Inman

California brokerage latest to become ‘ERA Powered’

CORRECTION: This article has been updated with a correction. While brokerages that join as an "ERA Powered" firm can maintain local branding, they also carry the ERA logo in yard signs and other marketing materials.

Fremont, Calif. -based brokerage Legacy Real Estate & Associates has become the latest brokerage to affiliate with ERA Real Estate under its "ERA Powered" mark, which permits brokerages to become ERA franchises, but keep their local branding.

In February, three brokerages under New Orleans-based Latter & Blum Cos. were the first to implement ERA Real Estate’s new "ERA Powered" business model, which allows brokerages to adopt the Realogy Corp. franchise’s lead management platform, training and referral network without fully rebranding as ERA franchises.

This means that although brokerages retain their local branding, as members of the ERA franchisee system they take on the ERA logo in their yard signs and other materials, the company said.

Legacy Real Estate & Associates has two offices and about 200 sales professionals in Fremont and Livermore. It closed nearly $525 million in sales volume in 2010. The firm plans to open a third office in nearby Pleasanton by year’s end.

"Our firm has earned its position in the market thanks to a singular focus on the uniquely local aspects of the communities we serve," said Bill Aboumrad, president of Legacy Real Estate & Associates, in an announcement last week.

"Moving forward as an ERA affiliate operating under the ERA Powered mark, we not only maintain our local focus and identity, we can drive growth and expansion for our firm by tapping ERA Real Estate’s innovative tools, expanded marketing platforms and collaborative network."

The ERA network includes approximately 30,000 brokers and sales associates and approximately 2,500 independently owned and operated offices throughout the United States and 37 countries and territories.