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 acquisitions. For struggling brokers (or those who have decided that they just want to get back to selling), the opportunity to sell their business and get back to the sales side of the business can offer much less pressure and much less stress.

“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 great campfire for the American family. For most consumers, it’s centered in the home and the home is the center of the services we’re in business to support.”

The teasers, behind-the-scenes footage and the final Super Bowl commercial are on its website, century21.com/superbowl . The ad will be hosted as well as on a customized Facebook application and upgraded YouTube brand channel. In addition to the third quarter advertisement, CENTURY 21 is a broadcast sponsor of the 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. block of the pre-game show on NBC and will have more than a dozen other pregame commercial spots. The total cost of the ads was not available.

“The timing couldn’t be better for CENTURY 21 Real Estate to advertise in the Super Bowl, and I’m happy to be a part of it,” said Trump. “The truth is many Americans believe in the value of homeownership and for people who are in the position to buy, this is a great opportunity to either enter the market or move up into a better home.”

The shift in marketing from client focused to agent focused seems to be a growing trend in the real estate industry among franchisors.

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 community,” Jeff Sommers, president of Wardley Real Estate, said in a company statement.

This reflects similar views of a number of franchisees who would rather pay marketing costs directly…and locally than work as part of a coordinated nationwide effort.

The sole remaining Coldwell Banker franchisee in Las Vegas is Coldwell Banker Premier Realty, whose owner Bob Hamrick commented that they are happy to be once again the only Coldwell Banker franchise holder in Las Vegas. He indicated that the strong Coldwell Banker presence in California aided their brokerage in sales in the Las Vegas market.

Under the terms of the deal as reported here, the organization will operate under the Coldwell Banker banner, the companies said. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (who is the acquiring brokerage) is part of NRT, which is a subsidiary of Realogy, which is also the franchor. The brokerage currently has 3,300 sales associates and is the largest brokerage firm in the US.

“We are excited about adding this highly reputable group of real estate professionals to our company, expanding our city team and growing our already significant market share,” said Fran Broude, president and COO of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, in a statement.

“ListHub’s Real Estate Network answers an industry need to promote listings on high-visibility franchisor and broker network websites in a way that maximizes and ensures broker control,” said Move CEO Steve Berkowitz. “As an organization committed to online property listing integrity and respect for the content owner’s rights, this is an industry-friendly initiative Move is uniquely positioned to lead. We are excited to expand the value we bring to our broker and franchise customers, as well as to our MLS partners.”

The new network will include over 376 MLSs and 43,000 brokerages who will have the opportunity to syndicate their listings to the network.

“ListHub’s Real Estate Network will enable us to offer accurate and timely information for display with a single set of nationwide rules so we can connect with more consumers and drive more value for our sales associates,” said Margaret Kelly, chief executive officer of RE/MAX. “The Real Estate Network is a welcome opportunity to compete on an equal footing with non-industry sites and provide broad exposure for listings represented by many different brokers.”

Is this a response to the ongoing debates at NAR regardling MLS rules? For large franchisors, this move appears to free them to compete on the same playing field as Zillow, Trulia and other synicators.

This is expected to bring in a revenue stream of roughly $500,000 in franchise fees across both brands. This appears to be a strong bet by Brookfield that the brokerage services market will have a reasonably strong 2012, that their new franchisees will be able to retain agents, and that the longer term looks favorable for the real estate market.

“As a pioneer in global real estate franchising dating back to 1981, we are thrilled to continue our international growth by entering a country with such tremendous potential for our brand,” said Charlie Young, president and CEO of ERA Franchise Systems LLC. “As the eyes of the world turn to Brazil while it hosts the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, ERA Real Estate will enjoy a highly visible, international platform from which to gain invaluable brand exposure.”

The ERA® network of franchises includes approximately 30,000 brokers and sales associates and approximately 2,500 offices throughout the United States and 38 countries and territories.

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 provision of franchise services to brokerages in the Prudential network, while Rick Schwartz, president of Brookfield Global Relocation Services, will now be in charge of the combined relocation business.

“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 achieved,” said Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. “With three years of growth and best practices under our belt, it was time to turn our attention to markets outside of the United States. Canada was the natural first step due to its robust housing market and geographic proximity. Rob Vanden Broek and Nelson Goulart are the ideal team to lead Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s expansion into Canada because they share our vision for creating a lifestyle real estate brand focused on service, innovation and a commitment to strategic growth. As brokerage owners themselves, they are keenly aware of the value proposition that a franchisor must deliver in order to help its franchisees achieve growth.”

The company appears to be on a strategic buying spree after recent acquisitions of kwkly – a mobile customer engagement platform as well as Sharper Agent. These purchases appear to be positioning MarketLeader to develop more of a dominant role in the click to close space.