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Real Living and GMAC Merge bring together over 10,000 agents in US & Awesome Tools!

Reblogger Maureen McCabe
Real Estate Agent with HER Realtors

 

real living in the news ecardLots of links from Sheri Moritz who is a Real Living franchisee in North Carolina.

I am Re-Blogging Sheri's post saying Welcome to the Real Living Family to the GMAC brokers and agents.  This is my favorite link that Sheri included:

"Here is the official information from Real Living...  http://franchise.realliving.com/  There is a great video on here that you can use."

I am excited about it but it really does not affect Real Living HER (Columbus Ohio) or Real Living Realty Services (Dayton, Cinci, Louisville) the way it  affects GMAC agents and the other Real Living Franchises.

I wrote a post for Central Ohio consumers with links to the local news about the merger.  Real Living is based in Columbus. 

 

 

Original content by Sheri Spain NC 167273

Many of us were pleasantly surprised with the announcement of the merger of Real Living and GMAC so I thought I would put together some good information that I have found that helps explain.

Excerpts from the announcement sent to franchise owners and managers:

"GMAC Real Estate is one of America's leading residential real estate franchises, and combined with the Real Living Network, we will have over 600 office locations, 10,000 plus agents and more than $20 billion in annual home sales. Together we will become a bigger, bolder company, offering a strong appealing, consumer-focused brand, with a suite of industry leading tools and technology that will power us forward in the years ahead.

The new organization was created after Brookfield Residential Property Services, the owner of GMAC Real Estate, acquired Real Living Network Services, and merged the two companies under the Real Living brand name.  As we move forward, the Real Living agent-centric and consumer focused philosophy will continue to drive our decision-making and investment strategies. 

As we make the transition, Real Living will focus on excellence in five key areas:  technology, sales, marketing, training and business planning.  These are areas that we will invest in to make our combined organization into one of the most sought after brands in the business. Our primary goal will continue to be to help our agents, offices and franchisees grow their business."

Here is the official Press Release... http://franchise.realliving.com/images/stories/Real-Living-News-Release.pdf
 
Here is the official information from Real Living...  http://franchise.realliving.com/  There is a great video on here that you can use.
 
Here is the official information from GMAC... http://www.gmacrealestate.com/about/press/2009/1111.cfm
 
Official Announcement from Realtor Magazine with links to other sources... http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009111101?OpenDocument&WT.cg_n=RMO&WT.cg_s=RSSDaily
  
Inman News (A leading real estate new publication)... http://www.inman.com/news/2009/11/11/gmac-real-estate-unites-with-real-living

Here is a link to the story in Business Wire: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091111005279&newsLang=en

If you are new to the Real Living Network or interested in being a part of the Real Living Network feel free to contact me via ActiveRain or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SheriMoritz or on Twitter @RealLifeSheri

 

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Information is deemed to be accurate but should be verified to your satisfaction.  Information provided herein is supplied by several sources and is subject to change without notice.  Opinions expressed are solely those of Maureen McCabe.

 


 

Show All Comments
LLoyd Nichols
Premier Florida Realty of SWFL - Fort Myers, FL
Southwest Florida Homes By The Sea

As a person who has followed your posts I feel that you woud do a great job regardless of whom you worked for and whatever tools they have.

Nov 11, 2009 12:27 PM
Bob Murphy
Keller Williams Realty Consultants - New Albany, IN

Maureen - This was indeed some very exciting news for everyone at either GMAC or any existing Real Living office.  I am even more convinced that Real Living is the place to be in real estate.

Nov 11, 2009 02:02 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Maureen,

I was a bit confused by Real Living. I saw it on your posts, but did not know this is a franchise. I guess we do not have them here in our area

Nov 11, 2009 03:49 PM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast

Maureen, I was under the impression that Cendant owned GMAC.  So when i read this post, it made me think that they owned Real Living as well.  I guess I was wrong about that altogether.  I guess owning Coldwell Banker, Century 21 and ERA is enough.

