In yet another example of a franchise buying up offices at this difficult time for brokerages, it was reported that Coldwell Banker has bought yet another brokerage in Connecticut. The brokerage will now operate under Coldwell Banker's franchise with the original owners still working inside of the franchise as REALTORS.With valuations of brokerages MUCH lower than in recent memory, it seems that some franchises are taking the opportunity to build their brand with strategic mergers and … [Read more...]

In their first Superbowl ad ever, Century 21 has released previews (teasers) of their ad, which celebrates the abilities of their agents as being Smarter, Bolder and Faster. These abilities will be depicted in the commercial by Donald Trump, Deion Sanders and Apolo Ohno."Our agents are the very heart of our business, so it was important for us to create an ad that celebrates their capabilities," said Bev Thorne, chief marketing officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "The Super Bowl is the last … [Read more...]

According to a Las Vegas Sun story posted here, Wardley Real Estate has cut ties with franchisor Coldwell Banker and have aligned themselves with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a franchisor that focuses less on national advertising and branding and more on creating a referral network between brokerages around the country.“We strongly believe the money we would have spent with Coldwell Banker going forward can be invested much more productively here in the Las Vegas … [Read more...]

One of the facts about the real estate industry today is that there is going to be consolidation. Brokerages get bought out and assimilated by stronger firms. The difficult real estate economy makes this simply a matter of course. Coldwell Banker has announced the acquisition of Keller Williams Gold Coast in Chicago's 4 office and around 200 agents.Under the terms of the deal as reported here, the organization will operate under the Coldwell Banker banner, the companies said. Coldwell Banker … [Read more...]

According to a press release, ERA Franchise Systems have announced that they have just signed a master franchise agreement in Brazil. This continues to expand the international push that franchisors have made in recent years as the US real estate franchise market has slowed and the trend seems to be moving in the direction of independent brokerages."As a pioneer in global real estate franchising dating back to 1981, we are thrilled to continue our international growth by entering a country … [Read more...]

With another in a series of real estate franchise purchases, Brookfield Residential Property Services has announced that they have purchased Prudential's Franchise and Relocation operations for a reported $110 million.According to the announced terms of the sale, Prudential real estate brokerage affiliates can continue to use the Prudential brand, as outlined in their franchise agreements.Earl Lee, president of Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, will continue to oversee the … [Read more...]

Better Homes and Gardens has announced today that they are going to enter Canada by forming a master franchise agreement with Rob Vanden Broek and Nelson Goulart. Along with the agreement, their 90 agents and two offices become the first Canadian brokerage to have the Better Homes and Gardens Brand.“When we launched in July 2008, our first goal for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate was to create a strong U.S. network of strategic companies located in key markets, which we have … [Read more...]