– Annual promotion curates the world’s most stunning real estate listings –

 
CHICAGO – June 12, 2018 – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® and Luxury Portfolio International^® announce the start of the 2018 HGTV Ultimate House Hunt, a month-long online promotion held annually on HGTV.com. This is the seventh consecutive year HGTV has teamed exclusively with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® and Luxury Portfolio International^® for the popular awards, which run from June 12 through July 17.

The Ultimate House Hunt features extraordinary homes from across the globe in eight categories: Amazing Kitchens, Curb Appeal, Extreme Homes, Global Homes, Homes with a History, Modern Masterpieces, Urban Digs and Waterfront Homes – plus a bonus category inspired by one of HGTV’s most popular programs, Do You Love It or Would You List It, highlighting additional homes that caught the attention of HGTV editors. All featured homes are represented by members of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® and Luxury Portfolio International^®.

Consumers view galleries of homes featuring beautiful photography on HGTV.com and vote for their favorites. A winner is chosen in each category based on the total number of votes received, along with the highly coveted overall fan favorite award.

“We are delighted to join forces with HGTV again this year to showcase some of our members’ most stunning listings, from the ever-popular Waterfront Homes category to the exciting new collection of Urban Digs. It’s always a thrill to see which of the incredible featured properties attract the most attention from HGTV’s audience of home enthusiasts,” said Paul Boomsma, President/CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®.

Last year’s contest attracted over 82 million page views, illustrating the ongoing allure of exceptional real estate. This year’s finalists include 88 homes in 13 countries represented by 49 real estate companies: @properties; Alain Pinel Realtors; Baird & Warner; Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales; Carratelli Real Estate; CDR Bienes Raices San Miguel; Chas Everitt International Property Group; Cofim-Immobiliare VR; Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates; Daniel Feau Conseil Immobilier, SA; Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate; Ebby Halliday Realtors; First Team Real Estate; Gardner Realtors; Ginesta Immobilien; Halstead Real Estate; Harry Norman, Realtors; Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers; Hilton & Hyland Real Estate; Illustrated Properties; Immobilsarda SRL; Jawitz Properties; JK Property & Yachting; Long & Foster Real Estate; Macdonald Realty; McGuire Real Estate; Perry & Co.; Pinnacle Estate Properties; Premier Estate Properties; Profusion Realty; ReeceNichols Real Estate; Residential Properties; Robert Paul Properties; Sea Island Properties; Sibarth Real Estate; Silver Creek Real Estate Group; Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate; Smith & Associates Real Estate; Smiths Gore Limited; Stribling & Associates; Strutt & Parker; The Whistler Real Estate Co.; Turks & Caicos Property; Unique Estates; Village Properties; Wetag Consulting; Willis Allen Real Estate; Windermere Real Estate; and WK Real Estate.

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

To view the contest and cast your vote visit: www.HGTV.com/househunt

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CHICAGO – (May 23, 2018) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has expanded its Solutions Group program with the addition of Inside Real Estate, a comprehensive technology platform for brokerages offering custom WordPress websites, powerful team and agent lead generation tools, a Smart CRM, behavioral marketing automation, agent and consumer mobile apps, marketplace integrations and more. As a Solutions Group participant, Inside Real Estate will be recognized as a preferred provider for LeadingRE’s global community of more than 565 market-leading real estate firms.

Inside Real Estate’s kvCORE is a scalable, cloud-based platform built to power brokerages of all sizes. kvCORE automatically produces custom websites that are designed with a focus on lead generation.  Behavioral lead nurturing with AI components are built-in to its Smart CRM, which drive higher ROI for agents’ leads and more business from their sphere of influence.  A continually-growing Marketplace allows for deployment of top real estate technologies, with easy access to transaction management, chat, digital marketing and open house tools.

kvCORE also provides the ability for brokerages to offer sub-accounts to their teams, giving the teams their own lead-generation tools, lead routing, automation system and branding.  This saves teams thousands of dollars and drives higher production, recruiting and retention.

