Keller Williams Announces Record Growth, Expansion into Mexico
AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) September 15, 2014 -- During its annual gathering of top-producing real estate agents from around the world, Keller Williams reported record agent count, productivity and profitability gains. Over the past year, the company extended its lead as the largest real estate franchise by agent count in North America, growing at approximately four times the rate of membership in the National Association of REALTORS®. Since January 2014, Keller Williams has added 12,000 net associates, bringing its overall associate count above 107,000.
“Our associates’ drive, passion and energy are what set Keller Williams apart,” CEO Mark Willis said. “We’re going to keep pushing. We’re going to keep driving. And we’re going to stay on the leading edge both as a company and in each of our local markets.”
Vice President of Growth John Davis announced that the company’s associates had extended their historic gains in agent count, transactions and sales volume. In the past year:
- Transactions increased 10 percent
- Closed volume increased 15 percent
- Commissions earned increased 16 percent
The productivity gains are driving profitability for franchise owners as well as Profit Share distributions to associates. Owner profit has increased 17 percent, with 96 percent of market centers profitable for the year. The company’s Profit Share program, which rewards stakeholders who help the company grow, has now surpassed half a billion dollars in distributions since the program’s inception.
“All of this growth, all of this success starts at the local level,” Davis said. “It’s what you’re doing in your market, sharing the Keller Williams story and ensuring that every associate is using Keller Williams training and tools to grow their business.”
During an update on the company’s global expansion, Keller Williams Worldwide President Chris Heller announced plans to open Keller Williams offices in Mexico. He also welcomed guests from more than two dozen countries and reported on the growth of Keller Williams regions like KW Turkey, which has opened 7 offices since launching this year, and KW Southern Africa, which has opened 22 offices in its first two years of operations.
“It’s a big world and we have big expansion plans,” Heller said. “We’re expanding into new markets and becoming the leading force in international real estate. Our systems and models are helping our regions grow. We’re in business with leaders who are committed to building their teams through training. But the main area that sets Keller Williams apart is our culture.”
Keller Williams President Mary Tennant shared that the company’s charitable foundation, KW Cares, had in the past year awarded more than $2.8 million in grants to Keller Williams associates and family members struggling through unexpected hardships – from health issues to natural disasters.
“At the heart of everything we do is giving back – to our communities, to our families and to ourselves,” Tennant said. “We are blessed to be in business with leaders who exemplify our culture of giving.”
Willis implored attendees to think big, aim high and act bold: “That’s the way of thinking that led us to create an education-based, technology-driven, consumer-focused company – an organization that has disrupted the real estate industry and become the real estate company of choice.”
“Real estate is a local business and what you do in your market fuels all our success,” Davis said. “Let’s finish the year strong and build momentum for the best year the real estate industry has ever seen.”
About Keller Williams Realty, Inc.:
Keller Williams Realty, Inc. is the largest real estate franchise company in North America, with 700 offices and 107,000 associates in more than a dozen countries around the world. In early 2014, Keller Williams was named the No. 1 training organization in real estate and No. 2 training organization across all industries in the world by Training magazine. The company has grown exponentially since the opening of the first Keller Williams Realty office in 1983, and continues to cultivate an agent-centric, education-based, technology-driven culture that rewards associates as stakeholders. The company also provides specialized agents in luxury homes and commercial real estate properties. For more information or to search for homes for sale visit Keller Williams Realty online at (http://www.kw.com). For more information about KWWorldwide, please visit kwworldwide.com.
Jaimie Moerbe, Keller Williams Realty, http://www.kw.com, +1 (512) 689-0949, [email protected]
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