Inman

Discount real estate company grows in Florida

Home Discovery Real Estate Services Corp., a discount real estate company, is expanding into several Central Florida and Southwest Florida markets, including Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia, Brevard, Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, the company announced.

Home Discovery now serves 80 percent of the residents of Florida with existing markets in the Tampa Bay and the Southeast Florida markets.

Home Discovery, which has operated for about four years in Florida, is a full-service real estate company that offers a number of related services, including title, lending, insurance and home services.

The company seeks to draw buyers direct to its sellers’ for-sale properties, helping sellers save on real estate commissions. Sellers and buyers receive support from licensed agents throughout the entire process. Unlike agents at traditional real estate companies, Home Discovery agents receive a salary along with a benefit package.

Home Discovery was founded in the Tampa Bay market.

“Home Discovery’s low commission model is revolutionizing the real estate industry and giving clients a better product along with better service at a lower cost,” said company CEO and president Steve Johnston in a statement.

“Our tremendous success has led to a very stable, yet fast paced growth to major markets in Florida. We are very excited about our expansion and our ability to offer an alternative to traditional high commission models in these new areas.”

Home Discovery was awarded the 2005 Governor’s Entrepreneur Award for the State of Florida by Gov. Jeb Bush, according to the announcement.

The company has sold over 3,500 homes since 2004 and saved their clients an estimated $20 million over traditional commission rates.

Home Discovery has real estate agents in 21 Florida counties and over 250 salaried employees working in five different divisions.

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