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“Homebuying momentum is building after nearly two years of suppressed home sales,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.
HARTSDALE—Madison, NJ-based real estate franchise Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC reports that it has affiliated with locally-based brokerage firm Westchester Choice Realty Inc. The deal, BHGRE officials state fortifies its New York Metropolitan footprint.
The newly named Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Choice Realty has locations in Scarsdale and Hartsdale and serves clients throughout lower Westchester County. The firm is led by owners Barry Kramer and John Crittenden, was founded in 2008 and was considered one of the top independent real estate brokerage firms in the county. Kramer was the 2018 president of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors.
The firm is known for its expertise in the Westchester co-op market. Kramer and Crittenden said they see an opportunity to leverage their affiliation with a widely recognized and respected brand to further tap into the county’s significant single-family home segment, catering to the local move-up buyer.
In addition to expanding their client base, they say the deal will fuel growth by deploying the BHGRE’s learning platform to support increased productivity of their current agents and recruit new agents to the team.
“Barry and John bring a wealth of knowledge to their clients and community and prioritize service above all else. Barry’s impressive sales and production accomplishments combined with John’s deep expertise in operations management make them a formidable leadership team,”said Sherry Chris, president & CEO, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. “As they envisioned the next step for their company, they knew access to robust systems to support client acquisition and agent growth were imperative. We are thrilled they chose to partner with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate to enhance their value to both their affiliated agents and customers and fuel future growth.”
Kramer currently serves as the president of the Garth Road Cooperative Council, Eastchester’s largest neighborhood association. In addition, both Kramer and Crittenden are active supporters of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community and LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance members.
“Having been in this industry for several decades, it is evident that the real estate business is ever-changing, especially when it comes to technology. The rapid pace at which new tools and platforms are introduced makes it challenging for an independent brokerage to keep up,” said Kramer. “John and I knew that Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s impressive technology suite, industry-leading learning programs and sophisticated marketing platforms were exactly what we needed to succeed in our market. As brokers, we are excited to be able to share these powerful assets with our agents to help them grow their business and increase market share.”
“When we were looking to partner with a real estate brand, we were immediately drawn to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s incredibly well-respected reputation and significant brand awareness,” Crittenden said.” We knew it would help us stand out in our market and take our company to the next level. Being aligned with a leading lifestyle brand will help us deepen our connections with clients during and after the transaction.”
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp., a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. The Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network includes nearly 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 lost its foothold in Westchester and the region in late September 2020 when franchisee Rand Realty affiliated with Howard Hanna Real Estate.
“Homebuying momentum is building after nearly two years of suppressed home sales,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.
Most of the counties in the HGAR market area are considered “high-cost areas” by the FHFA.
NAR officials noted yesterday that the court heard from all parties as well as objectors and the Department of Justice. Once arguments concluded, the court quickly ruled to grant final approval.
Outdoor space was especially important to movers to the Midwest, while movers to the Northeast were particularly driven by the need for more square footage and a better work commute.
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