The Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate brand returned to Canada on Oct. 4 with the signing of a long-term master franchising agreement. The new master franchisor, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada, will be led by Rob Vanden Broek and Nelson Goulart, who will be responsible for the franchising, operations and marketing of the brand in Canada.
The brokerage owned by Vanden Broek and Goulart has become the brand’s first Canadian brokerage affiliate. With two offices and 90 agents serving the greater Toronto market, the firm now will do business as Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Signature Service.
The company says it is a full service residential real estate franchisor, providing its franchisees and agents with technology systems, lead generation, marketing tools, training and talent attraction platforms to help them grow and manage their businesses and cultivate long-term client relationships.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate was originally launched in 1978 and did business in the U.S. and Canada for 20 years. It was then sold by parent company Meredith Corporation and most of its franchises in Canada became members of the GMAC real estate network. The new Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate was launched in the U.S. in 2008 by franchising giant Realogy. It has expanded to 23 states, with more than 200 offices and 7,000 sales reps.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada is the first expansion of the brand outside of the United States, a decision that is part of a long-term global growth plan for the brand, the company says.
“Canada was the natural first step for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate as we looked at global expansion,” says Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. “It has a robust housing market with a sophisticated customer base. The Better Homes and Gardens brand will serve as a key differentiator in this thriving market as it does in the U.S. Rob and Nelson are the ideal leaders to grow this iconic brand in Canada.”
Vanden Broek, president of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada, says, “No other real estate company can offer the benefits provided by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, a brand whose namesake has personified a passion for the home since 1924. We are confident that this innovative brand and its branding, technology, training and service resources will be appealing to Canadian brokers and agents, while providing an exceptional experience for homebuyers and sellers.”
Goulart, vice-president of network services for the Canadian master franchisor, says, “We believe real estate is not just about the transaction, it’s about building long-term relationships. Today’s informed consumer is empowered with more information than ever before. They are not just looking for a home; they are also looking for a community to complement their lifestyle. Agents and brokers need to deliver a more personalized, sophisticated level of service to deliver on that expectation. Our goal at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada is to provide our network with all of the tools necessary to exceed those expectations. In doing so, we are also empowering our brokers and agents to differentiate themselves from their competition and to be their most successful.”
