Posts Tagged Leading Real Estate Companies of the World


Top Honors Earned by Karen Benvin Ransom

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on April 20th, 2011
Tags: , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, social media, Westchester

Karen Benvin Ransom 300x225 Top Honors Earned by Karen Benvin RansomKaren Benvin Ransom, an associate broker with Houlihan Lawrence, has been named the top Propopoly blogger by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Karen was recognized for being the top blogger for her significant contributions to the blog and online community over the last year, consistently blogging and developing creative and engaging content. She utilizes Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Propopoly program, which allows members to connect with consumers via niche blogs, focused on specific regions, neighborhoods, communities, or home types. The program also works with 23 member companies worldwide, with over 350 contributors.

I was honored to present Karen with the award at a recent sales meeting in our Katonah brokerage, along with Roselyn Harburger, Katonah brokerage manager.

“Over the years I have learned that people really feel a connection with their community through its history and diverse cultural tapestry, which only adds to the value of a house,” says Benvin Ransom. “This connection is what makes a house a home and people in today’s market are not just looking for four walls and a roof, they want lifestyle, community, and history with it. This is a driving force behind all of my blogging efforts and I have received great feedback and support from the community.”

Congratulations to Karen for this outstanding recognition!

Houlihan Lawrence’s blogs include: GuideMeHome2Westchester.com and GuideMeHome2HudsonValleyNY.com.

Houlihan Lawrence Receives Global Recognition

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on April 5th, 2011
Tags: , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation

Though I returned from our annual Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Conference over three weeks ago, the excitement has yet to wear off. Over 800 real estate brokers from around the world were in attendance at the brand new Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas for nearly a week of outstanding educational sessions and fun networking opportunities. The event culminated with an awards dinner and I’m proud to say Houlihan Lawrence was recognized for numerous achievements.

Here are the highlights:

Our COO, Chris Meyers, was appointed to LeadingRE’s Board of Directors, joining an illustrious group of market leaders who oversee LeadingRE, Luxury Portfolio, and the many programs and services that help independent brokers like Houlihan Lawrence, deliver truly global marketing solutions to their clients.

Karen Benvin Ransom, of our Katonah Brokerage, won the Top Blogger Award for her significant contributions to our agent blogs which include: GuideMeHome2Westchester and GuideMeHome2HudsonValleyNY.

LeadingREAward 150x150 Houlihan Lawrence Receives Global RecognitionIn the luxury market, Houlihan Lawrence was awarded the Most Outgoing Closings Award for the Million Dollar Club, which is presented to the one member with the most outgoing closed referrals with a sales price of $1 million or greater.

Our website, HoulihanLawrence.com, earned the Website Quality Certification (WQC), presented to LeadingRE companies that have demonstrated excellence in website design, functionality and execution.

And finally, yours truly received the LeadingRE Hall of Fame Award for my contributions to the network throughout the years. It was a delightful surprise!

Not a company to rest on our laurels, we are busy working toward even greater achievements in 2011.

Around the World in a Day

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on March 29th, 2011
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Buying, Dutchess, Putnam, Relocation, Selling, Westchester

LeadingRE Vertical BW Around the World in a DayWherever our clients have real estate needs, Houlihan Lawrence can help. Our affiliations with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Christie’s International Real Estate, Luxury Portfolio International and Mayfair International offer us experienced and capable partners all around the World.

Just today we’ve:

  • helped a client get one step closer to his dream of owning a vacation home in Puerto Rico.
  • received word of a closing on a client’s property in the Bay Area of California.
  • arranged for rental assistance in Singapore for a client’s daughter.

These types of referrals happen every day in real estate and being so connected means that our clients will work with the best agents in any given area. So if you need real estate assistance outside of the Westchester, Putnam or Dutchess County areas of New York and you don’t know who to call, call Houlihan Lawrence. Let us put you in touch with the perfect agent…anywhere in the World.

For assistance, please call or email our Global Referral manager, Julie Prete, at 914-273-2800 or jprete@houlihanlawrence.com.

