Related Realty Celebrates First Anniversary with Top-Producing Team

CHICAGO April 1, 2013 – Spring has been a time of celebration for Related Realty, with the residential brokerage firm marking the one-year anniversary of its 2013 launch just as 10 of its agents were named 2013 Top Producers at the Chicago Association of Realtors® Sales Awards in early March.

“We’ve achieved some exciting milestones in our first year, from opening our new Hubbard Street office to growing our team to a roster of 35 agents and, most recently, seeing 10 of those agents noted as C.A.R. Top Producers .” said David Wolf, president of Related Realty. “It’s already been a fantastic start to 2014, and we’re incredibly optimistic about the year ahead for residential real estate as well as our continued expansion.”

Other notable 2013 highlights for the Related Realty team include achieving the city’s lowest average market listing time, at just 22 days versus the overall Chicago average of 97 days*. Additionally, properties listed with Related Realty sold on average for 99.5 percent of their original listing price, compared to the Chicago Association of Realtors® average of 95 percent*.

“These numbers are a direct reflection of the expertise of our agents and their level of insight into the current Chicago market,” said Wolf. “It shows our team is not only pricing listings correctly, but also optimally preparing, positioning and marketing them.”

Wolf added that just as the launch of Related Realty last spring was timed around the growing confidence of homebuyers and sellers as the real estate market recovered, his growth plan for the coming year will build on the market’s continued positive momentum.

“Related Realty ended 2013 by adding key members to our team that strategically align with our growth goals and have us well-prepared to serve our clients efficiently as the market strengthens,” he said. “In 2014, we intend to significantly expand our agent team. That said, I’m focused on quality, not quantity of agents, and I’m growing our firm with market-leading agents who share my excitement about what’s in store for the future of Related Realty. Each member of our team brings a level of dedication and professionalism to the table that will not only result in success for their own business, but for the brokerage as a whole.”

But the firm’s first year wasn’t just about bringing on talented agents. Wolf and his team established a collaborative culture that offers support and coaching to agents, ultimately resulting in a rewarding experience for clients. Agents are compensated for collaborating in an effort to better serve their clients and improve their overall skills.

“We encourage our agents to work together to improve their skills and help grow each other’s business, and I’m personally available as a resource to our team,” said Wolf. “That’s a real point of differentiation for us from larger firms, and something that’s extremely appealing to the business-minded agents we hire. They know we don’t just see them as a number and we put a priority on their professional development.”

Additionally, Related Realty spent its first year making strategic investments in technology, focusing on applications and tools that help agents operate more efficiently so they can direct their time to serving their client. A great deal of time is spent evaluating the real world application of each new tool, and a thorough agent training is conducted following the introduction of each new program. “This is just another example of the great support we give our team,” said Wolf. “And because we’re a newer, smaller firm, we can be more nimble when it comes to evaluating and adopting new technology.” Related Realty’s offices are located at 350 W. Hubbard. For more information, visit www.RelatedRealtyChicago.com or call (312) 832-2300.

*Data pulled from Broker Metrics Reports, based on full-service residential real estate brokerages in Chicago with more than 100 closed transactions in 2013.

About Related Realty
Related Realty is an affiliate of The Related Companies, the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States and an industry leader with over 40 years of experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisitions, management, finance, marketing and sales. As a full-service brokerage firm that is home to Chicago’s market-leading brokers, Related Realty strives to uphold its reputation for excellence, innovation, and sophisticated residential experiences. Our expertise, industry-leading standards and deep knowledge of the Chicago market allow us to deliver the best service throughout all stages of the transactions, assuring the highest level of client satisfaction.

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