Inman

Windermere franchisee converts to Real Living

San Diego-based Windermere Real Estate, Exclusive Properties, is converting to a Real Living franchise, the brokerage announced Tuesday.

The brokerage brings nearly 400 agents and eight offices to the Real Living brand. Windermere Exclusive Properties will change its name to Real Living Lifestyles in April. The brokerage saw a 77 percent jump in sales volume 2008-09 and a 50 percent jump in 2009-10, the company said.

"With our extreme growth the past few years, we have attracted quite a bit of attention and were presented with a number of opportunities to expand even further," said Steve Rodgers, president and owner of Windermere Exclusive Properties, in a statement.

This is Real Living’s second major franchise agreement in Southern California within the past two months. The first was with Los Angeles County-based Dilbeck Real Estate. Together, the two brokerages comprise more than 1,000 agents and an annual sales volume of $2.3 billion. The Real Living network overall has about 10,000 agents and more than 400 offices worldwide.

Real Living is a part of Brookfield Residential Property Services, a global real estate and relocation company.

"We’re (now) locally owned and operated but backed by the formidable resources of Real Living and Brookfield Residential Property Services," Rodgers said.