Realty ONE Group Thrives Despite an Unpredictable Housing Market

After the economic downturn in 2008, the franchise industry saw marked post-recession growth, as many individuals who lost their jobs sought out new career paths that would benefit from the support of an established company. The current trend suggests that after the current COVID-19 crisis resolves, the same pattern might emerge.

Few companies can say their business is thriving in the wake of a global pandemic. However,  Realty ONE Group signed over 23 new franchisees since March, proving that they can be recession-resistant in any housing market.

Founded in 2005, Realty ONE Group is a franchise brand that has 280 offices in the U.S. and Canada. Named as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018, and ranking on Inc. 500’s list of  Fastest-Growing Companies for seven straight years, this company has made strides to transform the face of real estate with their unique business model.

Built on technology, marketing, education and support, Realty ONE Group focuses on each franchisee to ensure their business approach is seamless. The brand uses a special proprietary backend system named zONE that allows the brand to integrate all its technology into a convenient and consumer-friendly interface. Realty ONE Group teaches management courses and classes through their ONE University and uses a unique agency-recruiting program that strategically connects you with a network of professionals that support the profitability of the franchises. 

Prior to the global shutdown, Realty ONE Group created new virtual programs, town halls, and even VIP tours that allowed franchise owners and real estate agents to experience the brand’s culture without leaving their home. As a franchisor, this preparedness laid down the foundation for success despite the stay-at-home orders for the majority of Q2. 

Realty ONE Group’s Executive Vice President of Global Growth Eddie Sturgeon shared his insights with Franchising.com on the brand’s built-to-sell model and what core values Realty ONE Group is implementing to ensure future quarterly numbers continue to rise. 

By opening offices in four new states since the start of this year in North Dakota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Mississippi, Realty ONE Group continues to expand, and the brand expects to reach a benchmark of 350 offices in 2020. In a Q2 recap distributed by the company, the brand announced that more than 500 REALTORS® joined their team, bringing their grand total of real estate professionals nationally to over 13,000. As a result, sales-dollar volume increased by 22.3%, and the company reported a transaction-unit volume increase of 15.6% from 2019. 

“The pandemic created a pause in the market that gave REALTORS® a chance to consider and explore better options that would allow them to grow and make more money,” Sturgeon told Franchising.com. 

Because the housing market is projected to bounce back as many return to work, buyers and sellers are looking for dependable professionals to provide them with guidance needed to make their next move. 

According to Kuba Jewgieniew, CEO and founder of Realty ONE Group, the brand prides itself on a “timeless business model, Coolture and army of raving fans that continue to grow despite a volatile market and soft economy.”