Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® is launching a new resource for military families, just in time for Veterans Day. Through a newly enhanced, socially-connected website (www.USMilitaryontheMove.com), military consumers can share useful content about relocating and the unique housing challenges and needs of military personnel and their families. The site features blogs from real estate professionals with military experience, as well as other experts in the military relocation field.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has distinguished itself by offering military personnel the best rebate program on the market through U.S. Military on the Move^®. The program was created to provide active duty, retired military and wounded warriors with special benefits on real estate services, including a real estate credit at closing in states where allowed by law.

“We created U.S. Military on the Move^® to make it easy for those who serve our country to connect with market-leading real estate professionals committed to delivering premier service to military personnel, while also allowing these service men and women to benefit financially from special rebates and pricing on other value-added services,” notes Pam O’Connor, LeadingRE president/CEO. “Now, with our new site, we make this expertise even more acceptable to those we aim to serve.”

Members offering U.S. Military on the Move^® are experts in working with military consumers and can assist home buyers and sellers worldwide through Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s global network of more than 500+ real estate firms.

For more information on U.S. Military on the Move^®, visit www.USMilitaryontheMove.com or call 312-424-0400.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® has announced that Erin Koops, CRP, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Member Services. In this role, Koops oversees the company’s Business Solutions consultants, broker-to-broker referral program, member education for core programs and services, white-glove international referral liaison program, and U.S. Military on the Move affinity program. These services are offered to the network’s 500+ market-leading residential real estate companies in more than 50 countries around the world.

“Erin is a highly-valued asset of our company, with responsibility for key operational areas generating significant revenue,” said LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O’Connor. “We are grateful for her efforts and commitment to always going above and beyond.”

Koops, who joined the company in 2006, started her career as a financial analyst on Wall Street and later worked in corporate finance and operations for Marvel Entertainment and Sara Lee Corporation. She holds Worldwide ERC’s Certified Relocation Professional (CRP) designation and has served on its YP40 (Young Professionals) Board. She is an avid cyclist and enjoys competing in triathlons across the country.

Koops is based in the company’s Chicago headquarters.

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Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® announced today that seven of its affiliates were named to the Inc. 5000, the publication’s annual ranking of the fastest-growing privately held companies in America. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) is the only real estate organization to have more than two companies on the list. LeadingRE is the largest global real estate network in terms of annual home sales, comprised of 500+ top independent brokerages in over 50 countries.

LeadingRE affiliate companies on the prestigious ranking include Intero Real Estate Services (Calif.), Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers (Hawaii), Gibson International (Calif.), Robert Paul Properties (Mass.), @properties (Ill.), Carriage Properties (S.C.), and john greene Realtor (Ill.).

“It is not surprising to see so many of our affiliates recognized for significant growth, ranking among the most successful companies across a wide range of industries,” Pam O’Connor, LeadingRE President and CEO said. “As a whole, our members strive to set higher standards and offer new and innovative services, combining their local success with the global reach available to them through affiliation with our network. This approach results in companies that continue to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.”

LeadingRE supports its affiliates’ growth through a robust referral network that generates over 30,000 affiliate-to-affiliate referrals annually, as well as listing and branding tools, luxury marketing, online learning, conferences and technology solutions.

To learn more about LeadingRE, visit www.LeadingRE.com. To see the full Inc. 5000 list, visit www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2015.

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Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has named Matterport as a preferred provider through its Solutions Group program, a collection of quality business products and services presented to its global network of more than 500 market-leading firms.

Matterport offers an end-to-end immersive media solution that allows real estate professionals to easily capture, edit and share any space with a photorealistic 3D model of an entire property. Using the Matterport Pro Camera and iPad Capture app, an entire 2,000 square foot house can be scanned in about an hour, creating an interactive tour that can be viewed on any mobile or desktop device.

“We are pleased to provide our members with an easy and highly effective way to attract out-of-town buyers and engage tech-savvy consumers in a way that makes them feel like they are actually in the home,” said Robin LaSure, LeadingRE vice president of corporate marketing.

According to Jeffrey Harris, Matterport vice president of Sales and Business Development, the relationship supports the company’s plans for strategic growth. “We’re very excited to be chosen as a preferred technology provider by LeadingRE. Having their endorsement is very important to us, and we look forward to engaging with their world-class group of independent and forward-thinking brokerages,” Harris said.

To learn more about Matterport, visit http://matterport.com.  To learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®, visit www.LeadingRE.com.

