Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® continues to expand its footprint, with 37 firms joining the global real estate network year-to-date. New members include market-leading firms in 18 countries.

U.S. expansion includes key markets ranging from Boston and Wellesley, Massachusetts to Honolulu, Hawaii. Of the 14 new U.S. firms, all are leaders in their markets, including some former franchisees that opted to go independent and align with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) for national/global connections and resources.

The top independent brokerages in the UK, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa – Strutt & Parker, Von Poll Immobilien GmbH, Barfoot & Thompson, and Chas Everitt International Property Group, respectively – lead the worldwide growth that has taken place in these countries, as well as Australia, Austria, China, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turks and Caicos, the United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay, extending the network’s global membership to over 50 countries and more than 500 firms.

“We continue to grow extensively but selectively, declining nearly 80% of the companies that inquire about affiliation because they do not meet our requirements for market position, brand reputation, service excellence and more,” said LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O’Connor. “By offering a truly compelling business model, we attract top companies that want to combine their local success with a global reach.”

LeadingRE member companies benefit from a full suite of business-enhancing services, including world-class conferences and networking events, web-based learning resources, global brand and marketing support, real estate industry advocacy, innovative technology solutions, robust affiliate-to-affiliate referral network, and a comprehensive luxury marketing program, Luxury Portfolio International®.

New U.S. members include: ARC Realty, Birmingham, AL; Benoit Mizner Simon, Wellesley, MA; Carriage Properties, Charleston, SC; Fisher Provence Realtors, Stillwater, OK; Freewheeler Realty Inc., Islamorada, FL; Greenwood Realty, Greenwood, SC; Locations, LLC, Honolulu, HI; Mike Thomas Associates, Fort Wayne, IN; Otis & Ahearn Real Estate, Boston, MA; Park Co. Realtors, Fargo, ND; Stumbaugh Realty Advisors, Vacaville, CA; The Premier Property Group, Seacrest, FL; Weichert, Realtors – Southern Coast, Myrtle Beach, SC; and Wright Bros. Real Estate, Nyack, NY.

New members from the Caribbean and Latin American include: La Cite Real Estate, Maldonado, Uruguay; Select Caribbean Properties, Cabarete, Dominican Republic; Roguez Real Estate, Quintana Roo, Mexico; and Turks & Caicos Property, Turks and Caicos Islands.

New European members include: Adria Stone, Petrovac, Montenegro; Atlante Properties S.r.l., Venice, Italy; Atlantic Homes Portugal, Porto, Portugal; Francesco Papurello Luxury Real Estate, Stresa, Italy; Immobiliare Tamagnini, Sarteano, Italy; Leonard Properties SA, Geneve, Switzerland; Meani Real Estate and Business, Arcore, Italy; Phoenix Vauban SA, Meyrin, Switzerland; Portugal Luxury Property, Estombar, Portugal; Strutt & Parker, London, United Kingdom; Von Poll Immobilien GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany/Spain/Austria; and WARNHOLZ Immobilien GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.

From the Middle East and Africa, new members include: Chas Everitt International Property Group, Johannesburg, South Africa; Elysian Real Estate, Dubai, U.A.E.; and Novitag, Beirut, Lebanon.

New firms in the Asia Pacific region include: Ark Properties, Shanghai, China; Ken Jacobs, New South Wales, Australia; Barfoot & Thompson, Auckland, New Zealand; and Philip Webb Real Estate, VIC, Australia.

To learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, visit www.LeadingRE.com.

Read More

Real estate professionals from 17 countries are meeting October 11-13 in Berlin, Germany for the 2015 International Symposium of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® and Luxury Portfolio International^®. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (LeadingRE) is an invitation-only real estate network comprised of more than 500 market-leading real estate firms in more than 50 countries. Luxury Portfolio is the network’s award-winning marketing program for high-end properties.

Representatives from Canada, Cayman Islands, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico, Panama, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States are in attendance to participate in an educational program focused on global real estate trends and the delivery of exceptional real estate services.

A distinguished group of speakers includes Rasmus Ankersen, performance specialist and author of The Gold Mine Effect; Matthew Ferrara, speaker and philosopher; Simon Henry, Co-CEO for Juwai.com; Eric Mendez, director of investment research for Vernal Point; John E. Featherston, president and CEO of RISMedia, Inc.; and Paul Morelli, founder and managing partner for Vernal Point. Participating member speakers will also address the group, highlighting real estate practices in various markets around the world.

Additional speakers include Jeff Corbett, BoomTown; David Friedman, Boston Logic Technology Partners; Georg Gerstenfeld, DocuSign; Rick Goodwin, Unique Homes; Lorne C. Wallace, Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies; and Christian Sauer, Webtrekk, Berlin, Germany.

Sessions offer in-depth discussions on the preferences of today’s real estate consumers, including luxury market insights and understanding the global affluent. Technology trends will be examined, focusing on how digital and mobile solutions are essential for the contemporary real estate consumer. Best practices in wealth management will also be reviewed, relating to the investment potential of real estate.

“Each year, we choose a dynamic city where some of the most successful and forward-thinking real estate professionals gather to build productive relationships and engage in a thought-provoking educational program,” comments LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O’Connor. “By coming together, we strengthen our network in ways that solidify our position as a global real estate leader.”

Past International Symposium events have been held in Dubrovnik, Venice, Lisbon, Madrid, Rome, Valencia and Dublin. Network affiliates will convene again February 20-26, 2016 in Miami for the LeadingRE Conference Week.

To learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®, visit www.LeadingRE.com.  For more information on Luxury Portfolio International^®, visit www.LuxuryPortfolio.com.

Read More

Heritage Texas Properties of Houston, Texas, has been awarded the prestigious RELO^® Quality Certification by the Chicago-based Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® network. The RELO^® Quality Certification (RQC) was the first program in the relocation industry to quantify and qualify what true relocation service excellence means. Modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige national quality award, it was created by the network to provide measurable standards for the pursuit of relocation excellence.

Heritage Texas Properties earned the certification only after its relocation department met stringent standards and completed a rigorous and lengthy application process, overseen by a committee of leading industry professionals.  Virtually every aspect of the company’s relocation operation was reviewed thoroughly, using specific criteria to evaluate performance and production, staffing, training and continuing education, quality and scope of relocation service, program marketing, customer satisfaction, technology resources, office facilities, and more.

“We are incredibly honored to be counted among such an elite group of real estate companies that hold this certification,” said Heritage Texas Senior Vice President Kirsten Abney, CRP, RCC, WRS, who heads the company’s relocation department. “Our primary goal is and always has been to provide an outstanding experience for our clients – a goal that guides us every day. What we have achieved would not have been possible without the enthusiastic support of our entire company, including that of Robin Mueck, our CEO. Our team is truly humbled and will use the knowledge we gained through this rigorous process,” Abney said.

According to Pam O’Connor, president and CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®, Heritage Texas Properties exemplifies the quality standards on which the RQC is based. “The RQC is awarded only to the industry’s most highly respected relocation departments,” O’Connor commented. “RQC firms have distinguished themselves by demonstrating real expertise in addressing employee mobility needs, and it is a great pleasure to welcome Heritage Texas Properties to this elite group of companies.”

In operation for almost four decades, Heritage Texas Properties is a market leader, operating offices from the Gulf Coast to Central Texas.

To see a full list of RQC companies, visit LeadingRE.com/MemberCredentials/RELOQualityCertification.

For more information about Heritage Texas Properties’ relocation services, contact Kirsten Abney: Kirsten Abney: Kabney@heritagetexas.com or (281) 582-3952

Read More