Houlihan Lawrence Earns Website Quality Certification

0 Comments By Frederick Romley on March 2nd, 2011
Tags: , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News

WQC logo 2010 150 Houlihan Lawrence Earns Website Quality CertificationHoulihan Lawrence is proud to announce our website, Houlihanlawrence.com, has earned the Website Quality Certification (WQC), presented by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® to member companies that have demonstrated excellence in website design, functionality and execution.

Every aspect of our site, Houlihanlawrence.com, was reviewed to ensure exacting standards were met in six key areas, ranging from design and content to human interactivity to search engine optimization. The WQC was introduced in 2009 to recognize and encourage superior websites among Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s 600 member firms. Houlihan Lawrence is one of 111 applicants to earn the 2010 WQC designation.

With over 90% of people using the Internet in their home search, it is essential for any successful real estate firm to have an engaging, informative and easy-to-use website,” notes Pam O’Connor, president/CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. “By earning the Website Quality Certification, Houlihanlawrence.com has demonstrated that it provides vital online resources to home buyers and sellers.”

The Oscars…for Real Estate

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on February 9th, 2011
Tags: , ,      Categories: Dutchess, Houlihan Lawrence News, Putnam, Relocation, Westchester

This is the time of year when everyone is buzzing about awards…did their favorite movies get nominated and who will win the Oscar?

clip image001 The Oscars...for Real EstateWell, the awards that we’re buzzing about are the Annual Awards presented by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Leading RE is a global network of 600 premier real estate firms with 5,000 offices and 150,000 sales associates in more than 30 countries around the world. I’m proud to say that Houlihan Lawrence has been nominated for the following Awards:

  • 2010 Award of Excellence – Sales Production
  • 2010 Award of Excellence – Referral Production
  • 2010 Performance Awards – Peak Producers Pinnacle Award (Recognizes the top member sending the highest quantity of outgoing revenue-generating closings)
  • 2010 Million Dollar Award (Presented to the member with the most outgoing closed referrals with a sales price of $1 million or greater)

Congratulations to our Global Business Development Team and all of our Houlihan Lawrence agents for another outstanding year within the Network! The awards will be presented in March at the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Annual Conference.

Talking Technology at the LeadingRE Regional Workshop

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on October 4th, 2010
Tags: , , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation, social media

I recently had the privilege of being a speaker at the recent Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Fall Workshop in Providence, RI. The meeting attracted brokers, managers and relocation professionals from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a global network of 600 premier real estate firms.

In the session titled, “What You Need to Know About Technology for Sales Associates”, I shared insights on social media to help educate fellow LeadingRE members. Technology is changing the way we do business. It’s important for brokerages and agents to stay on top of what’s available to them to help increase their business and provide the kind of service today’s consumer expects and deserves.

The session was part of the larger meeting program, which addressed a variety of real estate topics on ways to best meet the needs of home buyers and sellers in today’s challending market.

IMG00740 20100914 1344 300x225 Talking Technology at the LeadingRE Regional Workshop

The opening session with LeadingRE

“Although the core principles relating to effective real estate services have not changed, other factors – such as market conditions, technology and communication preferences – are continuously evolving,” Pam O’Connor, president/CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® said.  “Our Fall Workshop series gives members the opportunity to share with other top real estate professionals the best strategies to create exceptional customer experiences and remain market leaders.”

The agenda also featured a preview of new LeadingRE programs that further support the professional development of member firms:  the network’s online learning platform, Institute 2.0, and “OUR WORLD”– an industry-first program that leverages social media for business results.

Houlihan Lawrence is the local representative of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, the largest network of 600 premier locally-branded firms producing $250 billion in annual home sales.  LeadingRE provides a broad range of brokerage services to its affiliates, including lead generation, branding support, luxury marketing, web exposure and technology systems, and state of the art learning and credentialing. We’re honored to be a part of such a distinguished organization.

Spending Time with the Best in Relocation

1 Comment By Elizabeth Nunan on May 25th, 2010
Tags: , , , , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation

I just returned from attending the Spring RDC (Relocation Directors Council) meeting where 110 relocation directors from around the Country met at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort for two days. RDC is an exclusive organization whose members are selected for experience, industry involvement, and a commitment to client satisfaction with the highest degree of professionalism.

