Keller Williams Realty Inc. jumps to fourth-largest among real estate franchises
Agent-centric business models are powering company’s organic growth

AUSTIN, TEXAS (Feb. 21, 2006) — Real estate franchise company Keller Williams Realty Inc. announced today that it has moved up a notch to become the fourth-largest real estate franchise company. The company attributes the growth to its agent-centric approach to business and branding.

Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams Realty reported 60,610 licensed associates at the end of January, which surpasses the former No. 4 company, Prudential Real Estate Affiliates Inc., which has 60,000 agents, according to Prudential’s communications department.

Keller Williams Realty President and CEO Mark Willis says the company’s unprecedented growth — an average 1,700 new associates a month — is unique when compared to industry competition.

“The difference between Keller Williams Realty and every other real estate company out there is that Keller Williams is experiencing organic growth,” he says. “We’re not growing through mergers and acquisitions; we’re growing by building a unified culture from the ground up that is attracting new agents daily.”

Willis says that Keller Williams Realty views the real estate business as a locally based business driven by professionals.

“We have succeeded through our people on the local level,” he says. “Other franchise companies come from the position that you succeed because of the national brand. Keller Williams Realty does not promote its brand name. We look at ourselves as Intel Inside. The agent is the brand name, and we power our associates’ careers and growth on the local level through our wealth-building and training opportunities. We focus on proven models for building great businesses.”

Looking forward, Keller Williams Realty has set new goals to grow to 82,000 associates in 2006; 103,000 in 2007; and 130,000 in 2008. However, Willis notes that increasing Keller Williams Realty’s market share throughout North America is another significant goal in the coming years.

“Market share is the key to success,” Willis says. “We want to be first, second or third in aggregate market share for every market we’re in. It’s a big job for Keller Williams, and it takes strong leaders to attract strong listing agents.”

In December, Keller Williams Realty fortified the executive team at its international office in Austin to support the company’s accelerated growth. President Willis took on the title of CEO; former CEO Mo Anderson was promoted to vice chairman; and Mary Tennant, a tenured Keller Williams Realty field leader, joined the international staff as chief operations officer. Additionally, the company’s former outside counsel Charles Cannon came on board as executive vice president; former market center Team Leader Dianna Kokoszka became vice president of the company’s Mega Achievement Productivity Systems Institute; and David Osborn, a tenured regional leader, was named Core Services president.

About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the fourth-largest real estate franchise operation in North America, with 550-plus offices and more than 60,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company’s associate-centric culture emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. Keller Williams Realty, which began franchising in 1990, is growing by 1,700 agents a month. Keller Williams Realty associates place high value on professional education and a full-time commitment to real estate sales. For more information, visit Keller Williams Realty online at (www.kw.com).