Their friends in Palm Springs have done it.Now, Joyce Emory and Patrick Keigher are doing it here in northern Nevada - opening a Windermere Real Estate Services Co.
franchise.
"It's something we always knew we would do, but we wanted to get the lay of the land and know the market first," says Emory.
She and her husband, Keigher, are planning a May 1 opening for their 5,000-square-foot office at 680 S.McCarran.
Their focus in Reno's competitive real estate market is premier residential property.
That's luxury homes in the $600,000 and above price range.
Seattle-based franchise parent Windermere has more than 250 offices located in eight western states plus British Columbia.
The company's franchises, which Emory says run about $16,000 to $30,000 for a buy-in, are not exactly new to the area.
They are already ongoing in Las Vegas and South Lake Tahoe.
And in the Palm Springs area, says Emory, Windermere dominates the luxury market.
The Palm Springs owners are not just friends of Emory's; they are the leaders that Emory plans to emulate, she says."I'm taking their business model and applying it here." The model integrity, customer service, attention to detail will be applied to the relocation market with Emory directing it.
Keigher will manage the office.
Both Realtors relocated to Reno from the San Francisco Bay Area and worked for five years for Coldwell Banker.
They're starting their new Reno franchise with just three people.
In addition to Emory and Keigher, Emory's brother, Scott Lay, is moving his real estate license from Coldwell Banker - Village Realty.
The young franchise will be seeking about 40 agents for its flagship office,with intentions of opening five offices in the Reno/Sparks area and possibly an office in Carson City as well, over the next two years.