The theme of the meeting was the three NEW R’s: Re-bound, Re-build, Re-position. How apropos! The relocation industry endured the same crushing blows as the real estate industry over the last 2 years. Now it’s time to re-bound, re-build and re-position. As an aside, we at Houlihan Lawrence have seen a definite increase in our relocation business. Companies are feeling more confident in the economy and are once again investing in employee mobility.

The meeting consisted of two great panel discussions. The first was titled “New Relocation Business Models” and included highly regarded speakers from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, SIRVA Relocation, and Home Depot. It was a lively discussion that covered everything from testing new appraisal policies to the very controversial move of some companies to refer directly to a sales associate rather than go through a relocation division. That last point caused quite a stir in the room.

DSC01305 300x193 Spending Time with the Best in Relocation

L to R: John D'Ambrogio - Baird & Warner, Pam O'Connor - Leading RE, Tracey Gatlin - SIRVA, Jan Ferguson LeQuier - Home Depot

The second panel was titled “REO’s and Their Effect on the Market”. There was a lot of great information shared about the effects of REO’s on relocation sales as well as in-depth talk about short sales in the relocation process. Sounds like a yawner, but we’re seeing this in many markets around the Country.

Our group was also treated to a quick hello from Peggy Smith, formerly of Microsoft and now CEO of Worldwide ERC®, as well as a presentation by Chris Collie, former CEO of Worldwide ERC®. It is a real treat to know how highly regarded RDC is by the team at WERC. They’ve supported our organization for years and promised to continue.

Even with all the great speakers and information shared, I still find the networking to be most beneficial. An RDC meeting allows me to be face to face with my counterparts from around the Country that share information, and most importantly referrals, throughout the year. I love the opportunity to meet in person and say thank you to all the relocation directors that entrust us with their valuable client referrals, and thank them for handling our client referrals with such care and attention to detail. Members of RDC are simply the best of the best and I’m honored to be a member for over 10 years.

Sharing the Secrets to Success

1 Comment By Elizabeth Nunan on March 18th, 2010
Tags: , , , , , ,      Categories: Dutchess, Events, Houlihan Lawrence News, Putnam, Relocation, Westchester

Leading the Revolution

Fresh from attending the annual Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Conference in Las Vegas, I feel a renewed sense of excitement and purpose. This was by far the most content rich conference I’ve attended in several years. I went out early to attend the pre-conference MarTech symposium. The sessions were chock full of great information on social media, the latest technologies and real life examples of innovative real estate brokerages like Long Realty of Tucson, AZ. Next up was the main conference ‘Leading the Revolution’. Three impressive speakers kicked off the event: David Stevens, FHA Commissioner, Ron Peltier, Chairman and CEO of Home Services of America, and Guy Kawasaki, a venture capitalist formerly of Apple computer fame. One word sums it up – WOW! The conference continued with outside speakers and members sharing their secrets to success. I participated in a panel  on agent blogging along with Peter Rabitz of Wetag Consulting in Locarno, Switzerland and Sherrie Porter of EWM Realtors in Southern Florida.

Awards Ceremony Winners

The conference ended with two upbeat awards ceremonies. Houlihan Lawrence received the Million Dollar Club Award, having the most closed outgoing referrals with a sales price of $1 million and higher in the entire global network.  We also were rewarded for the Top Propopoly agent blog site. Several of our agent bloggers had success stories from their blogging efforts on Westchester real estate topics in 2009. That’s what clinched the award for us.

Conference2010 639 300x198 Sharing the Secrets to Success

Liz Nunan, Pam O'Connor, Chris Meyers

Finally, we had a special treat of seeing the Beatles LOVE Show by Cirque du Soliel. Since 2009 was such a challenging year for the real estate industry, it was motivating to see that innovation and entrepreneurship did not wane. All in all it was a fabulous week of top-notch educational sessions, networking with great real estate industry friends, and lots of fun. I can’t wait to implement the many new things I learned!