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HGTV has announced the winners of its Ultimate House Hunt, a month-long online contest held on HGTV.com. The contest highlighted exceptional homes from across the globe in ten distinct categories, attracting over 82 million page views with nearly 900,000 votes cast.

The winning homes, all represented by members of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and Luxury Portfolio International®, were selected by consumers who voted for their favorites among a select group of finalists.

The overall winner, receiving the most votes among all of the homes as well as the most in the Waterfront Homes category, was a luxuriously rustic lake house in Tiger, Ga., represented by Harry Norman Realtors.

Hawaiian homes fared especially well, with three residences from Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers being voted favorites:  a contemporary estate in Haena in the Glass House category; a tropical paradise in Omao in the Privacy, Please category; and a Princeville home with resort-style amenities as the Favorite Backyard Retreat.

The favorite Urban Abode was a Queen Anne-style home in Seattle from Windermere Real Estate. Winning favorite International Home was a timber-frame house in Squamish, BC, Canada, presented by Macdonald Real Estate Group. The Most Amazing Kitchen went to an oceanfront estate in Dana Point, Calif. from Willis Allen Real Estate. In the popular Tiny Home category, a beach cottage in Westerly, R.I. from Lila Delman Real Estate received the honors. Winning Best Curb Appeal was a private estate in Central Point, Ore. from John L. Scott Real Estate. The most popular Historical Home was Locksley Hall in Belvedere, Calif. from McGuire Real Estate.

In addition to bragging rights, the winning homes will receive additional editorial exposure on HGTV.com.

“The response to the 2015 Ultimate House Hunt was incredible, as our audience was drawn to the beautiful photography of these stunning homes,” said Rich Lacy, vice president, Emerging Brands at Scripps Networks. “We are pleased to partner with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and Luxury Portfolio International® to showcase these homes and the lifestyles they represent.”

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (www.LeadingRE.com) is the largest network of top independent real estate brokerage firms, with more than 500 companies in over 50 countries worldwide. Luxury Portfolio International^® (www.LuxuryPortfolio.com) is the luxury face of LeadingRE, supporting member firms that specialize in the high end market.

To view the Ultimate House Hunt winners, visit www.hgtv.com/ultimatehousehuntwinners.

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Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has named Moxi Works a preferred provider through its Solutions Group program, a collection of select business tools offered to its international network of more than 500 real estate firms.

Moxi Works is an integrated and open system that includes key components to support an agent’s success, including CRM, presentation tools, agent websites, repeat and referral marketing, and integrations such as MLS data, agent email and brokerage intranet. Agents who embrace the program see 38% more business.

“We are impressed by how Moxi Works’ takes a proven, sphere-based selling methodology for real estate and combines it with highly effective tools designed to support an agent’s success,” comments Robin LaSure, vice president of corporate marketing for LeadingRE. “The fact that it also offers a manager dashboard and automated coaching makes it even more compelling for our member firms.”

Moxi Works has deep roots in the independent brokerage community, having honed its system with LeadingRE member Windermere Real Estate for many years, in addition to other firms.

 

“We have been successfully working with over a dozen LeadingRE brokerages that find we not only fulfill their technical needs, but also are a great philosophical fit with their brokerage,” said Moxi Works’ CEO York Baur. “Now with this expanded partnership with LeadingRE, we are looking forward to helping more brokerages grow their business,” added Baur.

 

To learn more about Moxi Works, visit http://moxiworks.com.  To learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®, visit www.LeadingRE.com.

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Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has selected HomeActions for its Solutions Group program, a collection of quality business products and services presented to its international network of more than 500 real estate firms.

HomeActions provides Realtors^® with a complete e-Prospecting system that electronically delivers current and compelling content of interest to all homeowners, not just those actively buying or selling their home. The content-rich system positions the real estate agent as the expert and homeowner’s advocate, making them the logical “go-to Realtor” when it comes time to buy or sell.

“HomeActions offers a turn-key solution to help sales associates stay in touch with clients and prospects over the long-term by providing truly relevant information for homeowners,” said Robin LaSure, vice president of corporate marketing for LeadingRE. “We are excited to present this program to our members as a highly effective way to stay top-of-mind with consumers.”

“LeadingRE represents the top independent firms across the country, and we are excited to expand our relationships with this prestigious group as we deliver on our mission to support sales associates in a way that, ultimately, helps them build more business,” said HomeActions President and Founder Barry Friedman.

To learn more about HomeActions, visit http://homeactions.net.  To learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®, visit www.LeadingRE.com.

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