This sounds like a great opportunity for some exciting outcomes.

Nov 11, 2009 09:15 PM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Lloyd it says "I am excited about it but it really does not affect Real Living HER (Columbus Ohio)"  The family that founded HER Realtors (now Real Living HER) developed the technology that started the "revolution."  We already have all the good stuff for our consumers!

I've been with the company since 1995.  Real Living HER is number one in our market.

Bob   Did you have an inkling?

Jon Florida was one of the first markets that bought into the Real Living Franchises.  I think there were two on the west coast and one in West Palm Beach (?) back in 2002 or 2003.  I don't think they really took.  There is one in Orlando I believe.  You would not be aware of one office, in any market, have no way of knowing it is a franchise, I would guess.

Maggie  Didn't GM own GMAC?  Or the financing arm of GM owned GMAC? General Motors Acceptace Corporation (?) GMAC real etate had to change their name by 2011.

I doubt GMAC was ever part of Cendent.  Isn't Sotheby's part of Cendent too?

 

Nov 11, 2009 09:46 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Congrats on your growth...the GMAC offices here just went under and agents scattered for the most part....I am sure you will be the shining example of success to the new hires.

Nov 11, 2009 09:50 PM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Most of the GMAC offices in Wisconsin are in small towns Sally. I don't see any in big cities.  

Some brokerages (not talking GMAC but local offices with other franchises)  in Central Ohio  have dropped their franchises because of the economy too. 

I believe we only have a couple of GMAC offices in Columbus.  It will be interesting to watch what they do.  They are part of the geographic are that is NOT involved in the change, but they are a Franchise of the company owned by Brookfield.  Go independent?  Go with another franchise?  Their company, their choice, of course.

Dayton will be interesting too. They have a pretty large GMAC franchise, it was not part of a franchise back when I lived in Dayton.   I don't pay that much attention to Dayton and I think of Big Hill being an independent company because it was back when I was there.

I wonder if big GM markets like Dayton, Detroit Metro area have lots of GMAC franchise offices. If that is an advantage.  

On my post for Central Ohio consumers yesterday a guy from the Detroit Metro area commented a couple of times.  Seems oblivious to  the fact that the GMAC name was going away whether or not Brookfield merged with another company, built a brand from scratch.  Any branding of the GMAC real estate  name, sign, etc was going to change. 

 

 

Nov 11, 2009 10:03 PM
LLoyd Nichols
Premier Florida Realty of SWFL - Fort Myers, FL
Southwest Florida Homes By The Sea

Maureen: it is great to have all these tools available. Regardless, I still stick with my philosophy that you are Maureen first then Real Living HER and that clients go to you because of whom you are. I still wish you a great fall with Living Real HER.   

Nov 12, 2009 11:55 AM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

:-)

Nov 12, 2009 11:37 PM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

I am not sure if this matches the way Sally is telling the story, thei GMAC offices in the Milwaukee are merging with Shorewest.

From a Milwaukee biz journal:

"Shorewest Realtors is adding 16 former First Realty GMAC sales agents and brokers to its roster by merging with the Waukesha-based First Realty residential brokerage."

Trying to remember who the broker Sally and David just left was?  Shorewest?

Nov 13, 2009 10:00 PM
Anonymous
Lost

Four Northeast Ohio franchises can not rebrand as Howard Hanna and Real Living have some sort of deal to not let the brand expand into Howard Hanna's market area

Nov 27, 2009 02:24 AM
#11
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Lost?

I wondered what would happen in North East Ohio with Realty One Real Living having become Howard Hanna about a year ago.  I would have to assume there had to be something to protect Realty One /Howard Hanna from  losing agents who enjoyed the things RL had to offer to someone opening franchise. 

kinda like a non compete clause? 

Similar? Or would that be antitrust to say we won't compete with one another in X market or Y market? 

I was reading about it up in that part of the world just after the announcement?  Only time will tell....

Hope you find your way "Lost" 

 

 

Nov 27, 2009 02:59 AM
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