MADISON, N.J. (March 9, 2021) -- Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC reported a notable year in franchise sales by welcoming 16 new affiliates in 2020. The BHGRE® brand recently earned a spot on the prestigious Entrepreneur magazine’s 2021 Franchise 500 ®, a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry, and was also ranked as one of the 2021 Fastest Growing Franchises in the magazine’s March issue. Despite facing an unprecedented year, the addition of new companies during 2020 was the highest on record since 2017.
Growth is just one pillar Entrepreneur measures for the Franchise 500, considered the most comprehensive and competitive franchise ranking in the world. Companies are also evaluated based on franchise support, cost and fees, brand strength, financial strength and stability.
The Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate expansion is represented coast-to-coast through brokers with a keen sense of the changing markets and the importance of creating meaningful relationships with consumers. A presence of Millennials across leadership teams is also taking root, signifying an increased interest in the brand’s value proposition.
Below is a list of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate affiliates welcomed in 2020.
New Affiliated Brokerage |
Location |
Hilo, Hawaii |
|
Prunedale, Calif. |
|
Escondido, Calif. |
|
Tyler, Texas |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
|
Kona, Hawaii |
|
Columbia, S.C. |
|
Cross Lanes, W. Va. |
|
Crown Point, Ind. |
|
Monroe, Conn. |
|
Moses Lake, Wash. |
|
Camdenton, Mo. |
|
Ventura, Calif. |
|
Abilene, Texas |
|
Paradise, Calif. |
|
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Destinations |
Key Largo, Fla. |
The BHGRE network also saw several of its companies complete M&As last year, such as the merger of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Winans, based in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, with the Trinity Realty Group based in Sherman, Texas.
BHGRE firms completing M&As |
Location |
Monterey, Calif. |
|
Mases Lake, Wash. |
|
Dallas, Texas |
2020 Highlights:
The BHGRE brand fortified its presence in unique lifestyle markets, particularly coastal and lake communities.
- Hawaii-based Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Hank Correa Realty, a multi-generational firm based in Hilo, and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Island Lifestyle, a boutique firm with focus on resort living on the “Big Island,” cater to both residential and second home buyers taking full advantage of all that island living offers.
- Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Destinations in the Florida Keys is capitalizing on a growing interest in making vacation homes primary residences during the pandemic.
- Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Lake of the Ozarks serves the Midwest’s premier lake resort community comprised primarily of second home owners.
- The BHGRE brand added four companies in California in 2020, from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to renowned coastal communities. The brand currently has 18 affiliates in the Golden State.
The 2020 network of broker/owners is driven by next-generation leadership.
- Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Hank Correa Realty’s founder Hank Correa has incorporated his sons Hank III, Jonathan and Christopher into his leadership team.
- Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central, led by broker/owner Josh McGrath, became the first affiliate in West Virginia. He recently earned the West Virginia REALTOR® of the Year award and several young business owner accolades.
- Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Senter, REALTORS® is led by Shay Senter, the grandson of the firm’s founder.
- David Medley, broker owner of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Medley Realty, began his career as a credit manager with Wells Fargo Financial in 2006 before becoming a real estate agent the following year.
- Jaclyn Kelley of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Destinations entered real estate at age of 22 and opened her own brokerage in 2014 at the age of 34.
The unique BHGRE value proposition played a key role in owners’ decision to affiliate with the brand.
- BHGRE’s proprietary marketing tool PinPointSM, which utilizes Better Homes & Gardens® magazine and its publisher Meredith Corporation’s consumer behavior data harvested from its 175 million consumers, has helped these companies discover, target and acquire new clients in their service area.
- The brand’s core values of Passion, Authenticity, Inclusion, Growth and Excellence, P.A.I.G.E., have resonated with the entrepreneurial spirit of many new owners.
- New talent attraction systems featuring learning courses, marketing resources, a recruiting CRM and a best practice framework have supported agent recruitment across the network.
- A best-in-class marketing suite offers a fully integrated solution featuring automated listing and agent assets, a rich image editor and easy access to brand tools and programs – all alongside the branded imagery and templates.
Quotes:
“In 2020, we welcomed many new companies that recognized the BHGRE brand’s ability to empower their business with powerful tools and systems that will attract new clients, new agents and fuel future growth. The recent accolades from Entrepreneur further solidify the brand’s commitment to helping our affiliates generate new opportunities for their business. As the only real estate lifestyle franchisor backed by the name recognition and trust of one of America’s most admired brands, Better Home and Gardens Real Estate provides a unique differentiator that continues to be extremely relevant to today’s homebuyers and sellers.”
Sherry Chris, President & CEO, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate
About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is a dynamic real estate brand that offers a full range of services to brokers, sales associates and home buyers and sellers. Using innovative technology, sophisticated business systems and the broad appeal of a lifestyle brand, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC embodies the future of the real estate industry while remaining grounded in the tradition of home. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services.
The growing Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate network includes over 12,500 independent sales associates and more than 390 offices serving home buyers and sellers across the United States, Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Australia and New Zealand.
Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and used with permission. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Franchise is independently owned and operated.