Real Living News

Real Living Named Most Promising New National Brand

Real Living Inc., one of the nation’s fastest-growing residential real estate firms, was recently named “The Most Promising New National Brand” by the Swanepoel TRENDS Report 2008.

In addition, CEO & Managing Partner Harley E. Rouda Jr. and President Kaira Sturdivant Rouda were ranked No. 6 on the Swanepoel TRENDS Report 2008 Newsmakers of the Year list. Newsmakers are defined as those people that during the previous calendar year made headlines as individuals, as a result of their actions and leadership of the companies or associations they are involved with.

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive such prestigious recognition,” said Tom Stravecky, broker/owner of Real Living Infinity International, part of the Real Living network. “We are continuing to grow despite a down market. To me, that says our technology, our marketing and our culture are two steps ahead of our competitors’ offerings. Owners are looking for new options, and Real Living is here to deliver. ”

The Swanepoel Report also cited Sturdivant Rouda’s new book, Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, highlighting the ever increasing buying power of women. Finally, Sturdivant Rouda and Real Living Chief Operating Officer Sarah Shoemaker were listed among influential women who have taken on leadership roles in real estate.

The Real Living brand was created in 2002–the first national brand to target female consumers who make 91 percent of all home-purchasing decisions. Since then, Real Living has become a national player in real estate franchising, with more than 160 offices and 4,000 agents nationwide. Real Living launched a new Web site in 2005, and according to a comScore Media Metrix Internet Traffic Report, Web visitors spend 35.6 minutes per day on RealLiving.com compared to an average of 13 minutes on other real estate Web sites.

REALTOR ® Magazine named Harley Rouda, Jr. one of Real Estate’s Top 25 Most Influential Thought Leaders, and Inman News named him one of the Most Influential People in Real Estate.

The company hit two prestigious lists. It was named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Led Companies, and Franchise Times’ listed it as an Up and Comers, a group of 100 franchise companies on the verge.

Eighty percent of consumers begin their home search online, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. At RealLivingInfinityInternational.com, consumers can find virtually all the latest homes on the market, complete with multiple photos, detailed property information, agent information and much more. Sellers have the ability to market their home in “real time.”
March 2008

Real Living Named “Up and Comer” by Franchise Times

Real Living Inc., one of the nation’s fastest-growing residential real estate firms, was named to Franchise Times’ annual Up and Comers list, a group of 100 up-and-coming franchise companies. Real Living, one of 24 franchisors new to the list, ranked No. 225 on Franchise Times’ list of the nation’s 300 largest franchise systems based on worldwide sales and unit counts for 2006. Real Living was the only real estate franchise system ranked on the Up and Comers list, and one of just six real estate franchisors among the top 300.

“We’re honored to be recognized by Franchise Times for the tremendous growth and success of our national franchise network,” said Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, president of Real Living. “All of our franchise partners have been instrumental in our growth and success because they share our commitment of growing and connecting with a new generation of homebuyers and sellers.”

The Up and Comers combined to generate $11.1 billion in sales across 31,700 company and franchised units around the world in 2006. Restaurants accounted for 28 percent of sales, followed by retail (14 percent), home services (10 percent) and automotive services (9 percent).

Real Living’s franchise network has grown 300 percent since 2005. In recognition of its success, Real Living was named one of the Top 50 Fastest-growing, Women-led Companies by Entrepreneur
magazine and was recognized by Inman News as real estate’s Most Innovative Franchise. In addition, RealLivingFranchise.com was launched in June 2007 in response to the accelerated growth of Real Living’s franchise network.

Franchise Times Corporation is based in Minneapolis, Minn., and operates Franchise Times magazine, a news and information source for the franchising community. For more information, visit FranchiseTimes.com.
December 2007

Real Living Launches Green Program

Real Living today announced a new green initiative that is designed to help homebuyers and sellers identify and adopt environmental measures that save energy, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, minimize waste and use environmentally-friendly products. The Real Living Green initiative responds to Real Living’s commitment to improving
local communities where it does business and to customer interest in conservation, climate change
and environmental protection.

Real Living Green delivers in three ways: through its own offices, agent education and certification, and consumer education.

“The recent revelations about global warming, rising energy costs and healthy living dictate that Real Living develop a green program for eco-conscious customers and its own operations,” said
Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, president of Real Living. “We are committed to Real Living Green and believe it will lead to a sea change in residential real estate sales and services as more people seek to purchase green homes and take steps to make their current homes more environmentally friendly.”

Real Living offers green educational information through the tools and references on RealLiving.com and the MyRealLiving portal. Consumers can find checklists for buyers, sellers and renovators interested in conserving energy, reducing carbon emissions and installing green features in their homes. They can also find information on recycling and going green on a budget along with helpful links to other green resources. Through online carbon calculators, consumers can understand that simple changes like replacing one 75 watt incandescent light bulb with a 19 watt compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) can cut 75 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year while saving money on energy bills.

“The real estate industry is local. Our agents and franchise broker-owners always have participated in innumerable activities to improve their neighborhoods – tackling issues such as homelessness, hunger and more. Real Living Green is a natural extension of caring about our communities,” said Rouda.

Real Living offices will implement recycling and conservation programs and work to reduce waste
products, especially paper. More reliance will be placed on e-communications. Agents and staff are encouraged to stop using screen savers (which use energy), refill their water bottles instead of grabbing new ones, turn off their computers at days end, recycle waste products, drink from Real
Living ceramic mugs rather than Styrofoam cups and stop printing e-mails.

Real Living will soon begin offering green certification training for its agents and brokers through Real U, its comprehensive professional development program. The certification will provide specialized training and resources in the newest environmental designs and home products.

“We intend to be the No. 1 green real estate company in America,” said Rouda. “Over time, Real
Living Green will symbolize not just sustainable homes that are planet friendly but also help entire communities with whatever their particular environmental issue may be – cleaner water or air, better after school programs for kids or just awareness campaigns.”

The Real Living Green icon will be prominently displayed on all consumer materials and internally for communication throughout its network. With Real Living’s first-to-market, award-winning
intranet, the promotion of green initiatives can be accomplished via earth-friendly communication
tools.

“We are excited about the number of ways consumers and our agents can work together in the
communities we care about to improve the earth we share,” Rouda said.
October 2007

Real Living CEO Named One of Real Estate’s Most Influential

Harley Rouda Jr., chief executive officer and managing partner at Real Living Inc., one of the nation’s fastest-growing residential real estate firms, was recently named one of the 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders by Inman News for the third consecutive year.

The annual ranking compiled by Inman News, a leading real estate news service, recognizes the industry’s highest-profile individuals from six categories including: brokerage; technology and online real estate; trade associations and government agencies; media, economics and academics; and mortgage and ancillary services. Rouda was selected for the brokerage category for embracing leadership, innovation, ingenuity,
power and persistence.

In 2002, Rouda spearheaded the creation of Real Living, an agent-centric, consumer-focused company that would grow to lead the residential real estate industry in marketing technology, training services and support. The company has created a successful business model and is now in 20 states with more than 160 offices.

Rouda earned the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in June 2002, in recognition of his industry leadership, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Earlier this year, he and Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, president of Real Living, received the Corporate Value Award for their ability to continue to create the greatest corporate value for their company through economic, financial, job, organic and acquisition growth.
October 2007