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Big Loss in Central Oregon: RE/MAX Equity Group Closes Bend Office

By
Real Estate Agent with Cascade Sotheby's International Realty

RE/MAX of Central OregonI was shocked and saddened yesterday, when my office in Sisters got the news that corporate RE/MAX would be closing its Bend office at the end of this month. Almost 60 agents affiliated with the RE/MAX Equity Group will be looking for a new home in just a few weeks.

It's hard to imagine not having RE/MAX in the hub of Central Oregon. Not long ago, Bend actually had two RE/MAX offices, RE/MAX Equity Group and RE/MAX Alliance. I still find myself wondering, How can this be? It's of no consolation to realize we are hardly alone in being downsized.  

I was relieved and heartened to hear, however, that my principal broker, Peter Storton, has offered to provide a home to Equity Group agents who need time to regroup (I'm not sure how much warning they had that the office would be closing). He has extended an invitation both to those who need a place to hang their license for the short-term as well as to those looking for a permanent new home. I'd encourage any Equity Group agents who thrive in an environment where everyone works together to share ideas and information, and where exceeding expectations is a common goal, to contact Peter at 541-549-2500 or pstorton@bendbroadband.com.

 "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
--Helen Keller

Comments(8)

Associate Broker Falmouth MA Cape Cod Heath Coker
https://teamcoker.robertpaul.com - Falmouth, MA
Heath Coker Berkshire Hathaway HS Robert Paul Prop

Please spread the word to them to update their links on REindex.com.  I try to link to all listing agent pages that show their own listings.  WA and OR have a lot of links, but I don't often get updates.

The Links are free.  Happy Listing and Selling!

Oct 16, 2008 07:55 AM
Fred Chamberlin
Guild Mortgage Co - Oak Harbor WA - Oak Harbor, WA
Oak Harbor/Whidbeynulls, #1 Experienced FHA Mortgage Consultant

I think that this is another sign of the times. Area hard hit, like Bend, are feeling a continued contraction of the market. Kudos to your broker for taking them in.

Oct 16, 2008 07:58 AM
Sheila Moran
RE/MAX Access (Garden Ridge, San Antonio, New Braunfels) - New Braunfels, TX
SanAntonioSheila.com, RE/MAX Access, 210-32

Lisa,

I know that it may be hard to hear now...but , my Mom used to always say something to me when I was growing up and that was "when one door closes, another opens".

My best to all of these displaced agents!

Oct 16, 2008 08:38 AM
Patty Carroll
Vancouver, WA

We had not heard that this was happening there. We wish the agents well. Recently our REMAX Equity Group Salmon Creek office was closed and combined it into the Vancouver Mall office location.

Unfortunately it had to happen due to the economy and situation that our industry is in.

Oct 16, 2008 09:03 AM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Lisa - I feel so bad for so many of those agents - I have worked with a lot of them - I bet we see another office that is broker owner opens - just  a little inside scoop I heard about - but there will be some tough times for these great brokers

Oct 16, 2008 04:30 PM
Chad Baird
Re/Max Spirit - Dayton, OH

At least they have notice and a temporary safe place to go!  I feel bad for the agents displaced.  Its an expensive challenge to change offices, especially when you were not planning it. 

Oct 17, 2008 04:07 AM
Karen Cooper
Karen Cooper | Sr Mortgage Loan Originator ! NMLS # 223305 | First Federal Bank of Florida, Ocala, FL - The Villages, FL
Helping Homeowners w/Home Loans in 27 US States

Lisa - I heard about this at the Women's Council of Realtors luncheon this week. Very disruptive for those agents, and costs associated with new signs/cards/etc. are no fun either!

Oct 18, 2008 08:34 AM
Lisa Broadwater
Cascade Sotheby's International Realty - Sisters, OR
GRI, CDPE - Bend, Sisters, Tumalo, Redmond

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the encouraging words. I wanted to wait to add another comment until I had an update on the Bend closing. There are hopes and many discussions, from what I understand, that someone will be able to step up and put together an office in Bend. After last week's Bulletin article about the closing ran, folks have gotten the mistaken idea that my broker, Peter Storton, was personally pursuing opening an office in Bend. That's not the case. However, he's happy to assist those displaced Bend agents in any way he can. So far he's met with one of the agents to discuss relocation. I too wish them all the best.

Oct 20, 2008 08:21 AM