“We are excited to welcome Inside Real Estate to our Solutions Group program. Their comprehensive approach to providing innovative tools focused on productivity at the brokerage, team and agent levels makes them a timely resource for our members, who continually look for the most innovative ways to grow their businesses,” said Robin LaSure, LeadingRE vice president, corporate marketing.

“LeadingRE is widely known for the high levels of quality, service and genuine value they contribute to the industry and to the network of brokerages that belong as members to the organization. Inside Real Estate is thrilled to be recognized as a technology Solution Group provider, and we look forward to continuing to provide the highest levels of service and solutions to LeadingRE’s valuable members,” said

Inside Real Estate’s Founder & Chief Revenue Officer Joe Skousen.

Learn more about Inside Real Estate at http://insiderealestate.com. Learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® at www.LeadingRE.com.

 

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About Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (www.LeadingRE.com) is a selective global community of the highest quality independent residential real estate companies, with over 565 companies and 130,000 sales associates in over 70 countries. Network members generate over 1.1 million transactions annually, with $372 billion in home sales. LeadingRE exists to make its members better by connecting them to opportunities and people around the globe, supporting them with an international referral network, professional development programs, unique events and connections to people and opportunities worldwide.

 

About Inside Real Estate

Inside Real Estate is among the most successful and fastest growing real estate software companies in the market and serves tens of thousands of agents, teams, and brokers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is the residential real estate SaaS leader and developer of the kvCORE Platform. kvCORE is a platform that allows brokers, team, and agents to run their entire business on one solution. The platform’s components include a Lead Engine, Website & IDX tools, Smart CRM, Listing CRM and Transaction Integrations – all powered by Marketing Autopilot with behavioral automation, Business Analytics to understand and grow your business, and a scalable cloud infrastructure. For more information, please visit http://insiderealestate.com/.

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CHICAGO – (May 15, 2018) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has selected SmartZip for its Solutions Group program, a collection of preferred business resources for its global community of more than 565 market-leading real estate firms.

SmartZip is a pioneer in predictive marketing for real estate professionals, providing automated data-driven marketing, lead calling, mobile lead management, and referral and testimonial management. The company’s SmartTargeting platform gives brokerages and agents the ability to identify, nurture, close and keep in touch with clients from one platform.

“SmartZip helps agents save time and build business by focusing on sellers who are more likely to make a move in the next 12 months, backed by a powerful platform that makes follow-up easy,” Robin LaSure, LeadingRE vice president, corporate marketing said. “By providing these data-backed listing opportunities, brokers can help their agents strengthen their pipeline, while consistently reinforcing the brokerage’s brand through the system’s automated marketing.”

“We are thrilled to be aligning with LeadingRE to bring our enterprise solutions to thousands of their elite agents,” said Avi Gupta, CEO of SmartZip. “LeadingRE has been challenging the norm and raising the bar of excellence in real estate for 20 years. Their forward-thinking, best-in-class technology approach makes SmartZip’s predictive analytics and data-driven marketing solutions a perfect addition to help their brokerages attract top agents and enhance their production and customer service. We are privileged to be part of LeadingRE’s pursuit in ‘Making the Best Brokerages Better,’” added Gupta.

Learn more about SmartZip at www.smartzip.com Learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® at www.LeadingRE.com.

 

 

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CHICAGO – (5/14/18) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® attracted an elite audience of top real estate professionals from 16 countries for its first ASEAN Immersion Conference, held May 8-10 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The conference gave members of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (LeadingRE) and Luxury Portfolio International^® a unique opportunity to immerse in the thriving markets of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. A Pre-Immersion Experience was also held prior to the conference in Singapore.

The ten countries of ASEAN – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – represent the world’s 6th largest economy and boast booming middle and upper classes, with active interest in buying real estate, both domestically and internationally.

