Weichert Realtors Press Release
Weichert Sees Increased Interest from Unaffiliated Brokers in Challenging Market
6/24/2008
MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. – Making the transition from the hot real estate climate of
recent past has been a difficult adjustment for independently owned real estate
companies across the country. Many have
been left searching for solutions to stimulate their business. With a record of success and an array of
systems and resources, more and more brokers are electing to join a national
real estate franchisor. Weichert Real
Estate Affiliates, Inc., the franchise arm of Weichert, Realtors®, has welcomed
nearly 100 new franchisees since 2007, a large concentration of which have been
in major markets like Boston, Chicago
and Minneapolis.
“Independent
companies across the U.S.
are realizing that they can dramatically improve their business by joining our
network,” said Martin J. Rueter, president of Weichert Real Estate
Affiliates. “Weichert’s proven systems
and support for our affiliated brokers and sales associates have resulted in
increased opportunities for their company, despite the perceived state of the
real estate industry.”
Brokers who
have chosen to align with a natural franchisor have experienced numerous
benefits. According to the National
Association of Realtors 2006 Profile of Real Estate Firms, 88 percent of real
estate firms with franchise affiliations reported increased name recognition as
a result of their affiliation. Additionally,
83 percent reported a positive impact on obtaining listings and 72 percent
reported increased profits as a result of their franchise affiliation.
Not
surprisingly then, recent statistics indicate that independent brokers are
eager to obtain the many advantages that come with franchising their
business. A 2007 survey by REALTOR®
Magazine showed the number of affiliated and company-owned offices of major
franchisors increased by and average of 15 percent over the last two years.
Since
launching its first independently owned and operated franchise in January 2002,
Weichert Real Estate Affiliates has expanded its franchise network to include
over 7,000 sales associates in 36 states.
Annually listed as a top franchise by Entrepreneur magazine, the company has dramatically increased its
presence in major markets throughout the nation while being relatively new to
the franchise scene. In Florida alone, Weichert
Real Estate Affiliates now holds more than 60 franchised offices.
Blossoming
from one Massachusetts-located office in 2004, the company recently opened its
11th office serving the Boston
area. Bill Luther, owner and broker of
WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Channing Real Estate in Cambridge, Mass.,
chose to join the Weichert network after independently operating his company
for 21 years.
“Having
been in the real estate business for over two decades, I felt the change in the
market made it necessary to find new avenues for increasing our opportunities,”
said Luther. “Weichert’s national
reputation and cutting-edge systems have equated to opportunities and results
that I would never have experienced as an independent company, particularly in
today’s market.”
Weichert
Real Estate Affiliates’ expansion, however, has not been exclusive to the East
Coast. The Windy City,
in particular, has been a hotbed for Weichert’s rapid expansion. The company opened its first franchise in Chicago in 2006 and has grown its roster to a total of 12
serving the greater Chicago
region.
Jeff
Ristine, broker and owner of the Chicago-serving WEICHERT, REALTORS® -
Kingsland Properties, said many factors lead him to affiliate with
Weichert. “Sticking out in the Chicago market and
recruiting new associates was very difficult as an independent. With Weichert, we’ve affiliated with a
nationally-recognized company that provides us with a plethora of proven
systems and resources designed to expand our business.”
The company
has also extended its reach to include offices in the western U.S. Earlier this year, the company opened its
first affiliate in Louisiana as well as Kentucky and added new offices in Minnesota,
Mississippi, Arkansas,
and Wisconsin.
Rueter
expects this national trend to continue, noting that the company’s rapid growth
throughout key markets of the country is “indicative of Weichert Real Estate
Affiliates’ reputation as the desired choice for independent brokerages.”
Primary to
the benefits provided by Weichert Real Estate Affiliates is a carefully
structured, yet dynamic platform for growth.
The company’s model, which consists of precisely-defined operating
systems, market-driven programs, and customizable, field-proven tools, addresses
all areas of business management, growth, and performance. Broker-owned and broker-managed, Weichert
offers a multitude of training resources through Weichert University, as well
as an award-winning Internet lead-generation platform, an international relocation
company, and recruitment programs.
Weichert
has nearly 18,000 sales associates in more than 500 company-owned and
franchised sales offices in key markets throughout the U.S. A family of full-service real estate and
financial services companies, Weichert helps customers buy and sell both
residential and commercial real estate, and streamlines the delivery of
mortgages and home and title insurance.
For more information, Weichert's customer service center can be reached
at 1-800-USA-SOLD or at Weichert's Web site, www.weichert.com. Each Weichert franchised office is
independently owned and operated.
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