Over 350 Windermere Real Estate agents from throughout Southern California gathered last week at the beautiful Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage to learn more about the company history, to receive their annual legal update, and to celebrate their companies’ amazing growth and success.
As one of the most productive real estate teams in Seattle, Bob Bennion and Bob Deville knew that their agent-centric brokerage model could make a big impact in the Coachella Valley real estate market. By allowing agents greater control over their branding and marketing decisions and supplying them with remarkable office, staffing and technological tools and support, Bennion and Deville knew that agents would be able to be more flexible in dealing with market trends and while still providing their clients superior service. In 2001, Bennion & Deville Fine Homes, Inc. opened their first California real estate business as Windermere Real Estate Coachella Valley at 850 N. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. The office was originally the office and showroom for Arthur Elrod, the iconic Palm Springs interior designer. The office still maintains its distinct mid-century style with its impressive 15’ doors and the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling mineral oil waterfall.
Within 5 years, Windermere’s presence in the Coachella Valley had grown to 10 offices and 401 agents, and they launched the first of their three exclusive publications, Windermere Homes & Lifestyles. Bennion & Deville’s real estate empire continued to grow even during the years of the market’s downturn. In 2008, Windermere emerged as the local market share leader in the Coachella Valley with 545 agents working in 17 offices, including 4 on-site offices at distinguished country clubs in Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert.
Outside of the Coachella Valley, Bennion & Deville’s meteoric success attracted much attention from brokers and agents throughout Southern California. Windermere Real Estate’s agent-centric approach, reputation for ethical, professional services, and their expanding media presence were in demand from agents tired of the lack of support and local decision-making that were hampering the ability to growing their business. Bob Bennion and Bob Deville were repeatedly approached about growing their business into the coastal communities of Orange and San Diego County.
In 2011, Bennion & Deville Fine Homes SoCal established Windermere Real Estate SoCal to encompass their new coastal offices, opening 8 offices in Orange and San Diego Counties. Their focus was on South Orange County, including offices in Dana Point, Laguna Beach and Laguna Niguel while their San Diego County efforts focused on the North County communities of Carlsbad, Carmel Valley and Solana Beach and East County offices in Alpine, La Mesa and La Mesa Village. Bennion & Deville Fine Homes also rebranded their Coachella Valley offices as Windermere Real Estate Southern California, which had grown to 25 offices and 811 agents.
Windermere agents attending last week’s all agent meeting were lauded and praised for their essential role in the companies’ stunning mid-year figures. For 2013, Windermere Real Estate Southern California/SoCal agents’ sales volume totals just under $2 billion, excluding rentals and leases, with 35 offices and over 1,000 agents, including 129 referral-only agents.
See more pictures from the 2013 All Agent Meeting here.