In recent weeks, new lawn signs advertising houses for sale have been popping up in Two River area neighborhoods. The name is a long one: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors. It’s the latest evolution of the Gloria Nilson Realtors brand founded 43 years ago, but now enhanced with a technology platform that makes it easier for sales associates to provide data-driven solutions for clients.
“Maybe this new name may not be as recognized,” said Ric Martel, senior vice president and regional manager of the company. “But once the full-on rebranding campaign starts, we’re going to make all of our customers and past clients in the market area aware of who we are – we are the same great management team and wonderful sales associates now enhanced with these fabulous tools and systems that Fox & Roach is making available to us.”
In 2017, Gloria Nilson was purchased by Warren Buffett and his company, Berkshire Hathaway’s HomeServices of America. The new company chose to retain the Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate label. Over the past three years, company executives researched other firms that had been purchased by Berkshire Hathaway and became intrigued by a 135-year old firm out of the Main Line of Pennsylvania called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors. As the #1 franchise nationally in the Berkshire Hathaway network for the past five years, it stood out with proprietary software that is sales-professional focused, flexible and data-driven.
The platform is a single-sign on system for the real estate professional. Once on the portal, associates can conduct all of their business, such as preparing a contract, sending out digital cards, ordering digital advertising, working on the client database, ordering photography and setting up all their automated systems to work with buyers and sellers.
The associates can also set up systems for their customers that address their interests. For example, a customer interested in kitchens or backyard pools can be shown properties with those features first.
With the platform, associates can also help sellers strategize for the best pricing by using different pricing models. Once a house is listed, automatic digital ads will be released to social media and across the internet, and interested buyers will receive a notification by text.
The announcement was made on February 4th. Gloria Nilson’s 650 sales associates in central New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania, 22 offices, and 60+ employees would merge into Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors. The combined company is now composed of over 5500 sales associates in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, who work in 75 offices and the support staff boasts over 700 employees.
P.J. Rotchford, the broker-manager in the Rumson office for the past 30+ years, said he has received many questions as to why Gloria Nilson would merge after so many years of being the #1 company in the market area. “My answer is when we saw what we were going to be able to offer our clients and our agents, and where this technology and marketing would take us in the future, the decision was simple,” he said. Rotchford is also excited about the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach strong commitment to philanthropy, particularly for underprivileged children. “It’s something the Gloria Nilson Real Estate company has always been involved in, but this brings it to a new level,” he said.
The article originally appeared in the Feb. 27, 2020 print edition of the The Two River Times.
