South Florida’s real estate market is one of the hardest hit regions in
the country, but bad times for brokerages also mean opportunities for
consolidation as smaller, weakened players falter and seek
deep-pocketed backing. Keller Williams Pembroke Pines has added dozens of agents this year,
including the just-completed acquisition of Lyon Company Realtors. In
total, the Pembroke Pines office has 162 agents and saw $31,000 in May
profits — its most profitable month ever — despite the local market
challenges. “We’re in talks with a few groups right now about mergers,” said
Natascha Tello, broker and operating principal at the Pembroke Pines
office. “It’s always about finding a win-win. With Mark Lyon, his core
group was a match. Our two companies’ cultures are basically identical,
placing God, family, and business at the forefront of our lives.” [more]