SAN DIEGO–Exclusive Properties, one of the largest, most successful and respected residential real estate firms in San Diego County and a current franchisee of Windermere Real Estate, today announced it has selected Real Living as its new franchisor. Additionally, the company announced its name will change to Real Living Lifestyles next month.
Ranked as one of the top five residential real estate firms by the San Diego Business Journal, the fast-growing, highly acclaimed company has experienced unprecedented growth, increasing in size to nearly 400 full-time sales professionals, working out of eight offices. During 2008-2009, the company experienced 77 percent growth in sales volume followed by an equally impressive 50 percent growth in 2009-2010.
With the backing of Shannon combined with its reputation as San Diego County’s most innovative and service-oriented real estate firm, the company expects to buck the real estate downturn this year by adding offices and agents.
“With our extreme growth the past few years, we have attracted quite a bit of attention and were presented with a number of opportunities to expand even further,” said Steve Rodgers, president/owner of Windermere Exclusive Properties. “Real Living is a tremendous fit for us. Our agents will now have even more tools and resources at their fingertips to better serve home buyers and sellers.”
Rodgers, who has spent the bulk of his career immersed in the San Diego and Southern California real estate scene, knows more than a thing or two about picking a real estate franchise to partner with. Prior to his current position, Rodgers was president and CEO of Prudential California Realty, Southern California, a Berkshire Hathaway-owned firm.
Founded in 2001 by longtime San Diego real estate industry realtors/executives Mark Loscher and Jim Browne, along with Robert and Robin Behic, the company is now poised for even further expansion as Real Living Lifestyles. Both Loscher and Browne will continue as owners, playing key roles with the company.
“Bringing this entire team of incredibly talented professionals into the Real Living family is a huge, huge win for us,” said Harley E. Rouda, Jr., president of Real Living. “We’re extremely proud to partner with a firm of this caliber, whose reputation for market expertise, customer service and innovation is unsurpassed. All of us at Real Living are excited about working with Steve, Mark, Jim and their team, to grow in the all-important San Diego county and Southern California marketplace.”
This is the second major franchise agreement Real Living has signed in Southern California in less than two months. In late January, Real Living was selected by Dilbeck Real Estate, one of Los Angeles County’s largest and most prestigious real estate firms, as its new franchise. Combined, Dilbeck Real Estate Real Living and Real Living Lifestyles will add more than 1,000 agents and annual sales volume of $2.3 billion to Real Living’s growing national real estate network.
Rodgers feels the company’s new franchise agreement with Real Living will allow his firm’s agents to immediately benefit from being part of an agent focused, and much larger, global organization: namely, Brookfield Residential Property Services, which owns Real Living. Brookfield Residential Property Services is a leading global provider of real estate and relocation services, technology and knowledge. It is a division of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., a global asset manager focused on property, renewable power and infrastructure assets, with more than $100 billion of assets under management.
“At the end of the day, we have the best of both worlds to offer our agents and their clients: we’re locally owned and operated but backed by the formidable resources of Real Living and Brookfield Residential Property Services,” Rodgers said.
