 years later, he’s still at it.

Koger, of Carolina One Real Estate, is this year’s president of the 3,700-member Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. At age 72, he’s one of the most senior presidents the association has elected.

But except for thinning hair, Koger looks a picture of health. And he’s ready to handle the volunteer post. Pretty good for a second career.

“My goal is to look at the (streamlined two-page) strategic plan that addressed a three to five year period,” says Koger, who with his wife rejoined Carolina One in fall 2010 after six years with Keller Williams Realty.

One stated objective is to “enhance the availability and affordability of housing,” he says. Koger intends to keep up the momentum begun last year by fellow agent Matt D’Antonio and others to resurrect the Realtors Housing Opportunities Fund, where money raised by association members is funneled to critical housing needs.

The organization also intends to keep tabs on anything to do with property rights. That can include fighting efforts to eliminate the federal mortgage interest deduction, he says.

Koger is reasonably upbeat about the greater Charleston housing market as sales rose in 2011, prices declined less than 3 percent and inventory is down from 9,000 to 6,000 in the past two years. But he’s also realistic. Home prices are off 16 percent from their highs in the latter 2000s..

“We have all learned to be more conservative,” he says. Before 2007, “I could say I lived in Charleston all my life and never seen property values decrease. I can’t say that anymore.”

Born in Charleston, Koger grew up west of the Ashley, first in Byrnes Downs and then after outgrowing that house, in Parkdale Estates. His father, also named Herb, ran a produce market in downtown Charleston and owned farmland near what is know the Costco discount store.

The junior Koger attended St. Andrews High School, finding out decades later that he played football against fellow Carolina One agent and executive Grange Cuthbert, who went to Summerville High.

As a young adult, he helped his father in the produce business. Koger realized that wasn’t for him, citing the 4:30 a.m. wake-up calls to go to work.

Koger went to college at The Citadel, graduating in 1961 with an engineering degree. He entered the Army and then the Army Reserve, spending 36 years in active duty and the reserves.

Rising to the rank of major general, he commanded the 120th Army Reserve unit headquartered at Fort Jackson. In 1996-97, he would be president of the Reserve Officers Association — a Washington D.C.-based lobbying group that represented 100,000 volunteers.

Koger was in his late 50s then. But he wasn’t ready to slide into a life of leisure.

He took real estate courses and signed up with Didie at Prudential Carolina Real Estate, which became Carolina One. His wife started in real estate in 1982.

Interestingly, the engineering background proved practical in selling homes. “I had more for the structural standpoint,” and would voice concerns if he suspected home construction issues.

By contrast, “Didie looks more at aesthetic things.” he says.

The couple joined Keller Williams in 2004 in the Mount Pleasant office, then launched the brokerage’s center on the Isle of Palms.

Sixteen months, they returned to Carolina One in its Long Point Road office east of the Cooper. “We had known Dinky Stroman (of Carolina One in Mount Pleasant), who retired,” he says.

The Kogers share a claim to fame; they were the first husband and wife to be awarded the Order of the Palmetto, Herb for his reserve command during Operation Desert Storm and Didie for her role in helping families of servicemen during the conflict. “She did a yeoman’s job,” he says.

Koger, meanwhile, downplays his role whether in the service, professional field or real estate.

“If you’ve been around long enough, you matriculate to the top,” he quipped.