The program focused on giving participants a better understanding of the distinctive markets and business practices in the region, with LeadingRE members from these markets providing first-hand insights. Additional topics included marketing and technology trends that are impacting real estate, the growth of financial technologies like blockchain and crowdfunding, global wealth patterns and the nuances of marketing to Asian High Net Worth Individuals.

Featured speakers included Natt Ford, Dot Property Group (Bangkok, Thailand); Marcelo Garcia Casil, DXMarkets (Singapore); Richard Teoh, Kings Estate (Hong Kong, China); Sr Sulaiman Akhmady Bin Mohd Saheh, Rahim & Co International (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Rahim Bin Abdul Rahman, Rahim & Co International (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); and Andrew Pang, YOO (Hong Kong, Hong Kong).

“This conference allowed members interested in this incredible growth region to strengthen relationships and gain in-depth knowledge that will help them maximize current and future business opportunities,” said LeadingRE President/CEO Paul Boomsma. “It reflects our mission to be a truly global real estate community, connecting the best professionals in ways that enhance their businesses and support their ability to provide real estate assistance around the world.”

For more on the event, visit http://asean.LeadingRE.com.

With a global membership that spans six continents, LeadingRE connects more than 565 firms and 130,000 sales associates who produce over 1.1 million real estate transactions each year. Learn more at www.LeadingRE.com.

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CHICAGO – (May 8, 2018) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® announced today that it has selected TRIBUS for its Solutions Group program, which identifies preferred business resources for its global community of more than 565 market-leading real estate firms.

TRIBUS provides brokerages with custom platforms offering a full suite of tools, including websites, IDX/VOW, CRM, email marketing and transaction management. Products are designed to help brokers meaningfully engage their clients, staff and sales associates.

“We are pleased to welcome TRIBUS to the Solutions Group program. The emphasis they place on connecting with clients to fully understand their needs makes them well-equipped to develop custom solutions that add significant value,” said Robin LaSure, LeadingRE vice president, corporate marketing. “And, because their entire leadership team has former real estate experience, they combine first-hand knowledge with technical innovation.”

“TRIBUS is proud to become a preferred provider through LeadingRE’s Solutions Group program. We’ve worked with LeadingRE members in the past and found them to be among the most innovative and forward-thinking brokerages in their markets. Through this relationship, we will be able to serve more of their member firms to help them best engage their agents, clients and staff,” said TRIBUS Vice President of Business Development Jeff Harris.

Learn more about TRIBUS at www.tribusgroup.com. Learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® at www.LeadingRE.com.

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CHICAGO – (May 4, 2018) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has named Home Partners of America as a preferred provider through its Solutions Group program, a collection of select business resources for the global network of 565 real estate firms.

Home Partners of America offers a Lease Purchase Program, which provides qualified renters the opportunity to select a home for sale to lease with a right to purchase. Participants can lease the home for up to five years (three years in Texas) and purchase the home at any time during their residency at a predetermined price.

“Home Partners of America offers our members a way to help more people realize homeownership – whether working with first-time homebuyers who are not quite ready to buy, relocating clients who are still exploring the area or creditworthy households who are unable to obtain a mortgage for one reason or another,” said Robin LaSure, vice president of corporate marketing for LeadingRE. “And, by extending services to these clients, an agent can convert a rental prospect into sales transaction, earning a full sales commission.”

Home Partners of America has already had great success working with LeadingRE members throughout the U.S., including ReeceNichols Real Estate in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

“LeadingRE companies not only represent the top independent real estate firms across the country, but also they share our values and commitment to a quality experience,” said Ayoub Rabah, SVP of Marketing. “We are honored to further develop our relationship with LeadingRE by becoming part of the Solutions Group program.”

“Home Partners of America’s Lease Purchase Program provides LeadingRE members an opportunity to better serve their rental customers by providing them with a transparent solution offering more choice, control and flexibility, along with A New Path to Homeownership^®,” added Rabah.

