Midwest real estate icon Harley Rouda, Sr., who founded and ran HER Realtors, one of Ohio’s largest real estate agencies and now part of the Real Living franchise network, died last week at age 83.

Rouda was also important on the national real estate scene. In 1991, he served as chairman of the National Association of Realtors. He also served terms as president of both the Ohio Association of Realtors and the Columbus Board of Realtors.

Midwest real estate icon Harley E. Rouda Sr., who founded HER Realtors and built it into one of Ohio’s largest real estate brokerages, died Thursday at his home in central Ohio. He was 83.

After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Rouda started HER Realtors in 1956 in the basement of his Upper Arlington home. By 1964, it was the biggest brokerage in the region, according to a statement issued by the company.

Today, HER Realtors is affiliated with the Real Living franchise network, which is led by Rouda’s son, Harley E. Rouda Jr. HER Real Living has 700 agents who work in 45 offices in central Ohio.

Rouda was also a figure on the national real estate scene. In 1991, he served as chairman of the National Association of Realtors. He also served terms as president of both the Ohio Association of Realtors and the Columbus Board of Realtors. 

Despite his success, Rouda maintained a friendly, down-home bearing. According to his obituary, he was well known for his homemade jam. He was also active in civic life in his hometown of Upper Arlington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marlese Rouda; children Greer (Susan) Rouda, Leslie (Brian) Rouda Smith, Scott I. Rouda, and Harley E. (Kaira) Rouda Jr; grandchildren, Bradley Rouda, Jessi Rouda, Kristin Smith, Austin Smith, Harley E. "Trace" Rouda III, Avery Rouda, Shea Rouda, and Dylan Rouda; brother, Jan Lewis (Janet) Rouda; and many extended family members and friends.

A celebration of Rouda’s life will take from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Bridgewater Conference Center, 10561 Sawmill Parkway, Powell, Ohio.

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×