A new real estate franchise is in town.
Global real estate brokerage Realty ONE Group is now franchising in Eastern Canada. What started as an American-founded company in 2005 has now grown into an international firm in hundreds of locations. The brokerage touts a modern, lifestyle-focused approach to real estate that challenges traditional norms.
Vicki Schmidt, a 25-year realty industry expert, will be leading Realty ONE Group’s franchises from Ontario to Atlantic Canada as CEO. Already, the group has recruited long-time realty professionals, including Harrison Milborne as president and former RE/MAX Canada vice-president John Dowbiggin as the head of franchising and development.
Schmidt tells Livabl more about Realty ONE Group’s expansion to Eastern Canada, and what the company has in store for the Canadian resale and new construction markets.
Parts of this interview have been edited or removed for clarity and brevity.
Realty ONE Group is now franchising in Eastern Canada, including Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Can you tell us more about how this came to be?
Our journey started during numerous discussions with industry professionals from various backgrounds and segments. Through these discussions and industry research, it became clear that there was a growing need for a franchise offering that embraced change and delivered a modern experience for owners and agents that is focused exclusively on them and their business.
After evaluating many options, Realty ONE Group was the only one we believed was positioned to carve out a unique value proposition in a crowded market.
Realty ONE Group prides itself on its un-brokerage, non-traditional approach to real estate. Can you tell us how this company takes a modern and lifestyle-oriented attitude to buying and selling homes? What makes it stand out from others?
A traditional real estate brokerage provides very little and charges a lot. We turn that logic upside down.
Not only do we have best-in-class branding, but we provide a more comprehensive tool chest of technology, training, support and lifestyle offerings than anyone else.
The best part is this whole ecosystem of systems and tools is all available at no additional cost to agents and franchise owners. Then layer in that agents keep 100 per cent of their commission (we operate on a simple monthly and transaction based fee) and we have a winning formula.
The ONE Build program is in development. Can you share some preliminary details on the sales and marketing perks this will offer pre-construction agents?
The ONE Build program will be a pre-construction designation available to qualifying real estate professionals. It will require either an already demonstrated level of success in pre-construction sales for seasoned professionals, or successfully completing a development program which will provide education and training to agents looking to become an expert in pre-construction sales.
We envision that there will be benefits to successfully completing the program and earning the designation, which may include priority access to some of the GTA’s (and beyond) most exciting new pre-construction development projects through our network of builders and exclusive listing brokerages.
In the coming weeks and months, how will Realty ONE Group roll out across Eastern Canada?
We remain busy as we continue to build our leadership team of like-minded individuals who share the same passion and energy for both our master franchise business and our flagship brokerage. [We] are franchising and are in the process of planning and building out our Eastern Canada hub.
We are aiming for our Realty ONE Group flagship brokerage to be active by the end of Q1-2022, and are taking applications for resale, pre-construction focused agents and teams looking to join our flagship office. We are targeting our hub to be open by early summer.