Learn more about Home Partners of America at www.HomePartners.com. Learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® at www.LeadingRE.com.

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– Global real estate network has led the industry in sales for over 10 consecutive years. –

 

CHICAGO – (4/25/18) – The independent firms that comprise Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (LeadingRE) continue to lead the industry, with $372 billion in U.S. home sales in 2017, $55 billion ahead of its closest competitor.

Among the top 500 U.S. real estate firms, LeadingRE was responsible for more sales units than any other group, with 24.5% of the total units, totaling 1.1 million transactions.

Figures for the top 500 firms are verified and published by REAL Trends each April. Figures for total sales of all networks are estimated by using average sales units per agent for each network’s firms in the REAL Trends 500, multiplied across each network’s entire agent population.

“Independent brands continue to resonate with consumers, who are drawn to the authenticity and local expertise of firms that are deeply rooted in the community,” said LeadingRE President/CEO Paul Boomsma. “When these firms are further strengthened by the connections and resources of a global network like ours, they offer home buyers and sellers the best of both worlds – locally and globally.”

With 565 member firms in over 70 countries, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® invites only the highest quality independent companies for membership and supports them with its award-winning professional development programs and events, innovative technology and marketing resources, industry-leading referral network, Luxury Portfolio International^® marketing program, and connections to people and opportunities worldwide. To learn more about LeadingRE, visit LeadingRE.com.

To view the complete REAL Trends 500 report, visit realtrends.com/rankings/rt500.

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– Company’s past President/CEO Pam O’Connor also assumes board seat. –
 

 

CHICAGO, IL – (04/05/18) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has named Frank Morrice of Servmor Realty in Panama City, Panama, to its 13-person board of directors, which provides guidance for the global community of market-leading real estate firms in 70 countries. Also joining the board is Pam O’Connor, who recently retired as LeadingRE president/CEO.

Morrice serves as general manager of Servmor Realty (formerly Semusa Realty), a position he has held since 2001. He is a promoter and active contributor of ACOBIR, Panama’s Multiple Listing Service, and was recognized by ACOBIR in 2011 as a featured member for his efforts in developing the MLS. Among other industry positions, he is a member of the International Entrepreneur Organization, serving on its board in 2016 and 2017. Morrice also serves as chairman of LeadingRE’s Global Advisory Board.

“Frank is an excellent addition to our board of directors and ideal for his role as chairman of our Global Advisory Board. He is an enthusiastic advocate for all our programs, ranging from cross-border referrals to online learning through Institute, supporting our mission of providing relevant, impactful services for our members around the world,” said Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® President/CEO Paul Boomsma. “Of course, we are also fortunate to benefit from Pam’s continued involvement and know that she will complement the talented brokers who provide leadership for our network.”

Joining Morrice and O’Connor on the board are Chairman Joe Horning, Shorewest Realtors, Wis.; Immediate Past Chairman Pat Riley Allen Tate Company, Charlotte, N.C.; Vice Chairman Diane M. Ramirez, Halstead Real Estate, New York, N.Y.; Secretary Howard W. (Hoby) Hanna IV, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Cleveland, Ohio; Treasurer Rob Sibcy, Sibcy Cline, Realtors, Cincinnati, Ohio; Carol Bulman, Jack Conway & Company, Norwell, Mass.; Harold Crye, Crye-Leike Inc-Nashville, Memphis, Tenn.; Mike Pappas, The Keyes Company, Miami, Fla.; Ron Peltier, HomeServices of America, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.; Patrick M. Shea, Lyon Real Estate, Sacramento, Calif.; and William Watson, Jr., Watson Realty Corporation, Jacksonville, Fla.

Morrice succeeds Ron Stader, president and co-owner of CIR Realty in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who previously served on the board and as chairman of the Global Advisory Board.

