AUSTIN, TEXAS Nov. 19, 2018 — Keller Williams, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, is rapidly expanding in Europe, awarding a new master franchise in Ireland. The franchise has more than 3,700 real estate agents across Europe, a net gain of more than 1,000 agents in 2018.
Led by Regional Operating Principal Paul Allen, the Keller Williams franchise in Ireland is currently initializing operations. Allen began a career in real estate as a sales negotiator in 2000. Within four years, he co-founded Castle Estate Agents, now a leading Dublin, Ireland-based real estate services firm.
“Paul Allen and his regional director, Darren Darcy, are a perfect fit for our KW family – agent focused with a proven track record of building a business by agents, for agents,” said William E. Soteroff, president, Keller Williams Worldwide, the international division of Keller Williams. “In a market like Ireland, they are exactly the kind of broker owners we look for. They empower and incentivize their agents and will naturally attract top producers who have been waiting for an agent-led business model to arrive in Ireland.”
With more than 20 agents, Castle Estate Agents will now adopt the Keller Williams models and systems into their day-to-day operations. Allen stated that all agents in their company are excited to become a part of KW Ireland and adapt to the KW agent-centric model.
“Our Keller Williams agents will have training, technology and marketing tools to completely surpass the value proposition of other real estate agencies in Ireland,” he said.
According to Allen, the real estate market in Ireland is strong, and it is underpinned by the implementation of recent mortgage lending practices by the central bank. Tese practices have only increased the stability to the property sector.
“The Irish property market is crying out for market disruption,” said Allen. “The gathering momentum behind real estate technology coupled with the worldwide growth of remote and smart working is changing the face of our real estate profession in Ireland, as well as across the globe,” he said.
Ellen Curtis, chief operating officer, Keller Williams Worldwide, stated, “Paul and his team are passionate about agent growth, and yet they also have a clear vision of the future. They understand how all markets are changing in this highly disruptive time in real estate.” Curtis continued, “These are the kinds of leaders who understand why KW has become a technology company and that it is critical that their agents drive that vision.”
In 2018 alone, KW Labs, Keller Williams’ agent collaboration program for building highly disruptive, agent-centric technology, has already held 16 KW Worldwide-focused labs with over 300 associates and 23 regions participating. Soteroff said, “Nowhere else in the world, outside of KW, are international agents given this kind of voice and leadership over their industry and the tools they will use in the future.”
For Keller Williams Worldwide (KWW) the expansion into Ireland caps off a record-setting year globally marked by the addition of 6 new regions, 31 new market centers and 1,812 net agents.
Across the globe, Keller Williams Worldwide is now home to more than 7,400 international agents operating outside of the United States and Canada.
Outside of the U.S. and Canada, Keller Williams regions now include Argentina; Belgium; Belize; Bermuda; Cambodia; Colombia; Costa Rica; Czech Republic; Dubai, UAE; France; Greater Shanghai, China; Greece; Indonesia; Ireland: Israel; Jamaica; Luxembourg; Mexico; Monaco; Nicaragua; Northern Cyprus; Panama; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Romania; Southern Africa; Southern Cyprus; Spain; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; United Kingdom; and Vietnam.
Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, has more than 980 offices and 190,000 associates. The franchise is also No. 1 in units and sales volume in the United States.
In 2015, Keller Williams began its evolution into a technology company, now building the real estate platform that agents’ buyers and sellers prefer. Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven and education-based culture that rewards agents as stakeholders.
For more information, visit kw.com and kwworldwide.com.
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