IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Realty ONE Group Affiliates, Inc., today announced the debut of its first franchise: Temecula-area real estate icon Barbara Baker will open a new office as “Realty ONE Group Southwest.” (41463 Margarita Rd., Ste. 100, Temecula, 92591)
“Having Barbara on board – and as our very first franchisee – is an amazing coup, and proof that our franchise concept is attractive to the best in the business,” said Kuba Jewgieniew, CEO and owner of Realty ONE Group.
“Barbara exemplifies all that we are looking for in a strategic partner,” said Rick Hudson, Realty ONE Group’s executive vice president of franchise development. “In the Temecula Valley, Barbara has a solid reputation and will be a magnet for agents because of her nurturing spirit and proven track record of success. As a broker herself, Barbara has been in the trenches and knows how to support agents – a quality we value highly. Realty ONE Group is known for its commitment to its agents, with management available 24/7 for mentoring and advice.”
Baker, who has more than 35 years of experience, including 32 in the Temecula Valley, said that she had been watching Realty ONE Group’s advance for some time.
“They are a firm to be reckoned with, no doubt. Other franchises certainly have a concern about Realty ONE Group coming to their markets, and I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to align with such a quality, classy operation. They exemplify the best of upscale professionalism, but with a personal touch, and it is clear they are heavily invested in my success.”
Realty ONE Group, which is known for its non-traditional compensation package that provides its agents with more resources for less money, offers a full suite of support in the form of education and marketing systems.
While Baker is sold on the success potential of the overall model, she cites the agent portal as a particularly appealing feature. “I’m not a high-tech person,” she admits, “and their proprietary paperless transaction software is so intuitive that even I can use it! It will simplify and streamline the process to allow agents to work smarter.”
Said Jewgieniew, “The main difference between a company-owned Realty ONE Group office and a franchisee is that there is no difference! Barbara will be replicating our successful model, blending our company’s unique compensation plan, propriety paperless technology and support systems with the best practices she already has in place.”
Hudson said that talks are underway with several other potential partners, who are interested in offering Realty ONE Group’s winning model through its non-conventional franchise partner agreement.
To further support Realty ONE Group’s aggressive foray into franchising, the company recently hired three veteran real estate professionals as regional vice presidents to expand the brand nationally.
John Garry (Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico) has extensive experience as a residential and commercial real estate agent in California, Arizona and Nevada. Most recently, he worked at Realogy Corporation selling ERA and Better Homes & Gardens franchises in 11 western states, as well as identifying and closing multiple M&A opportunities for existing Realogy affiliates.
Luis Vega (Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada) has 20 years of experience in the real estate and enterprise software industries with a number of leading real estate and mortgage companies. He has built distribution networks and overseen fast growth for a number of franchise brands.
Mark Lieberman (Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas) has more than 25 years of residential and commercial real estate experience. Most recently he was regional vice president for Realogy Corporation, where he was responsible for the business development of the Century 21 and Coldwell Banker real estate brands.
“With the combined experience of this seasoned and knowledgeable team, Realty ONE Group is poised to expand rapidly through strategic alliances with fellow success-oriented professionals,” Jewgieniew said.
The franchise opportunity will allow Realty ONE Group to grow exponentially, both in existing markets and nationwide, supplementing the rapid growth it has attained through company-owned offices. The company is positioning itself to go public in 2013.
REAL Trends, Inc. names Realty ONE Group as No. 11 in its national rankings, and INC. 500 recently named it one of the fastest-growing companies for the fourth consecutive year.
About Realty ONE Group
Realty ONE Group is a full-service real estate brokerage firm with more than 4,000 associates, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, with offices in Arizona and California. It focuses on providing ethical, professional and results-oriented services to property owners and prospective real estate buyers. Since its inception in 2005, the company has grown to become the largest real estate brokerage in Nevada and the fastest-growing real estate company in Arizona and California.
For more information, visit www.RealtyOneGroup.com.