Windermere Real Estate

Last updated
Windermere Real Estate Services
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryReal Estate
Founded1972
FounderJohn Jacobi
HeadquartersSeattle
Number of locations
300
Key people
  • Geoff Wood (Chief executive officer and Co-President)
  • Jill Jacobi Wood(Co-president)
  • OB Jacobi (Co-president)
  • Brooks Burton (Chief Operating Officer)
Services
  • Residential real estate services and investment]
Number of employees
7000
Website windermere.com

Windermere Real Estate is a real estate company founded in 1972 and based in Seattle, Washington. [1] It is a privately held company and is the largest regional real estate company in the Western U.S., with over 300 offices and 6,500 agents. [2]

Contents

History

Windermere Real Estate was founded by John W. Jacobi in 1972, when he purchased an eight-agent office in Seattle, Washington. [1] It grew outside Seattle in 1984 with an office on Bainbridge Island. [3] As of 2019, Windermere had offices in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Utah, Alaska, Mexico, [4] and Colorado. [5] All Windermere offices are locally owned and operated.

In 1989, the company created the Windermere Foundation to support low-income and homeless children and families throughout its footprint. A portion of every commission on a real estate transaction is donated directly to the Foundation in addition to other fundraisers held at office, regional, or company-wide events, including an annual Community Service Day. [2]

In 2010, Windermere created Windermere Solutions, a web platform for agents. [6] Windermere Solutions rebranded as MoxiWorks in 2014 and began operating independently of Windermere Real Estate. [7] In 2015, Windermere partnered with Porch.com to integrate their data with MoxiWorks. [8]

On March 12, 2013, Windermere announced that it would add drive times to and from work as an attribute of new home buying. [9] According to INRIX, Windermere is the first real estate company to offer this feature. [10] On August 9, 2013 Windermere added Search by Drive Time as a new home buyer feature to its website. [11]

In 2016, Windermere Real Estate entered a three-year agreement to be the "Official Real Estate Company of the Seattle Seahawks". [12] In November 2016, Windermere launched the "W" Collection, a luxury residential real estate brand for houses priced over $3 million. [13] The "W" Collection was an extension of the company's Premier Properties program. [13]

In 2006, D'Ambrosio & Associates Realtors joined Windermere as a subsidiary. [14] In 2018, Windermere Real Estate acquired a 50 percent stake in West Coast Commercial Realty, a Seattle-based commercial real estate firm. [15]

Geoff P. Wood, the son-in-law of founder John Jacobi, became president of the Windermere Real Estate Company in 1999. [1] He was promoted to CEO in 2003 and became co-president in 2007. [16] Jill Jacobi Wood, daughter of John Jacobi, was appointed President of Windermere Real Estate Company in 2003. [17] In 2009, OB Jacobi, John Jacobi's son, was appointed co-president. [1] As of 2007, John Jacobi served as chairman of the board for Windermere Real Estate Company after ceasing participation in day-to-day operations. [16]

In 2017, Windermere appointed its first COO, Brooks Burton. [18]

Philanthropy and awards

In 1987, Windermere Real Estate sponsored the first Windermere Cup, a crew race in the Montlake Cut of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which became an annual event. In 2002 the company began sponsoring the Cascade Cup. [19]

In 1989, the company established The Windermere Foundation to support low-income and homeless families. The foundation won the Corporate Philanthropy Award in 2018 from the Portland Business Journal. [20]

In 2003, Windermere launched a program called Home For The Holidays, which pays one year's rent for seven families in the Puget Sound Region. [21]

In 1999, Windermere Real Estate received the Washington Family Business of the Year Award (Large Business) from the Pacific Lutheran University Family Enterprise Institute. [22]

In 2008, Windermere Real Estate was named the "Top Private Company" by Washington CEO magazine. [1] In 2013, Windermere was awarded the Succession Award from Seattle Business Magazine. [23] In 2015, Inman nominated Windermere for their Most Innovative Real Estate Company award. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Association of Realtors</span> American trade association for real estate brokers

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is an American trade association for those who work in the real estate industry. As of December 2023, it had over 1.5 million members, making it the largest trade association in the United States including NAR's institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The organization holds a U.S. trademark over the term "Realtor". NAR also functions as a self-regulatory organization for real estate brokerage. The organization is headquartered in Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redfin</span> Real estate brokerage

Redfin Corporation, based in Seattle, provides residential real estate brokerage and mortgage origination services. The company operates in more than 100 markets in the United States and Canada. The company has a 0.80% market share in the United States by number of units sold and has approximately 2,000 lead agents.

Move, Inc. is a real estate listing company based in Santa Clara, California. The company operates the Move Network of real estate websites, the largest of which is Realtor.com. Move has a longstanding partnership with the National Association of Realtors, the real estate industry's largest trade association, for operating Realtor.com.

Crown American is a privately held American company that manages and develops commercial real estate. The corporate headquarters is in downtown Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in a building designed by architect Michael Graves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The St. James</span> Luxury residential skyscraper

The St. James is a luxury residential skyscraper in Washington Square West, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The 498 feet (152 m), 45-story high-rise stands along Walnut Street and Washington Square and is the 15th tallest building in Philadelphia.

Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. provides a multiple listing service in the United States. As of mid-July 2010, it served 51,171 real estate professionals in Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area including Maryland, Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

HomeServices of America is the United States' largest residential real estate services company, based on closed transactions. The company provides real estate brokerage services, mortgage loan origination, franchising, title insurance/escrow and closing services, home warranties, property insurance, casualty insurance, and relocation services.

Dorothy D'Ambrosio, also known as Dottie Herman, serves as Vice Chair of Real Estate brokerage firm Douglas Elliman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keller Williams Realty</span> American real estate franchise headquartered in Austin Texas

Keller Williams Realty is an American technology and international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas. It is the largest real estate franchise in the United States by sales volume as of 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark W. Willis</span>

Mark Willis is an American business executive and stock holder at Keller Williams Realty, an international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas. Willis was President of Keller Williams Realty prior to 2005 when he took over the position as chief executive officer (CEO). In 2015, Chris Heller succeeded Mark Willis as CEO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edina Realty</span> Largest real estate company in Minnesota

Edina Realty Home Services, based in Edina, Minnesota, is a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and a wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc. Edina Realty is the largest real estate company in Minnesota by sales volume and transaction sides. In 2022, the company conducted over 22,000 real estate transactions and $8.6 billion in sales volume.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Realtor.com</span> Real estate website

Realtor.com is a real estate listings website operated by the News Corp subsidiary Move, Inc. and based in Santa Clara, California. It is the second most visited real estate listings website in the United States as of 2021, with over 100 million monthly active users.

RealtyTrac is a real estate information company and an online marketplace for foreclosed and defaulted properties in the United States. It was founded in 1993 and is based in Santa Barbara, California. It publishes a monthly U.S. Foreclosure Market Report.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherry Chris</span> American businessman

Sherry Chris is president and CEO of Expansion Brands Portfolio at Realogy Holdings Corporation, which includes Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, and ERA, divisions of Realogy Corporation.

Ben Kinney is an entrepreneur, professional speaker, author, real estate agent, brokerage owner, and co-founder of PLACE, Inc. that started in Bellingham, Washington and now operates across the USA, Canada, and the U.K.

Vacasa is an international vacation rental management company based in Portland, Oregon. It provides property management services for over 35,000 vacation rentals in North America, Belize, and Costa Rica. Vacasa manages properties in 34 U.S. states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compass, Inc.</span> American residential real estate broker

Compass, Inc. operates a residential real estate brokerage in the United States. It has approximately 29,000 agents, who are generally independent contractors, on its platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windermere Cup</span> Series of annual rowing races

The Windermere Cup is a series of annual rowing races hosted by the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. The event is open to international teams and takes place on the first Saturday in May, in the Lake Washington Ship Canal around Portage Bay, the Montlake Cut, and Lake Washington. It is sponsored by Windermere Real Estate.

Creig Northrop is an American real estate agent and broker. He is the founder and CEO of Northop Realty, a real estate brokerage.

WhyHotel is an alternative hospitality service provider that creates pop-up hotels. The company uses yet-to-be-leased units in new apartment buildings as fully furnished hotel suites. As such, the company does not own any real estate listings.hyyykamal

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "It's a family affair at 40-year-old Windermere". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  2. 1 2 "Windermere Real Estate Celebrates 50TH Anniversary" . Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  3. ""Kushner sells office, will retire the business will be owned by islander Jim Laws." | Bainbridge Island Review". Bainbridge Island Review. 2001-06-27. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  4. "Windermere expands in Southern California, hires new exec". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  5. "Browns to open Windermere Real Estate office in Windsor – BizWest". BizWest. 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  6. "New broker platform merges CRM, intranet, email marketing". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  7. "Windermere Solutions rebrands to Moxi Works, launches new real estate software". GeekWire. 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  8. CNBC (2015-02-17). "Porch.com and Windermere Real Estate Come Together to Simplify Home Buying". CNBC. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  9. Wingfield, Nick (March 12, 2013), "Predicting Commutes More Accurately for Would-Be Home Buyers", The New York Times
  10. Windermere Real Estate and INRIX Partner to Help Home Buyers Find Properties with the Actual Drive Times (press release), INRIX, March 13, 2013
  11. Hanley Frank, Blair (August 9, 2013), "Windermere partners with Inrix to provide drive-time recommendations for homebuyers", GeekWire
  12. "Exclusive: Windermere, Seahawks to tackle homelessness as part of sponsorship deal". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  13. 1 2 "Windermere's ultra luxury W Collection brand and website officially launches". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  14. "D'Ambrosio joins with Windermere". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  15. "Windermere acquires 50% of West Coast Commercial Realty". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  16. 1 2 "Windermere founder passes the torch to next generation". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  17. "Windermere Real Estate | History of Windermere" . Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  18. "Windermere Real Estate Appoints Its First COO: Brooks Burton". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  19. "The eight most memorable Windermere Cup rowing races in Huskies history". The Seattle Times. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  20. "Corporate Philanthropy Award winner (Large Category): Windermere Realty Trust". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  21. "Windermere Real Estate" . Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  22. "Pacific Lutheran University Family Enterprise Institute". community.plu.edu. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  23. "It's All Relative: Family Business Awards | Seattle Business Magazine". www.seattlebusinessmag.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  24. "Inman announces 2015 Innovator Award candidates". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.