RealtyUSA has merged into the Howard Hanna family of companies based in Pittsburgh, combining the largest residential real estate broker in New York state with the largest broker in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The merger was announced at a press conference held in Buffalo on July 13 by Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna, III chairman of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, and Merle L. Whitehead, president and CEO of RealtyUSA.
RealtyUSA has offices in Queensbury and throughout the Capital Region.
“I have known and respected the Hanna family for years,” said Whitehead. “Their growth in the last decade has been amazing. A common theme of commitment to our agents by developing the best in products and services for customers and clients will assure our combined success.”
Whitehead will become chairman of the combined company in New York state.
RealtyUSA is the top broker in the state of New York with 65 office locations covering western and central New York, Northern New York, the Capital Region and the Southern Tier. The company reports more than 2,200 sales associates and employees and is ranked the ninth largest real estate company in the country with 23,023 closed transactions last year, based on the REAL Trends 500 report, May 2016, which ranks the 500 largest real estate brokers in the U.S. by 2015 closed transactions.
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the top broker is Pennsylvania and Ohio with 205 office locations in the eight states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Michigan, West Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland. The company has more than 7,100 agents and employees and is ranked the 4th largest real estate company in the country with 66,714 closed transactions last year, according to the same REAL Trends 500 report.
The merger ranks Howard Hanna as the third largest real estate company in the U.S. The combined performance of the joint company is $16.2 billion in closed sales volume last year and 89,737 closed transactions. Officials said the combined strength of the companies is more than 9,000 sales associates and employees in 270 offices.
“We always look to move forward,” said Helen Hanna Casey, president and CEO of the family-owned and operated Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. “We made the decision in the mid-1980s to remain independent, with the goal of always being a large regional broker in the mid-Atlantic, midwest and Great Lakes regions. And when you find a prominent company that is run with the utmost integrity and is so like-minded with complementary management styles and great managers, it makes sense to come together.
“We’ve been in New York since 2003 in Chautauqua County, and last May Nothnagle Realtors merged with us, adding 32 offices in Western New York, the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes areas. Armand D’Alfonso will be president of the entire New York organization.”
Casey said RealtyUSA and Howard Hanna agents will benefit from each other’s markets for referrals in areas they do not serve. “When we expand our reach, everybody within the Howard Hanna family of companies benefits.”
“RealtyUSA is truly one of America’s great real estate companies, led by Merle Whitehead, who is recognized as a national leader in real estate,” said Howard W. “Hoby” Hanna, IV, president of Howard Hanna Real Estate Brokerage. “Our business philosophy is very similar, and operationally they know what it takes to create the American dream of home ownership for New Yorkers.”
They said the transition will be seamless for both agents and clients, and the range of services offered will be expanded for both.
“We will first introduce our exclusive 100 percent money back guarantee, which gives buyers added confidence to purchase a home. Additionally, we will be expanding our insurance company, adding approximately 15-20 new positions, as well as increasing marketing and technology systems with another 20 positions throughout the company,” added Hanna.
Officials said the two companies have known and worked with each other for decades through relationships in the real estate business and began discussions about six months ago about a possible merger.
There will not be a change to the company name or to local leadership. Both the RealtyUSA and Nothnagle logos will feature the tagline “A Howard Hanna Company.”
For more information, visit RealtyUSA.com, Nothnagle.com or HowardHanna.com.