With a global membership that spans seven continents, LeadingRE connects more than 565 firms and 130,000 sales associates who produce over 1.1 million real estate transactions each year. LeadingRE provides its affiliates with an extensive range of brokerage services, which include lead generation, cross-market referrals, branding support, luxury marketing, online exposure, technology systems, professional development and unique events.

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

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– LeadingRE implements succession plan that also includes Stephanie Anton’s promotion to Luxury Portfolio president. –

CHICAGO – (April 2, 2018) – Paul Boomsma assumed the role of president and chief executive officer of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (LeadingRE) today. Boomsma, who has served as the company’s chief operating officer and president of its Luxury Portfolio International^® division, succeeds long-time CEO Pam O’Connor, who announced her retirement from LeadingRE in January.

“We are very pleased to have Paul’s leadership as we continue the progress achieved over the past 20-plus years,” said LeadingRE Chairman of the board Joe Horning of Wisconsin’s Shorewest Realtors. “I have had the pleasure of working with Paul for the past 13 years and have always been inspired by his passion, insight and dedication to the success of LeadingRE and our members around the world. His grasp of both marketing and technology are ideally-suited to this phase of our business, and his history with the organization makes this a very seamless transition.”

Boomsma brings more than 20 years of real estate experience to his new position. He began his career marketing luxury office towers, later heading marketing for a top Chicago residential firm before becoming national marketing director for a major franchise. Boomsma is responsible for creating Luxury Portfolio International^®, the highly successful high-end marketing division of LeadingRE and subsequently was tasked with also heading operations and strategic marketing for LeadingRE as COO.

He is a frequent industry speaker on topics that include consumer trends, technology innovation, global business practices and working with affluent buyers and sellers. Among his many distinctions, he was named to the 2018 Swanepoel Power 200, ranked on Inman’s Most Influential and received the Unique Homes’ Award for Excellence in Luxury Home Marketing.

Robust Executive Team

Stephanie Anton, who has served as executive vice president of Luxury Portfolio International^®, was also promoted as part of the LeadingRE succession plan and is now president of Luxury Portfolio. A graduate of Boston University with a Masters in Integrated Marketing from Northwestern, she has over 15 years of experience in real estate and luxury marketing for brokerages and networks and has been instrumental in building Luxury Portfolio for the past 12 years.

Other members of the company’s current senior management team include long-time Chief Financial Officer Alan Cazzato; Bob Portale, chief executive officer of the company’s sister relocation management company, RELO Direct^®, Inc.; Executive Vice President, Member Services Elizabeth Nunan; Executive Vice President, Operations Jessica Edgerton; and Executive Vice President, Global Operations Chris Dietz.

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CHICAGO – (February 26, 2018) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® (LeadingRE) has named Dan Elzer as Dean of Professional Skill and Technique for Institute, the network’s online learning platform. Institute is a key component of LeadingRE’s learning initiatives, which recently ranked #1 on Training magazine’s 2018 Training Top 125.

In this role, Elzer will provide content focusing on skill development for leaders, managers and sales associates, including online courses, webinars and other resources. Founder and president of The Training Academy LLC, Elzer is a nationally acclaimed speaker, trainer and consultant with over 30 years of experience in the real estate industry who is widely known for his powerful skill-based programs.

“Dan is a master at helping real estate professionals develop competencies that result in growth and profitability. For brokers and managers looking to support top talent and for agents striving to build their business, Dan provides actionable strategies aimed at achieving peak performance. We are delighted to have him on the Institute faculty,” said Dan Nelson, LeadingRE vice president of Performance Excellence.

Elzer joins other industry thought leaders who comprise the Institute faculty, including Chief Learning Officer Mike Staver, Dean of Innovation Matthew Ferrara and Dean of Customer Experience Debbie Maier. Institute currently boasts 350 online courses with new classes each month and includes certifications for sales, service, leadership, marketing and relocation, as well as an extensive resource library for managers and agents.

LeadingRE is a select global community of over 565 independent real estate firms spanning six continents. To learn more, visit LeadingRE.com.

 

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